patch management

The process for identifying, acquiring, installing, and verifying patches for products and systems. Patches correct security and functionality problems in software and firmware. From a security perspective, patches are most often of interest because they are mitigating software flaw vulnerabilities; applying patches to eliminate these vulnerabilities significantly reduces the opportunities for exploitation. Also, patches are usually the most effective way to mitigate software flaw vulnerabilities, and are often the only fully effective solution. (SP 800-40 Rev. 3)