Date Published: November 17, 2021
Comments Due:
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Author(s)
Murugiah Souppaya (NIST), Karen Scarfone (Scarfone Cybersecurity)
Announcement
The National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE) has released two draft publications on enterprise patch management for public comment. Patching is a critical component of preventive maintenance for computing technologies—a cost of doing business, and a necessary part of what organizations need to do in order to achieve their missions. However, keeping software up-to-date with patches remains a problem for most organizations.
Draft NIST Special Publication (SP) 800-40 Revision 4, Guide to Enterprise Patch Management Planning: Preventive Maintenance for Technology, discusses common factors affecting enterprise patch management and recommends creating an enterprise strategy to simplify and operationalize patching while also improving reduction of risk. Draft SP 800-40 Revision 4 will replace SP 800-40 Revision 3, Guide to Enterprise Patch Management Technologies.
Draft NIST Special Publication (SP) 1800-31, Improving Enterprise Patching for General IT Systems: Utilizing Existing Tools and Performing Processes in Better Ways, builds upon the work in SP 800-40 Revisions 3 and 4. SP 1800-31 describes an example solution that demonstrates how tools can be used to implement the inventory and patching capabilities organizations need for routine and emergency patching situations, as well as implementing workarounds and other alternatives to patching.
NOTE: A call for patent claims is included on page iii of this draft. For additional information, see the Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) Patent Policy--Inclusion of Patents in ITL Publications.
Enterprise patch management is the process of identifying, prioritizing, acquiring, installing, and verifying installation of patches, updates, and upgrades throughout an organization. Patching is more important than ever because of the increasing reliance on technology, but there is often a divide between business/mission owners and security/technology management about the value of patching. This publication frames patching as a critical component of preventive maintenance for computing technologies—a cost of doing business, and a necessary part of what organizations need to do in order to achieve their missions. This publication discusses common factors affecting enterprise patch management and recommends creating an enterprise strategy to simplify and operationalize patching while also improving reduction of risk. Preventive maintenance through enterprise patch management helps prevent compromises, data breaches, operational disruptions, and other adverse events.
Enterprise patch management is the process of identifying, prioritizing, acquiring, installing, and verifying installation of patches, updates, and upgrades throughout an organization. Patching is more important than ever because of the increasing reliance on technology, but there is often a divide...
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Enterprise patch management is the process of identifying, prioritizing, acquiring, installing, and verifying installation of patches, updates, and upgrades throughout an organization. Patching is more important than ever because of the increasing reliance on technology, but there is often a divide between business/mission owners and security/technology management about the value of patching. This publication frames patching as a critical component of preventive maintenance for computing technologies—a cost of doing business, and a necessary part of what organizations need to do in order to achieve their missions. This publication discusses common factors affecting enterprise patch management and recommends creating an enterprise strategy to simplify and operationalize patching while also improving reduction of risk. Preventive maintenance through enterprise patch management helps prevent compromises, data breaches, operational disruptions, and other adverse events.
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Keywords
enterprise patch management; patch; risk management; update; upgrade; vulnerability management
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