Risks and Mitigation of Unpatched Software: The Not-So-Hidden Costs

Patching is essential to maintaining the security and stability of any software or system. An effective patch management strategy considers risks, prioritizes critical patches, and ensures timely deployment will reduce business disruptions, improve operational efficiency, and create a competitive advantage. It also involves applying updates and fixes to address vulnerabilities and bugs that hackers could exploit or cause issues in the system.

Despite its importance, many organizations fail to patch their systems regularly, leading to hidden dangers that can significantly impact their business. In this blog, we’ll explore why not patching outdated software and vulnerabilities can be a ticking time bomb for your organization and why it’s critical to prioritize this essential task.

• What is an unpatched vulnerability?
• Is an outdated or old operating system a security risk? Real-world example: The WannaCry ransomware attack
• Top 5 risks of unpatched software and devices
• Why do vulnerabilities go unpatched?
• Best practices for mitigating risks associated with unpatched software
• Why improving risk mitigation starts with proactive patch management

What is an unpatched vulnerability?

An unpatched vulnerability is a security flaw in software on endpoint devices that hasn’t been fixed with updates. Cybercriminals can exploit these flaws to access systems, steal data, or disrupt operations. When software vendors find these vulnerabilities, they release patches to fix them. If these patches aren’t applied, the vulnerabilities remain and pose significant security risks.

[Read also: What is device vulnerability management?]

Unpatched software vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they are well-known and documented, often listed in public databases, such as the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) list. This means that defenders and malicious actors know these weaknesses, increasing the likelihood of being targeted.

Back to table of contents

Is an outdated or old operating system a security risk? Real-world example: The WannaCry ransomware attack

A notable real-world example of the consequences of not updating an operating system vulnerability is the 2017 WannaCry ransomware attack. This attack exploited a vulnerability in the Windows operating system, for which Microsoft released a patch several months prior.

However, many organizations, including parts of the U.K.’s National Health Service (NHS), did not apply the patch on time. As a result, the ransomware spread rapidly, encrypting data and demanding ransom payments to restore access. It caused significant disruptions, particularly in the healthcare sector, which led to canceled appointments and surgeries and impacted patient care.

With this understanding of what an unpatched vulnerability is, it’s important to recognize the significant risks that unpatched software and devices pose to organizations. These risks can have far-reaching consequences, affecting everything from data security to operations.

The next section will explore the top risks associated with unpatched software and devices and highlight why patch management is crucial for maintaining a secure and resilient IT environment.

Back to table of contents

Top 5 risks of unpatched software and devices

Unpatched software and devices pose significant risks to organizations, potentially leading to severe consequences.

When vulnerabilities remain unaddressed, they create openings for cybercriminals to exploit, which can result in data breaches, financial losses, and reputational damage.

Additionally, unpatched systems can disrupt business operations and lead to compliance violations, further exacerbating the impact on the organization.

Here are five of the top risks associated with unpatched software and devices:
 

1. Increased risk of security breaches: Unpatched systems are vulnerable to known and exploited vulnerabilities, making it easier for threat actors to gain unauthorized access and compromise sensitive data or systems. Breaches can result in significant financial losses, damage to brand reputation, and legal liabilities. Not patching is like leaving your front door unlocked, providing an open invitation to burglars.
2. Business disruption: Unpatched systems can cause unexpected downtime, slow performance, or even system crashes, leading to productivity losses and potential revenue impact. Business disruptions can also have ripple effects on customers, partners, and employees, impacting their ability to do business or access critical services.
3. Higher operational costs: Unpatched systems require more frequent maintenance, troubleshooting, and support, which can result in additional labor costs and downtime. In contrast, regularly patching systems can reduce the number of support tickets and troubleshooting, leading to more efficient and cost-effective operations.
4. Legal issues: Many industries have strict compliance requirements, such as HIPAA, PCI DSS, or GDPR, to protect sensitive data and privacy. Regular patching demonstrates a commitment to security and compliance management by reducing the risk of regulatory violations and noncompliance penalties.
5. Decreased competitive advantage: Customers, partners, and employees expect a secure and stable environment, and not patching regularly can make an organization less attractive to them. In contrast, regular patching can enhance an organization’s reputation, instill customer trust in its security practices, and provide a competitive advantage over competitors who do not prioritize security.

