Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based endpoint management solution that helps users access the resources they need while simplifying app and device management. This has made it a popular tool for businesses, especially as they embrace remote and hybrid work. However, Intune does have one significant sticking point: its patch process.
Intune's patch cycles can take hours to apply, often clocking in at eight hours or more, and its third-party patch coverage is limited at best. While organizations must keep their endpoints fully patched and up to date, these lengthy patch cycles can also cut into productivity significantly.
So, how can organizations reduce delays in Intune patch cycles? One option is to complement Intune with a real-time patch automation solution like Splashtop AEM to close gaps in speed, visibility, and third-party coverage
Why Intune Patching Delays Matter
Patching and patch management are essential aspects of cybersecurity. Software patches often include security updates to address new and known vulnerabilities, so failing to install them can leave devices and applications exposed to cyberattacks. As such, many industry and government regulations mandate prompt patching; otherwise, companies will fail to meet their IT compliance requirements.
Delayed patching can increase exposure to known vulnerabilities, resulting in failed compliance audits, larger attack surfaces, and, of course, a greater risk of a catastrophic cyberattack. At the same time, without proper patch management, a patch may be marked as "deployed" even if it isn't fully installed across endpoints, creating a false sense of security.
At the same time, companies want to remain busy and productive, and patching can be time-consuming, especially when there are multiple endpoints to update. As a result, employees often delay lengthy patching processes to focus on their work, leaving their devices at risk.
Root Causes of Slow Patching in Intune
Given the importance of timely patching, one has to wonder: what makes Intune patching so slow? Several factors can contribute to slow patching, including:
Infrequent check-ins: To patch a device with Intune, it must not only be online but also checked in. This can result in slower updates, as the process is less automatic or frequent.
Limited control: Intune uses scheduled patch cycles that are not optimized for event-driven or urgent patch deployment, which can create delays during zero-day or high-risk scenarios. If a new, urgently needed patch rolls out between scheduled updates, Intune won't get to it until its next scheduled update. That creates a significant gap between the patch's release and its installation, which poses a security risk.
Third-party gaps: Intune primarily focuses on Microsoft products. Third-party patching is limited and often requires additional tools, scripts, or manual processes, which can leave common applications unpatched
Low-latency networks: If a remote endpoint needs patching, low-bandwidth connections can significantly slow it down. This can be a problem for users relying on VPNs or in areas with limited connectivity, as it can delay their access to much-needed patches.
When compared to real-time patch management solutions, the difference in speed and efficiency becomes clear:
Microsoft Intune | Real-Time Patching | |
Patch Deployment Speed | Dependent on scheduled scans and check-ins, patches can take hours or days to deploy across endpoints. | Detects and deploys patches as soon as they become available, without waiting for scheduled check-ins. |
Device Availability | Devices must be online and connected to Intune; offline endpoints can miss patch windows. | Deploys patches immediately when devices come online. |
Visibility | Reporting can lag behind actual patch status, so it may take time to confirm compliance. | Provides live visibility into patch status, compliance, and vulnerabilities. |
Third-Party App Support | Primarily supports Microsoft products; third-party patching requires additional tools or scripts. | Natively supports patching for both OS and third-party applications. |
Security Risk Window | Longer exposure between patch release and deployment increases vulnerability risk. | Minimizes exposure by reducing patch-to-deployment time to minutes. |
How Splashtop AEM Speeds Up Patch Management
If you're using Microsoft Intune but want faster, automated patch management, you can use endpoint management software alongside Intune. Splashtop AEM (Autonomous Endpoint Management) is an excellent complement to Microsoft Intune, as it brings real-time patch management across remote devices and distributed endpoints.
Splashtop AEM’s real-time patching detects available updates immediately and automates deployment across endpoints, reducing the time between patch release and installation. This keeps patches up to date as quickly as possible, rather than waiting between scheduled updates.
Splashtop AEM works across platforms and operating systems, providing real-time patching for Windows, macOS, and many third-party applications. Additional platforms like Android and ChromeOS are supported for inventory and management use cases. Updates across all of these platforms are visible from a single, unified dashboard, making it easy to track your patching progress.
Organizations can also set their own patching policies on Splashtop AEM based on their regulatory and business needs. This allows them to automatically trigger updates based on CVE risk level or events, or set policies for how patches should be prioritized and installed.
When used alongside Intune, Splashtop AEM provides even greater control over patches, swift patch deployment, and deeper reporting, giving organizations robust patch management capabilities.
