Automated patch management solution |
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EXPERT RESPONSE FROM: Ed Skoudis
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QUESTION POSED ON: 22 July 2003
I'm looking for a patch management solution to automate the notification and distribution, and schedule automated installation of security patches, service packs, etc. for the Microsoft Windows (NT, 2000, Exchange, etc.)
and Cisco IOS (routers and firewalls) platforms. Does such a solution
exist?
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That's a good question, given the major Windows and IOS vulnerabilities
discovered in the past three weeks!
I've seen very few solid solutions that support both Windows and IOS. You see, Windows and Cisco IOS are such radically different platforms, often managed by two completely different organizations. Therefore, vendors typically focus on one or the other. However, one possibility is Ecora, which just recently added Cisco support. They've been doing Solaris and Windows for a long time, and I've seen the product used to good effect in such environments. I have not yet seen it used in production for Cisco routers.
On the Windows-specific side, Microsoft has done a reasonable job with
its Software Update Services (SUS). It includes useful tools for pushing updates to Win2k (SP2 and later), WinXP and Win2003 (sorry, no NT, and of course no Win95, 98 and ME which are barely operating systems). You can pick and choose which of
the Microsoft patches you want to install on SUS, so you can customize your patching regimen. It's also available at no additional cost.
For more info on this topic, visit these SearchSecurity.com resources:
Best Web Links: Common vulnerabilites and prevention tips
White papers: Security Administration
Network Security Tip: Windows 2000's SP4 can be a mine field
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