It’s clear that these vulnerabilities can have severe consequences for organizations. However, understanding these risks is only part of the equation. To successfully mitigate them, it’s crucial to explore the reasons why vulnerabilities often go unpatched in the first place. In the following section, we’ll delve into the various factors contributing to this issue, shedding light on the challenges organizations face with patch management.

Back to table of contents

Why do vulnerabilities go unpatched?

Ensuring timely and effective patching of vulnerabilities is critical to maintaining robust cybersecurity frameworks and strategies.

However, many organizations struggle with this task due to various challenges stemming from resource limitations, complex IT environments, and operational disruptions, among other factors.

Let’s explore key reasons organizations may fail to patch vulnerabilities promptly and why:
 

• Resource constraints are a significant factor, as many organizations lack the necessary personnel and budget to manage and apply patches efficiently.
• Environment complexity, including numerous systems and applications, makes it challenging to apply all patches consistently, especially for organizations with many endpoints spread across different locations.
• System downtime required by patching can disrupt business operations and lead organizations to delay patches to avoid these disruptions, particularly if the systems are critical to their operations. There is also a fear that applying patches could cause system failures or other issues, leading organizations to delay or avoid patching.
• Lack of visibility into IT assets makes identifying which systems need patches difficult and can result in unmanaged or unknown assets remaining unpatched.
• Inadequate vulnerability management programs or tools can lead to delays in patching. For example, traditional patching tools may not provide comprehensive visibility into risk and compliance management efforts across all environments, particularly in distributed or remote work settings, and these tools can also be prone to failures and may not scale.
• The inability to prioritize patching before other critical tasks can lead to delays and conflicts between maintaining system uptime and applying patches.
• Silos between different teams and tools can hinder patch management, resulting in poor coordination and communication, which can lead to missed patches.
• The growing volume of security vulnerabilities being discovered and patched by vendors can overwhelm organizations, making it difficult to keep up. Vulnerabilities can be exploited through attacks, such as phishing, social engineering, and ransomware attacks, complicating the patch management process. Additionally, some vulnerabilities, like Zero-Days, do not have patches when discovered, which leaves environments exposed until vendors can release official fixes.
• Taking a reactive approach instead of proactively addressing vulnerabilities can delay patching and lead to slow and ineffective security incident response processes.

[Free podcast: We need to get proactive about vulnerability management]

Understanding why vulnerabilities often go unpatched is crucial for identifying the gaps in an organization’s security practices. However, recognizing these challenges is just the first step.

Organizations must adopt best practices that enhance patch management strategies to address them effectively. In the next section, we’ll discuss actionable steps and best practices organizations can implement to improve their approach to patching vulnerabilities, ensuring a more secure and resilient IT environment.

Back to table of contents

Best practices for mitigating risks associated with unpatched software

Mitigating the risks associated with unpatched software is crucial for maintaining a secure and resilient IT environment. However, organizations must adopt a proactive and comprehensive approach to patch management to address these risks.

Here are some common best practices for risk management and mitigation, including strategies for assessing and prioritizing patches, automating updates, and the benefits of leveraging managed service providers to ensure that vulnerabilities are addressed promptly and consistently.

Automating software updates to ensure timely patching

Automating key software updates is a best practice for mitigating risks associated with unpatched software because it ensures that patches are applied promptly and consistently. This reduces the window of opportunity for cybercriminals to exploit known vulnerabilities.

Organizations that prioritize vulnerability scanning with greater frequency than the minimum standards set by PCI DSS often achieve shorter [mean time to detections] MTTDs. By employing continuous monitoring and automated scanning technologies, these entities can detect vulnerabilities closer to real-time, thereby narrowing the window of exposure.

Automation streamlines scanning for vulnerabilities and deploying patches, which minimizes the likelihood of human error and ensures that updates are applied promptly. Organizations can also prevent potential issues by testing patches in a controlled environment and ensuring patches work without disrupting operations.

This practice also helps maintain compliance with industry regulations, protecting the organization from legal and financial repercussions. Assessing patches strengthens an organization’s security posture and safeguards its systems and data.