How to Combine Intune and Splashtop AEM to Enhance Patching
With that said, how does one combine Intune and Splashtop? The process is straightforward, so organizations can quickly set up Splashtop AEM, integrate it with Intune, and unlock robust new patch and endpoint management capabilities:
Deploy Splashtop AEM: Splashtop AEM can be added alongside existing Intune-managed devices with no conflicts or uninstall requirements.
Create policies: You can set customized automated patching policies in Splashtop AEM by categories such as severity, app type, and compliance requirements.
Set real-time triggers: Splashtop AEM can be set to immediately deploy emergency or zero-day patches.
Monitor: You can track patch status and vulnerability insights through Splashtop AEM's dashboard.
Report: When you need to report compliance outcomes to internal or external auditors, Splashtop AEM's reporting provides detailed information to demonstrate security and IT compliance.
Security and Compliance Benefits of Patch Management with Splashtop AEM
Of course, Splashtop AEM does more than just help install patches faster (although that is a great benefit). Splashtop AEM's patch management helps ensure better security and IT compliance by keeping endpoints up to date while reducing the burden on IT teams.
First, Splashtop AEM's automated patch management helps accelerate the patching process. Splashtop AEM can automatically detect new patches, schedule updates across endpoints, roll the update out in test rings, and deploy them to each endpoint, reducing the mean time to remediation (MTTR). This helps keep devices secure and up to date, supporting compliance efforts for frameworks such as SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI, and HIPAA by reducing exposure to known vulnerabilities.
At the same time, Splashtop AEM reduces the need for manual intervention. As Splashtop AEM automates patch management, IT agents can spend less time manually updating each endpoint and more time focusing on more complex or pressing issues. Automation also reduces human error by eliminating the risk of accidentally skipping or forgetting to update an endpoint.
As for prioritizing patches and risks, Splashtop AEM uses CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) data to identify and prioritize threats. Splashtop AEM provides real-time CVE insights and vulnerability visibility to help teams prioritize and address risks quickly.
How Splashtop AEM Works
Splashtop AEM is designed to help streamline IT operations, automate tasks, and keep endpoints secure and compliant from a single location. With it, IT administrators and agents can seamlessly manage distributed endpoints, regardless of device or operating system, efficiently supporting remote and hybrid work environments while working from anywhere.
Splashtop AEM includes:
Real-time visibility: See patch and CVE data instantly from a single dashboard.
Instant, automated deployment: Download, test, and roll out updates as soon as they're available.
Unified reporting: Get a holistic view of all patch statuses, OS versions, and third-party software from a user-friendly dashboard.
Automation library: Use predefined policies for Windows, macOS, and critical third-party apps, or customize your own policies.
When IT Teams Should Add Splashtop AEM
This leads to one important question: what are the signs that a business should use Splashtop AEM alongside Intune? Ask yourself the following questions:
Are your teams experiencing delays or failures from Intune patch deployments?
Does your organization use multiple operating systems (including BYOD policies), rather than just Windows?
Does your IT team need to support multiple endpoints or sites that need fast patch validation, or are you an MSP with several clients that require the same?
Are you aiming for zero-trust readiness or continuous IT compliance?
If you answered "yes" to any of those, then it's time to get started with Splashtop AEM. With it, you can enhance your security, accelerate patch deployment, and ensure your endpoints are up to date regardless of operating system or device.
Of course, Splashtop AEM is a powerful, robust, and user-friendly endpoint management solution on its own, so even if you're not using Intune, it could still be what your business needs to keep endpoints secure.
Fix Intune Patching Delays with Real-Time Automation
If Intune's patching has been too slow for you, there is a solution. Splashtop AEM complements Intune by automating patching across endpoints, seamlessly working alongside it without replacing it. As a result, you can meet your regulatory compliance requirements, maintain strong security, reduce risks, and roll out updates quickly.
Splashtop AEM gives IT teams the tools and technology they need to monitor endpoints, proactively address issues, and reduce their workloads. This includes:
Automated patching for OS, third-party, and custom apps.
AI-powered CVE-based vulnerability insights.
Customizable policy frameworks that can be enforced throughout your network.
Hardware and software inventory management across all endpoints.
Alerts and remediation to automatically resolve issues before they become problems.
Background actions to access tools like task managers and device managers without interrupting users.
Ready to experience Splashtop AEM for yourself? Get started today with a free trial:
