9 patch management best practices every business should follow

It's 3 am on a Tuesday. Your phone buzzes with urgent alerts – systems are down and customers can't access their accounts. After a bit of investigating, it turns out the culprit is yesterday's "minor" security update that nobody thought needed testing. Sound familiar?

Patches are a bit like dental check-ups. You know they're essential for your health, but it’s always tempting to put them off until a more convenient time. Suddenly, months pass and you’re on the wrong end of a painful (and expensive) procedure.

Ignoring patches or failing to test them before installation can prove similarly costly. The good news is that, by following these nine patch management best practices, you can protect your systems and avoid the 3 am wake-up calls.

What is patch management?

Before we dive into patch management best practices, let's quickly clarify what we're talking about. 

Patch management is the process of distributing and applying updates to software, firmware, and drivers. Developers release these updates or “patches” to correct vulnerabilities or bugs in their systems and add new features to their products.

Patch management best practices

1. Stay up to date on device and software vulnerabilities

When it comes to patch management, knowledge is your first line of defence. After all, you can't patch what you don't know about.

Keep an eye on the latest cybersecurity threats and patch releases by:

• Subscribing to vendor security bulletins
• Monitoring vulnerability databases like the European Union Vulnerability Database
• Following cybersecurity news and threat intelligence feeds
• Maintaining an accurate inventory of all your assets

Create a detailed inventory of all hardware, software, endpoints, and connected devices. Full visibility is necessary to maintain consistent patch compliance across your tech stack.

2. Prioritise patches based on risk

Effective patch management starts with understanding which vulnerabilities pose the greatest threat to your business.

Start by categorising patches into three tiers based on their severity and the importance of the affected systems:

• Critical – security patches that address actively exploited vulnerabilities
• Important – updates that fix significant bugs or security issues
• Optional – feature updates or minor improvements

For example, a critical patch for an internet-facing server handling customer data needs immediate attention. A similar patch for an isolated test machine can wait. Keep a record of your prioritisation decisions to justify your choices, if questioned, and provide valuable context for future patching cycles.

Between patches, monitor vendor announcements closely. Subscribe to security bulletins so you know when urgent patches are released.

3. Automate where possible

Automation transforms patch management from a burden to a background process. Modern patch management tools can:

• Scan for missing patches
• Schedule deployments
• Alert you to critical vulnerabilities
• Generate compliance reports

Resist the temptation to automate everything. Start with low-risk or routine patches, like antivirus definitions, then expand gradually as you build confidence in your automation tools.

4. Test patches before installation

Whether you deploy patches manually or automate the process, always test first. Start with a small pilot group of tech-savvy users who can spot and report issues before you roll out to everyone. 

For important updates to critical systems, patch management best practices recommend testing them first in a controlled environment. This doesn't have to be expensive. Simple virtualisations can help you create realistic test scenarios without breaking the bank. The key is to ensure it matches your production environment as closely as possible.

5. Make patch management routine

Without an established routine, patch management becomes a reactive rather than a controlled process.

Microsoft provides a great anchor point with Patch Tuesday (or Update Tuesday). It releases security updates and software patches on the second Tuesday of every month, providing a predictable schedule for deploying updates across your organisation.

But don’t stop there. Create dedicated maintenance windows to keep on top of updates. Maybe that's Sunday mornings for your servers, or Tuesday evenings for workstations. The key is consistency – when people know when updates are coming, they can plan around them.

6. Define responsibilities

A patch management process without clear ownership is like a ship without a captain. When there’s no clear chain of command, critical tasks get missed. 

Document who's responsible for each task, activity, and process. Define who:

• Identifies and assesses new patches
• Approves patches for testing
• Conducts testing and validation
• Manages deployment schedules
• Handles emergency patching decisions
• Documents the entire process
• Keeps users informed about upcoming patches

Regular cybersecurity training ensures everyone understands not just their role in patching, but why it matters for overall security.

7. Look beyond software

Many businesses focus solely on operating systems and application patches while ignoring the foundation everything runs on – firmware and drivers. But these updates are just as critical as software patches.

Firmware

Firmware vulnerabilities can provide attackers with deep system access that persists through OS reinstalls. These vulnerabilities often go undetected by traditional security tools, making them a prime target for supply chain attacks.

Drivers

Driver updates are equally important. Outdated drivers don't just cause performance issues – they can contain security vulnerabilities that give attackers kernel-level access to your systems. Whether it's graphics drivers, network adapters, or printer drivers, keeping them current is essential for both security and stability.

Don't forget about third-party applications. Simply turning on Windows and Apple updates won’t protect you from the open-source and third-party vulnerabilities that account for up to 80% of the global total. Password managers, for example.

Incorporating firmware vulnerabilities and third-party applications into your patch management strategy ensures you don’t overlook these vital updates and leave your systems exposed.

8. Establish standard and emergency patching policies

Not every patch can wait for your next maintenance window. Having separate procedures for routine and emergency patching ensures you can respond quickly to emerging threats, without sacrificing control.

Your standard patching policy should cover:

• Regular maintenance windows
• Testing requirements
• Approval processes
• Communication protocols

Define clear triggers for emergency patching, such as active exploitation or zero-day vulnerabilities in internet-facing systems, and a deployment window. For example, within 48 hours of seeing the notification.

Document your procedures thoroughly. This should include who can authorise emergency patches and how to communicate urgent changes to affected users. 

Establishing clear emergency procedures is particularly important for critical vulnerabilities that include a risk of collateral damage to other assets.

9. Implement a rollback plan

Even with the most thorough testing, patches can (occasionally) create unanticipated issues in your systems. A solid rollback plan helps you bypass potential complications and maintain system stability when things don't go as planned.

Your rollback plan should cover:

• Clear rollback triggers – define what constitutes a failed patch
• Communication plans – who needs to know about the rollback and when 
• Step-by-step procedures – document exactly how to reverse the patch
• System backups – essential for data recovery and system restoration

Keep records of any rollbacks you perform. Understanding why patches failed helps prevent similar issues in future deployments.

From 3 am panic to proactive patch management

Implementing all of these patch management best practices in one go probably seems like a daunting prospect. The good news is you don’t have to.

Start small. Pick one or two best practices that address your biggest pain points and build from there. Remember, patch management isn't about achieving perfection once. It's about establishing consistent, controlled processes that keep your systems safe and stable day in, day out.

CyberSmart Patch helps you reduce vulnerabilities by keeping third-party software up to date — without the hassle. Try it today.

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