Businesses are exposed continuously to increasing cyber risks and face a rapidly growing attack wave. Many of these businesses are short-staffed and desperately need more efficient ways to eliminate their exposure to susceptibilities. Cloud patch management provides a modern cyber hygiene platform that closes the aperture of an attack on businesses and organizations. It does this more efficiently than the efforts of traditional solutions.
While cloud systems require the same patching level as off-cloud servers, users may be uninformed on cloud patching solutions best practices, and cloud service providers may not provide patch updates on a regular schedule. This article explains how cloud patch management solutions are critical to managed IT services. You’ll learn about some of the best cloud patch management practices to help you efficiently manage your organization’s or business’ security systems.
Why Cloud Patch Management?
For many years now, big and small businesses, organizations, and enterprises have been drifting to cloud service providers for many reasons. Cloud service providers such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Compute Engine, and Microsoft Azure offer affordable, convenient, and accessible cloud services.
Many organizations and businesses work with an enhanced model that uses both cloud-based and on-premises servers, although some go a step further with a cloud-based-only approach. As more companies adopt cloud systems, it will become more vital to update, manage, and secure the set-up that exists in the cloud and on-prem. Cloud patching is essential to keep your systems safe and up and running. It’s a vital aspect of security checking and data validation. One of the many disadvantages of leaving machines unpatched is that it makes them more susceptible to cyber-attacks. Most of the data breaches are attackers exploiting an open weakness in an unpatched system.
Top Cloud Patch Management Best Practices
As the adoption of cloud-based patch management systems becomes more prominent, the need to have more effective and efficient ways for patching in the cloud also becomes more critical. How do you successfully patch your organization’s cloud-based set-up and preserve your system’s sanity and security? These easy steps are there to guide you through the cloud patch management process or solution.
Run Frequent System Diagnosis to Check for Errors and Susceptibilities
Run frequent checks on existing patches connected to the cloud services your organization or business uses. These may comprise cloud servers and other cloud-based applications such as online email providers and cloud storage systems.
Usually, big corporations such as Microsoft release patches periodically, but patches from other cloud providers are often not released regularly, leaving room for attacks and other security threats. Many times, they may even require that you reboot your entire organization’s system when there’s a new update. Remember to check for updates for existing patches frequently to minimize the risk of exploitation and vulnerability.
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Maintain One Patch Resolution Across All Combined systems
For many reasons, companies may decide to maintain off-cloud servers over cloud-based patch management. There is nothing wrong with that, but consistency matters a lot when it comes to which server you choose.
These cloud and off-cloud servers can power the different operating systems and programs that require a patch to maintain compliance and security. It can be a pervasive and stressful exercise if you manually track patching across the different providers. While automated patching is great, be aware that it doesn’t completely solve the problem. Supervision is required to ensure the patching process is accurate.
To keep track, you can consider a single cloud patch management software, which allows any combination of cloud providers. Most cloud patch management software uses portable cloud-native agents that are easy to set up and automatically scans your system for any problems while running the patch upgrade at the same time.
Update Your System Inventory
Most endpoints are located in the cloud, while others simply use cloud services to access data. To keep up with the security and risk level required to keep systems safe, your IT team must access their surrounding data.
They can do this by operating a cross-platform, cloud-native solution to manage patching, which helps them deliver desired results quickly and accurately. Being able to access all of your servers and workstations from a single console shortens the time spent evaluating patch status, expands your security situation, and allows accurate reporting to executives and stakeholders.
Identify Your Targets
You should always know what you’re accountable for by identifying your targets and their location. As an IT department, you should be familiar with endpoints, servers, apps, and services your organization uses. Often, these targets are vulnerable to attacks, primarily when an outside source easily accesses them.
Usually, they exist on-premises, in the cloud, or on the internet. The IT department in every organization tasked with creating a surrounding patch strategy must always keep track of changes. Although you can manually track IT properties, many corporations find it more useful to use various devices, networks, and applications when monitoring tools for advanced monitoring and inventory reasons. Cloud patch management catalogs and scanning tools can also spot and track devices that need serious updates, monitoring the overall system health, and making sure nothing goes wrong.
Set up Standard and Backup Patching Measures
There are two types of patching strategy that every organization needs to explore. They are Standard and Backup patching measures. Standard patching procedures explain what happens during the usual, regular scheduled patching.
This comprises precise calendar dates and maintenance windows that are typically kept when updating patch updates for several infrastructure components. The standard schedule helps to create a calendar for system IT managers and admins to work on to manage and supervise all actions effectively. Additionally, the scheduling helps to keep the necessary departments informed of new updates and fixes.
Review Patch Process and Results
Last, but by no means least, after a patch has been installed accurately, check again to see where enhancements in the whole cloud patching process are needed. There must be a constant reviewing of cloud patching processes and procedures to attain greater effectiveness.
You can easily set up, manage, and review cloud patches for your organization to use automated patching tools. These tools make it easy to perform repetitive automation and complete tedious tasks by taking less time and effort. Also, cloud patch management systems are becoming progressively sophisticated and widely used by the day.
Closing Thoughts
Cloud patch management can be a tedious activity, though it doesn’t necessarily have to be. It requires the right balance of research, time, and speed. When lacking the proper procedures and tools needed, cloud patch updates can quickly fall behind. And failing to stay on top of patching regularly could result in unnecessary exposure to security breaches or inoperable systems, applications, and services. These easy, best practices will help you troubleshoot your organization’s system and help you stay ahead in the cloud patch management processes and procedures.
As always, our professionals at RSI security are always available to walk you through all the necessary procedures and provide you with the best cloud patching solutions. Want to get the best cloud management services for your organization? Your solution is just a click away.
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