It sounds simple: A scanner identifies a vulnerability, the vulnerability is patched. What happens in between, however, can be far from simple. Yet if you are not on a security team or, more specifically, a vulnerability management team, you would never know the bumpy, winding road that often stretches between scanning and patching.

The Patch Management Process

When vulnerabilities are discovered within applications, networks, systems and other parts of an organization’s environment, the priority for those managing them is to ensure they are patched and up to date. It’s an essential practice that helps maintain security over time and reduces the risk of an attack.