Dictionary · Defensive Security
Patch Management
Hygiene · Beginner
The process of obtaining, testing, deploying, and confirming software updates that fix flaws or bugs.
A patch is useful only after it is installed on the systems that need it. Testing reduces the chance that the cure causes an outage, and a rescan proves it landed.
Example: A browser update is piloted on one team, deployed to the rest, and confirmed by the inventory report.
Common misconception
- Approving a patch in a meeting is not the same as having it installed on the vulnerable host.