If you’re a Mandy Patinkin fan like I am, you can quote many lines from The Princess Bride and have watched the acclaimed series Homeland, where he played CIA Director, Saul Berenson.
In Season 7 of Homeland, Saul Berenson’s phone gets hacked because it is running outdated software. This scenario highlights several key points relevant to the importance of regular updates and patches.
- Exploitation of Vulnerabilities: The show demonstrates how hackers can exploit vulnerabilities in systems that are not up-to-date. This is a realistic portrayal of what can happen when patches and updates, which often include security fixes, are not applied in a timely manner.
- Real-world Relevance: Homeland is known for its attempt to realistically depict modern intelligence and cybersecurity issues. The scenario of getting hacked due to missing updates reflects a genuine risk in today's digital world.
- Awareness of Cybersecurity Best Practices: By showcasing such a plot, the series indirectly educates viewers about the importance of regular software updates as a basic, yet crucial aspect of personal and organizational cybersecurity.
The main security function of this safeguard is “Protect.” It is important to distinguish between patch management and vulnerability management within the controls. While often conflated, they serve different purposes. Patch management focuses on the deployment of patches, which might not always address vulnerabilities. Conversely, vulnerability management aims to resolve vulnerabilities and reduce overall risk. It is important to note that security patches may require additional configuration post-deployment, a detail that patch management software might overlook, but is usually caught by continuous vulnerability management programs.
Implementing CIS Safeguard 7.3: Steps for Effective Automated Patch Management
- Evaluating Your Current IT Setup: It is important to have a clear understanding of your IT infrastructure. This knowledge is key to identifying the most suitable automation tools for your needs.
- Identifying Suitable Tools: The focus here is on finding automation tools that not only mesh well with your existing IT systems, but also align with the specific requirements of your organization.
- Establishing Patch Management Protocols: It is crucial to develop clear protocols for the testing, approving, and scheduling of patches. This step ensures a structured approach to patch management.
- Ongoing Surveillance and Documentation: Continuously monitoring the patch management process and maintaining detailed reports are fundamental to verify efficiency and effectiveness.
- Periodic Assessment and Refinement: Given the ever-changing nature of IT environments and emerging vulnerabilities, conducting regular assessments and updates of your patch management strategy is vital for maintaining its relevance and effectiveness.
Despite its many advantages, automated patch management presents its own challenges, like ensuring the compatibility of patches with systems or minimizing operational disruptions during deployment. These challenges can be met through comprehensive testing, strategic scheduling, and at times, manual oversight.
Here is a link to the Vulnerability Management Policy Template provided free of charge from the fine folks at the Center for Internet Security: https://www.cisecurity.org/insights/white-papers/vulnerability-management-policy-template-for-cis-control-7
Here are some details on this specific Control/Safeguard. If you want more information, DM me.
CIS Control 7 – Continuous Vulnerability Management
Develop processes and technical controls to identify, classify, securely handle, retain, and dispose of data.
Implementation Group 1
CIS Safeguard 7.3 - Perform Automated Operating System Patch Management
Perform operating system updates on enterprise assets through automated patch management on a monthly, or more frequent, basis.