OS patching is vital for ensuring your operating systems, devices, and software have the latest updates and security patches. Still, for many large organizations, it’s such a cumbersome task that it’s often neglected – sometimes to disastrous effect.
OS patching is essential for cybersecurity and IT operations, as it helps ensure that flaws, vulnerabilities, and software inefficiencies are quickly identified and addressed. As such, automating OS patching with a solution like Splashtop AEM (Autonomous Endpoint Management) can help ensure your systems are always up-to-date without taking time and resources from your IT team.
With that in mind, let’s explore what OS patching is, why it matters, and how automation tools like Splashtop AEM can help ensure it's done right…
What is OS Patching?
OS Patching Definition and Purpose
OS patching is the process of applying updates and security patches to an operating system to address and repair bugs, security vulnerabilities, and other performance issues. This is key to keeping security and systems up-to-date, so that technical issues can be mitigated and potential security flaws can be addressed before hackers can exploit them.
While the updates themselves are simple enough, simply requiring an installation and reboot, it’s also important to test patches before rolling them out across larger ecosystems. Since installing updates and rebooting devices can take valuable time, OS patching is often neglected, but doing so can have severe consequences. Instead, properly scheduling updates helps ensure they roll out with minimal disruptions.
Types of OS Patches
There are a few types of OS patches that serve distinct purposes. All of them help improve security and efficiency, although they do so in different ways. The three core types of OS patches are:
Security updates that add additional security features or fix vulnerabilities.
Bug fixes that address common issues and errors that may occur.
Feature or performance enhancements designed to increase productivity and efficiency by improving the operating system.
Regardless of the type and purpose of the patch, installing the patches and updates as soon as possible helps keep teams productive and work flowing efficiently. Improving security, fixing bugs, and improving the tools employees use daily are all vital for an effective work environment.
Why OS-Level Patching Is Essential for IT Security
Some may wonder why OS patching is all that important. If their computers are running well as they are, is it worth the time it takes to install patches, especially across multiple devices?
OS patching is vital for protecting devices and networks from cyberattacks, as security patches address vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit. Unpatched systems are a leading attack vector, with research showing that 64% of CISOs say that postponing patch updates has led to a successful data breach.
OS patches help close vulnerabilities and fix zero-day exploits, cutting off these attack vectors before hackers can exploit them.
Additionally, having up-to-date security is necessary for IT compliance. Most security standards and regulations require fully patched and updated systems, so prompt and complete OS patching is necessary for PCI-DSS, DORA, and HIPAA compliance, to name a few.
Common Challenges in OS Patching
While OS patching is necessary, it’s not without its obstacles. There are a few common challenges that can make installing updates more complicated than they should be, including:
1. Lack of visibility into patch status
Depending on the size and complexity of the patch, updates can take a fair amount of time, leaving IT unsure of how long it will take until the update is complete and employees can use their devices again. If an error occurs anywhere in the update process, that’ll set work and progress back even further.
Without visibility into patch statuses, employees and IT teams will be unable to tell how well the updates are going, how much time remains, and if any issues have occurred.
2. Manual processes and inconsistent update schedules
When patching is done manually, IT teams often face a time-consuming and error-prone workflow. Each device must be individually checked, updated, and rebooted, making it nearly impossible to maintain a consistent patch schedule across a growing fleet of endpoints.
Without automation, updates happen sporadically or get postponed, creating blind spots in your security posture. Missed patches can leave systems vulnerable to known exploits, while unscheduled reboots can disrupt productivity and frustrate end users.
3. Compatibility issues with software or drivers
Technology constantly marches on, and sometimes older devices or software can’t keep up. Compatibility issues aren’t uncommon and can frequently occur when software or drivers are outdated, or old integrations no longer function.
4. Downtime risk and user disruption
Updates can take time, which can lead to downtime and disruptions when they’re scheduled at a bad time. When multiple devices are installing a large update, the teams that use those devices are often unable to do anything but wait, which can lead to unplanned downtime and disruptions.
It’s helpful to schedule updates for times when they’ll cause minimal disruptions and to space them out so that no team is left waiting for every device to finish updating.
