Date Published: April 2022
Author(s)
Tyler Diamond (NIST), Alper Kerman (NIST), Murugiah Souppaya (NIST), Kevin Stine (NIST), Brian Johnson (MITRE), Chris Peloquin (MITRE), Vanessa Ruffin (MITRE), Mark Simos (Microsoft), Sean Sweeney (Microsoft), Karen Scarfone (Scarfone Cybersecurity)
Patching is the act of applying a change to installed software – such as firmware, operating systems, or applications – that corrects security or functionality problems or adds new capabilities. Despite widespread recognition that patching is effective and attackers regularly exploit unpatched software, many organizations cannot or do not adequately patch. There are myriad reasons why, not the least of which are that it’s resource-intensive and that the act of patching can reduce system and service availability. Also, many organizations struggle to prioritize patches, test patches before deployment, and adhere to policies for how quickly patches are applied in different situations. To address these challenges, the NCCoE collaborated with cybersecurity technology providers to develop an example solution that addresses these challenges. This NIST Cybersecurity Practice Guide explains how tools can be used to implement the patching and inventory capabilities organizations need to handle both routine and emergency patching situations, as well as implement isolation methods or other emergency mitigations as alternatives to patching. It also explains recommended security practices for patch management systems themselves.
Patching is the act of applying a change to installed software – such as firmware, operating systems, or applications – that corrects security or functionality problems or adds new capabilities. Despite widespread recognition that patching is effective and attackers regularly exploit unpatched...
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Patching is the act of applying a change to installed software – such as firmware, operating systems, or applications – that corrects security or functionality problems or adds new capabilities. Despite widespread recognition that patching is effective and attackers regularly exploit unpatched software, many organizations cannot or do not adequately patch. There are myriad reasons why, not the least of which are that it’s resource-intensive and that the act of patching can reduce system and service availability. Also, many organizations struggle to prioritize patches, test patches before deployment, and adhere to policies for how quickly patches are applied in different situations. To address these challenges, the NCCoE collaborated with cybersecurity technology providers to develop an example solution that addresses these challenges. This NIST Cybersecurity Practice Guide explains how tools can be used to implement the patching and inventory capabilities organizations need to handle both routine and emergency patching situations, as well as implement isolation methods or other emergency mitigations as alternatives to patching. It also explains recommended security practices for patch management systems themselves.
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Keywords
cyber hygiene; enterprise patch management; firmware; patch; patch management; software; update; upgrade; vulnerability management
Control Families
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