Think of patching like regular maintenance for your car. You wouldn’t skip oil changes or ignore a check engine light because over time, small problems can turn into big issues. The same goes for the technology your business relies on every day. Computers, software, and devices need regular updates to stay secure and perform their best. That’s where patching comes in—it’s the process of keeping everything up to date by fixing little problems before they become big ones.
Why does software have vulnerabilities?
Just like a house can have cracks in the foundation, software can have little “cracks” called vulnerabilities. These are small flaws or weaknesses that hackers might try to take advantage of. The people who create the software are called “Software Developers” and just like us, they are imperfect. There are errors in the software that the developers are always working to find and releasing updates, called “patches.” But if those patches aren’t applied, it’s like leaving a window open for intruders.
Why is patching important?
Imagine you didn’t lock the door to your business at night. You might not have any issues for a while, but eventually, someone could walk right in. The same is true with your technology—if you don’t keep it patched and updated, it’s only a matter of time before something goes wrong. Patching ensures that your systems are protected against the latest threats and continue running smoothly.
How other IT providers might handle patching
Some IT providers don’t take patching as seriously as they should. They might say they offer patching, but it could be done sporadically, without any real planning. Maybe they apply updates when they happen to notice a problem or during business hours, which could interrupt your work. And even if they have an automated system, it might not be as thorough as it needs to be.
For example, most IT providers only patch the main systems they monitor but ignore devices like printers, backup batteries, or other equipment that can also be targets for cyberattacks. They may only focus on what’s easy, leaving your business exposed in other areas.
Without Vulnerability Scanning, they would never even know what they have missed in patching.
How EarneyIT handles patching
At EarneyIT, we’ve built an automated patching system that works 24/7, so your systems are always up to date without interrupting your daily operations. We schedule these updates during maintenance windows to ensure your workday goes uninterrupted. However, not all devices can be patched automatically. That is why we also include Vulnerability Scanning to find the patches that most IT providers cannot find.
For equipment like printers, battery backups, and IoT devices, patching has to be done manually since they don’t connect to our automated system. Our team ensures these devices are patched properly, giving you complete coverage.
Server patching also requires special attention. Unlike workstations, servers run critical business operations, and any issues caused by updates could impact your whole company. That’s why our system admins manually handle server patching, starting at 3 a.m. on Fridays. This way, we can catch and fix any potential issues long before anyone steps into the office.
Beyond patching
While patching is essential, it’s only one part of keeping your systems secure. Another key aspect is Vulnerability Scanning, which helps identify potential weak points across all devices, including those not connected to our patching system. We won’t dive too deep into that here, but if you want to learn more, be sure to check out our separate article on vulnerability scanning.
