What is patch management?

Patch management refers to a strategy for managing software updates and patches for applications, operating systems, and firmware. This process is integral to maintaining the security and functionality of systems. The purpose of patch management is to ensure that software vulnerabilities are addressed promptly through updates that may fix security flaws, stability issues, and improve performance.

Proper patch management involves identifying missing patches, prioritizing them based on the severity of vulnerabilities and risk exposure, testing patches in a controlled environment to avoid disruption, and deploying them systematically across systems. It plays a crucial role in preventing cyber threats, as attackers often exploit known vulnerabilities in unpatched systems.

Upgrading hardware components focuses on the physical aspects of systems, which is not the primary concern of patch management. Monitoring daily system activities pertains to security monitoring practices, which analyze system behaviors and logs but do not involve the process of implementing software updates. Recovering data after a breach relates to incident response protocols and data recovery strategies, more aligned with disaster recovery rather than with the ongoing process of maintaining software integrity through patch management.