Cyber threats are constantly growing, and any vulnerability can provide attackers with a way into your network. Unpatched systems are a major vulnerability that hackers can exploit, so it’s vital to patch operating systems and applications as soon as new updates become available.
However, many IT teams still rely on manual patching workflows, which can take time and distract agents from other tasks. Whether agents have fallen into the habit of manual patching, lack the tools to automate updates, or are concerned about the complexity, they’re leaving systems vulnerable while slowly updating one by one.
Manual patching leaves organizations exposed to threats, but there is a solution. Let’s explore how automated patching and automation software like Splashtop AEM can help keep systems secure and up-to-date with minimal manual work.
What is Manual Patch Management?
Manual patch management is the process of identifying, downloading, testing, and applying patches by hand. This means that whenever an update is released for an OS, app, or any other tool, IT agents must approve and install the update on every device manually. For large organizations with expansive (and often remote) endpoint environments, this can be a time-consuming process.
Where It’s Still Common
Not everyone feels the need to invest in patch automation software. For instance, smaller IT teams, schools, and nonprofits may find that they have few enough endpoints to manage that manual patch management isn’t an issue for them. Other organizations may have already invested in older IT patching tools and might not feel ready to update yet.
While each organization may have its reasons, the fact remains: leaving devices and apps unpatched for too long leaves them at risk.
Examples of Manual Work
This presents the question: What exactly qualifies as manual patch management? It’s not as though IT agents are writing the patch code by hand, after all. Manual patch management takes multiple forms and can consist of several steps, including:
Checking vendor sites for updates, as not all apps provide automatic update notifications.
Applying patches one endpoint at a time, rather than automating updates across multiple endpoints simultaneously.
Tracking updates with spreadsheets or ad hoc systems, rather than an automated tracking tool.
Installing a patch in a single environment and running manual tests to ensure it works properly.
Depending on the size of the IT team and work environment, these manual tasks can take a significant amount of time. The longer it takes to patch vulnerabilities, the longer endpoints are left susceptible to attack.
The 5 Biggest Risks of Manual Patch Management
The next question is: What’s the worst that can happen if you rely on manual patch management? There’s plenty that can go wrong without automated patching, and the consequences can be severe. The biggest manual patch management risks include:
1. Missed or Delayed Updates
Patches and other security updates are essential for cybersecurity and compliance, so skipping an update can have disastrous consequences. Human error or time constraints lead to skipped patches, which leave systems exposed and vulnerable to cyberattacks.
2. Security Vulnerabilities
Unpatched systems are a prime entry point for ransomware and other exploits. Without automated patch management tools, companies can go far too long without patching their operating systems and applications, leaving their devices vulnerable.
3. Compliance Failures
Many regulatory frameworks, such as DORA, HIPAA, and NIS2, require up-to-date security, which necessitates consistent patching. Manual patching takes time and is prone to error, which can put compliance at risk.
4. Operational Downtime
Manual patching can be a time-consuming process, especially if you have a large and distributed endpoint environment. Not only can manual patching take time, but missed updates can also result in unexpected outages or compatibility issues. Without automated patch management, your IT teams will lose valuable time either manually updating outdated patches or dealing with the fallout of missing one.
5. Lack of Visibility and Reporting
Tracking patch statuses is key to ensuring compliance and ensuring your systems are up to date. Manual systems make it difficult to prove patch status during audits or investigations, which adds uncertainty and makes it easy to fall behind on updates. Automated patch management tools, on the other hand, can track patch status and provide visibility into your endpoints.
The Case for Automating Patch Management
So, if manual patch management is unreliable and risky, what’s the alternative? Automated patching software is the answer, as it provides OS patching and application updates across endpoints without requiring IT agents to access every device and install patches manually.
Automated patch management tools can identify when new patches are released, schedule updates for convenient times, and roll out the patches across endpoints. This has multiple benefits, including:
A reduction in human error and delays, since the software carries out updates automatically.
Consistency and the latest security updates across all endpoints.
More time for your IT staff to focus on strategic tasks.
Real-time visibility and reporting for all your patches and endpoints.
Compliance with industry/government regulations and audit requirements, which typically require systems to remain fully up-to-date.
How Splashtop AEM Makes Patch Automation Easy
If you’re looking for a powerful solution to automate patch management across your endpoints, Splashtop AEM (Autonomous Endpoint Management) has everything you need. Splashtop AEM empowers organizations and IT teams to manage, monitor, and protect endpoints across distributed environments, including automated patch management, proactive alerts, and customizable policy frameworks.
Splashtop AEM includes:
Cross-Platform Support
Splashtop AEM is built to work across operating systems and devices, so you can manage all your endpoints from anywhere. With it, you can automate patching for Windows, macOS, major third-party applications, and more.
Customizable Scheduling
With Splashtop AEM, you can control when and how patches are deployed. This allows IT teams to schedule updates so they don’t disrupt the workday or cause unexpected downtime.
Real-Time Patch Status Visibility
When you have multiple endpoints, it can be difficult to see which ones are properly patched. Splashtop AEM gives you full visibility into every endpoint, so you can know exactly which systems are updated and compliant and which aren’t.
Lightweight and Easy to Deploy
While some remote monitoring and management (RMM) solutions are complicated and difficult to deploy, Splashtop AEM is designed to be user-friendly and efficient. There’s no need for a large server infrastructure or complex RMMs; it just takes a quick installation and setup, and Splashtop AEM is ready to go.
Splashtop Remote Support & Enterprise
Splashtop AEM can seamlessly integrate with Splashtop Remote Support and Splashtop Enterprise, combining automated patching with remote access and remediation. This provides even more ways to support users, help employees work from any device, anywhere, and empower IT teams to remotely support end users across devices and locations.
Get Automated Patching with Splashtop AEM
At first glance, manual patching may seem like a manageable way to keep devices updated, but it’s simply not worth the risks. Manual patch management is inefficient, prone to error, and leaves devices at risk, making it an unreliable method.
Automated patch management, on the other hand, has been shown to reduce vulnerability, improve uptime, and help ensure IT compliance. It’s an efficient method that keeps endpoints up-to-date while freeing time for IT teams to focus on more pressing tasks.
When you need a powerful and user-friendly solution with automated patch management, Splashtop AEM has everything you need. Splashtop makes it easy to manage patches and updates across multiple remote endpoints, without the complexity of an RMM solution. This includes:
OS and third-party software patching
Real-time vulnerability insights
Customizable policy frameworks
Remote alerts and remediation
And more!
Ready to experience Splashtop AEM for yourself? Start your free trial today and take patch risk off your plate.
