What is patch management?
D4 · Operations · CompTIA Security+ SY0-701Patch management is the systematic process of identifying, acquiring, testing, and deploying software updates (patches) to fix vulnerabilities, bugs, and improve functionality across an organization's systems.
Patch management lifecycle: discover assets → identify missing patches → test patches (in non-production) → deploy → verify → document.
Types: security patches (critical — deploy ASAP), bug fix patches, feature updates.
Patch management lifecycle: discover assets → identify missing patches → test patches (in non-production) → deploy → verify → document.
Types: security patches (critical — deploy ASAP), bug fix patches, feature updates.
Unpatched systems are the #1 cause of successful attacks. Patch management reduces attack surface. Know the difference between vulnerability scanning (finds missing patches) and patch management (deploys them). Emergency patches (zero-day) may skip normal testing cycles.