Patch Management: An Essential Cyber Security Service Your Business May Not Have

Do you lock the doors to your business when you go home to protect confidential information and valuables from robbers? Why, of course, you do! But, while the physical security of your business is extremely important and always on top of mind, you need to value cybersecurity at a higher level. 

Virtual criminals can be found everywhere, and businesses are a hacker’s sweet spot. For years, cybersecurity updates or patches were focused on new features, but now, they are almost entirely security-focused. The reason is simply that data has become the new ‘gold’ for hackers.

Depending on the article or information source, some organizations are saying that over 80% of data breaches are human error, phishing scams, poor file storage, bad computer security policies, glitch or transfer mistakes.  The other half of data breaches are malicious or criminal attacks. Unfortunately, criminal attacks are on the rise and will soon be the top reason for data breaches.

In January 2020 alone, there was more than 1.76 billion records leaked. So how, as a business, do you protect your confidential information?  The first step - have a solid patch management process in place.

What exactly is patching?

Patching is like having holes in your roof. It is not a huge problem until it rains. And then, when it rains, it pours, making a huge mess that could have been avoided if the small hole was fixed months ago. That is where Intrada comes in. We don’t just randomly patch when needed. Patching is a continual process that is monitored.

Intrada has been managing patching and security for over 20 years. Patch management should be considered proactive, not a reactive service. We use patch management tools with monthly and quarterly compliance follow-up processes to ensure client networks are patched to the latest versions. Intrada also offers employee training, security audits, phish testing, vulnerability notification, disaster recovery, and advanced cyber-security policies, including HIPAA The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a critical piece of legislation in the United States aimed at protecting sensitive patient health information. Enacted in 1996, HIPAA established comprehensive standards for the privacy and security of medical data, ensuring that healthcare providers, insurers, and other related entities handle patient information responsibly. The Act sets national standards for electronic health care transactions and addresses the security and privacy of health data. It is essential for organizations handling health information to comply with HIPAA regulations to safeguard patient privacy and ensure the integrity and confidentiality of the data. https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/index.html , HIST, and CMMC The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is a standardized framework developed by the United States Department of Defense (DoD) to enhance and ensure the cybersecurity posture of its supply chain. The CMMC specifies a set of cybersecurity practices and processes that defense contractors must implement to protect controlled unclassified information (CUI) and federal contract information (FCI) within their systems. The CMMC framework is detailed and tiered into five maturity levels, each with increasing demands for cybersecurity hygiene: Level 1 (Basic Cyber Hygiene): Requires basic cybersecurity practices to safeguard FCI. Level 2 (Intermediate Cyber Hygiene): Introduces additional practices to protect CUI and begins the transition to more advanced controls. Level 3 (Good Cyber Hygiene): Focuses on a comprehensive set of cybersecurity practices to implement and maintain good security posture for CUI. Level 4 (Proactive): Adds more sophisticated and proactive measures to detect and respond to emerging threats. Level 5 (Advanced/Progressive): Emphasizes highly advanced and optimized practices to protect CUI from advanced persistent threats (APTs). The primary goal of the CMMC is to reduce the risk of cyber threats and ensure that defense contractors adhere to robust security standards. Companies seeking to participate in DoD contracts must undergo assessment by an accredited third-party organization to achieve the necessary CMMC level for their specific projects. Adopting the CMMC framework not only fulfills compliance requirements but also reinforces overall security practices, helping organizations safeguard sensitive information and maintain the integrity of their operations. controls to support network management compliancy standards. In addition, most PRO-Active Network Agreements from Intrada include patch management as part of the core deliverables to ensure our clients' patching is not a security liability.

Intrada Technologies prioritizes patching into four levels:

1. Operating systems running on workstations, laptops, devices, mobile devices, or servers.
2. Services including virus protection, endpoint detection, and response or filters.
3. Hardware including firmware versions on switches, firewalls, wireless devices, servers, workstations, printers, camera systems, and any attached network devices or services.
4. Software like Microsoft Office, Java, office productivity, Adobe, accounting, 3rd party browsers, and all installed software.

Cybersecurity Insurance Isn’t Enough

Hackers know that you have value in your data. It is your responsibility to protect your business and clients’ information from cybercriminals. Purchasing cyber insurance that will help cover the costs of a cyberattack is important, but it isn’t enough. This insurance does not mean your business is fully protected. It means you need to prove you are patching, or in the event of a claim, the insurance company will not pay out all benefits. This is where Intrada can help.

With a solid patch management process in place to ensure the proper patches are getting installed within an approved window of time from release to prevent cybercriminals from installing ransomware on computers, you are doing everything you can as a business to keep your information safe.

If your company is interested in having a cybersecurity review or discuss PRO-Active management services from Intrada, including patch management, give us a call at 1-800-858-5745.