By automating updates, organizations can also free up valuable time for IT and security teams, allowing them to focus on more strategic tasks rather than manual, repetitive patching activities. This approach enhances overall security posture by ensuring that all systems are up to date with the latest security patches, reducing the risk of data breaches, malware infections, and other cyber threats.

[Read also: What is security automation? Benefits, importance, and features]

Effectively prioritizing software patching

Effectively prioritizing software patching is essential for mitigating risks associated with unpatched software. By focusing on the most critical vulnerabilities, organizations can minimize their exposure to cyberattacks. This strategic approach helps allocate resources efficiently, promptly applying the most impactful patches.

Additionally, prioritizing patches helps manage the workload of security and IT teams, preventing them from being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of patches that need to be applied. It allows for a structured and systematic approach to patch management, reducing the likelihood of missing critical updates.

By addressing high-priority vulnerabilities first, organizations can minimize the risk of breaches and other security incidents, protecting sensitive data and maintaining business continuity.

Establishing patch management policies

Establishing patch management policies is likewise a key part of mitigating risks associated with unpatched software. Patch management policies should provide a clear and consistent approach to identifying, prioritizing, and applying patches, ensuring that all systems are regularly updated. This reduces the risk of cybercriminals exploiting vulnerabilities and helps maintain compliance with industry regulations.

Formal patch management policies also enhance an organization’s security by ensuring timely and consistent patching, in addition to helping ensure user devices remain high-performing and protected from potential threats.

[Read also: What is Digital Employee Experience (DEX)?]

Leveraging managed service providers

Leveraging managed service providers (MSPs) is a best practice for mitigating risks associated with unpatched software because MSPs offer specialized expertise and resources that many organizations may lack. MSPs provide proactive monitoring and management of IT systems, ensuring that patches are applied promptly and consistently, which reduces the risk of vulnerabilities being exploited by cybercriminals.

MSPs also help organizations scale their IT operations efficiently, often at a lower cost than managing these resources internally. They bring advanced tools and technologies to the table, which can enhance the overall security posture of an organization. By outsourcing patch management to MSPs, organizations can focus on their core business activities while ensuring their IT infrastructure remains secure and current.

Discover how utilizing an MSP can help streamline your patching process and minimize the hidden costs of unpatched systems, ensuring a secure, stable, and efficient environment.

Back to table of contents

Why improving risk mitigation starts with proactive patch management

By regularly updating and patching software, organizations can close security gaps that could otherwise be used to gain unauthorized access, steal data, or disrupt operations. This proactive approach reduces the attack surface, making it harder for threats to penetrate the system.

Tanium named a Leader in GigaOm’s 2024 Patch Management Report

Proactive patch management also ensures compliance with industry regulations and standards, often requiring timely security updates. It helps organizations avoid data breaches and legal and financial repercussions caused by noncompliance. Additionally, organizations can maintain operational continuity and protect their reputation by continuously monitoring and applying patches.

By keeping software updated and addressing vulnerabilities promptly, proactive patch management is a foundational element of a robust cybersecurity strategy, helping to mitigate risks and enhance an organization’s security posture.

Back to table of contents

---

Tanium’s Risk & Compliance solution is designed to help mitigate the risks associated with unpatched software by providing a comprehensive and efficient approach to patch management. Our solution enhances the functionality of IT operations by continuously monitoring cybersecurity threats and providing real-time threat intelligence. This allows organizations to avoid potential security issues and respond quickly to emerging threats, reducing the exposure window to high-risk vulnerabilities.

Additionally, the solution helps organizations maintain compliance with industry regulations by streamlining audits and ensuring that all systems are updated with the latest security patches.

Using Tanium Automate, which is part of Tanium’s Autonomous Endpoint Management (AEM) solution and an evolution of the Tanium platform, organizations can further streamline patch management by automating tasks and reducing human error. Tanium AEM offers teams with easy-to-implement, no-code and low-code orchestration and automation options through its intuitive playbook creation capabilities. This means that even the most complex tasks can be transformed into consistent and repeatable workflows in real time and at any scale.

Schedule a free demo of Tanium today to learn about our Risk & Compliance solution, Tanium AEM, and the additional modules that form our autonomous innovations.