5. Tracking patches across multiple OS platforms (Windows, macOS)
Modern organizations often operate in mixed environments, including Windows laptops and macOS devices.. Each OS has its own patching mechanism, schedule, and security advisory process, making it difficult to maintain visibility and consistency across the board.
Without a unified dashboard or management tool, IT teams are left manually checking update statuses across each platform, increasing the risk of missed patches or inconsistent compliance.
Best Practices for OS Patching in 2025
Fortunately, none of those challenges are insurmountable. With proper preparation and the right tools, it can be easy to address any difficulties that slow down OS patching, ensuring a fast and smooth rollout. These best practices include:
1. Maintain a current inventory of all endpoints and OS versions
Organization is key to tracking the endpoints you have, the operating systems they use, and the updates they need. Keeping an updated inventory will make managing your endpoints significantly easier.
2. Use automated tools to schedule and deploy patches
Patch management doesn’t have to be a manual process. Automation tools like Splashtop AEM can schedule, test, and deploy patches across endpoints without needing IT agents to manually update every device, saving time and making the patch rollouts far more efficient.
3. Test patches in a controlled environment before wide rollout
While compatibility issues can be a concern, they can also be identified and mitigated by testing patches in a controlled environment. Updating one or two devices first allows IT teams to identify any issues or incompatibilities that may be a problem, so they can address the problem before sending updates across a wider environment.
4. Monitor for patch failures and retry when necessary
Automation helps roll out patches efficiently across endpoints, but patch failures can happen. It’s important to monitor for any issues and try the patch again if anything goes wrong. Otherwise, devices could be left without the patches, making them vulnerable to attack.
5. Keep audit logs for compliance and troubleshooting
Logging your updates and patches is a valuable way to ensure your endpoints are up-to-date and to have a record for support. Not only can these logs demonstrate that you’re remaining compliant with security standards, but they also give you a trail to follow should any issues appear, making troubleshooting easier.
Why Automation is Key to OS Patching at Scale
When you have a large business environment with multiple endpoints, manual patching can take a while and drain valuable time from your IT team and employees. When we factor in remote and hybrid environments, it becomes even more difficult; manual patching simply can’t scale for it.
Automation, on the other hand, makes OS patches across large and remote environments faster and easier. Automation tools can detect new patches, schedule updates, and roll them out across endpoints without needing a human to manually approve each one, ensuring efficient rollouts and faster responses to vulnerabilities.
As a bonus, automated patching reduces human error and expedites the patching process. Automated tools won’t click “remind me later” each time an update notification appears; they schedule the updates, ensure they roll out properly, and keep work moving uninterrupted.
Simplify OS-Level Patch Management with Splashtop AEM
When you have multiple endpoints and remote or hybrid employees, OS patch management can be a time-consuming challenge, but it doesn’t need to be. A proper endpoint management solution can make it easy to roll out updates across large ecosystems and remote devices, ensuring every device remains updated and secure.
Splashtop AEM makes it easy to remotely support and manage multiple endpoints, including automating tasks like patch management, setting endpoint policies, and resolving issues quickly with real-time alerts and smart actions.
With Splashtop AEM, you can:
Automate updates and patch deployment for Windows, Mac, and third-party apps.
Monitor your patch statuses in real-time.
Set and enforce custom policies across endpoints.
Quickly deploy updates and actions across distributed environments.
Customize updates, schedules, and alerts.
Access task managers and remote commands for background actions without interrupting employees at work.
Get Started with Automated OS Patching Today
OS patching shouldn’t be a time-consuming process, nor should it cut into your uptime and productivity. Consistent patching across devices and distributed environments is vital for security and efficiency, but businesses need the right tools to automate patching and gain visibility into all their devices.
Splashtop AEM makes it possible to efficiently and securely update and patch devices across your environment, no matter how big your business or how many of your employees work remotely. You can keep your devices safe, your software updated, and your teams working seamlessly, without needing to make your IT team work overtime patching devices.
Ready to experience Splashtop AEM for yourself and see how easy OS patching can be? Get started with a free trial today.
