Security systems have become part of our daily lives. Most of us don’t think twice about locking the front door when we leave the house or clicking the automatic lock on our cars when we get to our destination. But when it comes to our devices, it’s easy to forget that they need protecting, too.
With malware and hacking on the rise, thinking about cybersecurity is no longer a nice-to-have; it’s a must. One of the most effective ways that companies approach online safety is through a process known as patch management.
What is patch management?
Patch management is a process that fixes bugs, errors, and vulnerabilities by adding code to existing software. Patches can also be used to add new features or generally enhance the overall app’s security.
The patch is almost like a bandaid for the software. Instead of completely rewriting and reinstalling the full application or program, it can fix the one specific section that needs an update.
For businesses that maintain several different hardware or software applications, using patch management software is one of the best ways to stay on top of necessary updates. These tools push alert notifications to users to let them know that an update has been created. Some tools even make automatic updates to devices.
Types of patch management
Every patch created is unique to the hardware or software it’s made for, but generally, they fall under one of three categories.
Security patches
One of the most important types of patch management are security patches. They address specific vulnerabilities or possible threat exploitations within the software to protect the application from further cybercriminal activity.
Bug-fix patches
Not all bugs in software threaten security, although some do. That’s why most patch management software helps teams decide on the level of severity, ranging from minor to critical. Bug patches are used to fix any errors in the application, which improves the user experience and reinforces security.
Feature-update patches
From time to time, developers add new features to their apps. Instead of making users re-download or re-install the whole product, patches can be pushed through to devices to join the new features with the existing application. This method introduces new functionality and enhances performance for a better user experience.
Quer aprender mais sobre Gerenciamento de Patches Software? Explore os produtos de Gerenciamento de Patches.
The patch management process
Whether patches are manually or automatically installed, all patch identification, development, and deployment should go through the following standard process.
- Scan hardware and software for vulnerabilities or errors. This should be a continual process to ensure nothing is missed.
- Teams examine errors and identify where patches are needed. Patch management tools can flag these errors in the scanning stage. Teams need to look through the possible issues to determine which patches must take priority.
- Deploy patches. Once the patch has been created, it needs to be publicly available to users. If the patch isn’t an automatic update, users can install it themselves.
- Report on patch performance. Patches should never be released into the world and left to fend for themselves. Continually monitor performance to make sure nothing has been missed. It’s possible that fixing the app requires additional patches, or other areas of the software or hardware could experience problems because of the new patch.
What are the benefits of patch management?
Teams who use patch management efficiently maintain and update the software and hardware they create, but the process also covers broader benefits that serve companies and end users.
Compliance
Some industries, like banking and healthcare, are required to adhere to strict digital compliance regulations to protect their user data. When applications are compromised by crimes such as ransomware attacks, these industries can face fines and even lawsuits for putting sensitive customer information at risk.
With patch management processes in place, you can update and manage security or compliance-based features more easily than without. This way, all data is secure and cybercriminals cannot access private information.
Security
Secure applications are essential. Millions of potential cybersecurity threats in the digital world occur each year, but patch management makes it simpler for teams to monitor and address vulnerabilities that could lead to exploitation.
User satisfaction
Patch management keeps customers happy because it gives development teams the means to roll out new features, performance enhancement updates, and security patches quickly and easily. With these measures in place, users are more likely to enjoy the end product.
Innovation
Implementing patch management into your software and hardware development is one of the best ways to improve your overall industry. As new features come on the scene, competitors strive to stay one step ahead of everyone else, which drives greater innovation in the race to the top.
Best practices for patch management
You have numerous ways to roll out a patch management process. You and your team have to create a well-established system for managing every new update. This encompasses the items below.
- Establish a centralized system. When you have more than one system to monitor, keeping all patch management information within a centralized tool makes sense. It lessens the possibility of errors or neglect when it comes to reinforcing vulnerabilities. It also helps teams stay effective.
- Prioritize updates. Developed patches with a clear outcome in mind and prioritized the updates based on need. For instance, vulnerability and security patches should always be top of the list, whereas adding new features isn’t as much of a concern for development teams.
- Test patches in a sandbox environment. Not every patch works perfectly straight away. A development sandbox where teams can test and tweak patches without impacting the live software guarantees the final patch functions as expected.
- Automate where possible. Make it a main goal to cut down on the time it takes between patch distribution and patch installation. By automating the rollout through patch management software, users benefit from enhanced security or improved features as soon as the patch is available to the public.
Top 5 patch management software tools
The best patch management software should track vulnerabilities and errors and alert teams as quickly as possible when there’s work to be done on applications..
To be included in the patch management software category, platforms must:
- Maintain a database of software, middleware, and hardware updates
- Automatically notify users of new updates or patch software
- Inform administrators when customers use out-of-date software.
Below are the top five leading patch management software solutions from G2’s Winter 2024 Grid® Report. Some reviews may be edited for clarity.
1. NinjaOne
NinjaOne gives IT teams greater visibility and security over their hardware and software applications through endpoint supervision, remote monitoring, and patch management.
What users like best:
“NinjaOne stands out for its all-encompassing approach to IT management, combining ease of use, powerful automation, and comprehensive monitoring in a user-friendly package. It’s particularly well-suited for organizations looking to streamline their IT operations with a single, efficient tool.”
- NinjaOne Review, Michael K.
What users dislike:
“The bundled Bitdefender AV is quite lacking in management. You can only manage it from the Ninja Console, and cleaning up malware with it is quite difficult. There's no bulk select feature, so you have to manually clear each alert one by one in the event of a false positive being picked up multiple times.”
- NinjaOne Review, Tomson B.
2. ManageEngine Endpoint Central
ManageEngine Endpoint Central automates patch installation, software distribution, and IT asset management from a centralized system.
What users like best:
“ManageEngine Endpoint Central provides one central location to manage and oversee our organization. The tool provides a simplified method to oversee patch management from OS to applications, which is something that other vendors don't provide. The vulnerability tool provides a way of accessing where resources need to be focused and the remote management tool gives us the ability to connect quickly and resource issues.”
- ManageEngine Endpoint Central Review, Christopher M.
What users dislike:
“In some configurations, there may be performance or slowness issues, particularly when deploying updates or software to many endpoints simultaneously.”
- ManageEngine Endpoint Central Review, Rudy V.
3. Patch My PC
Patch My PC works with organizations that use Microsoft Configuration Manager or Microsoft Intune to manage and deploy patches to their third-party applications.
What users like best:
“After setting up PatchMyPC with our rep, he showed us a section that scanned our Intune environment for apps they have packaged and in our system. We patched over 6,500 critical vulnerabilities in a week and seriously improved our risk score. The customer support experience through this process has been phenomenal. We got our patching set to daily and it has been a dream to integrate with Intune.”
- Patch My PC Review, Bryce R.
What users dislike:
“Some apps require manual download because PatchMyPC can't download updates/apps behind a portal that requires a login or a license approval.”
- Patch My PC Review, Maxime B.
4. Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud
Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud is a leading AI-based malware, antivirus, and endpoint protection tool. It provides a single solution for integrating and automating patch management across various applications.
What users like best:
“I can manage backups, endpoint security, and email protection for all clients from a single cloud console. The unified console simplifies the use of the various solutions by creating a familiar environment for each product.”
- Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud Review, Giovanni C.
What users dislike:
“The recurring problem of the agent going offline. When this occurs, manual intervention becomes necessary to restart the service, disrupting the automated backup and security processes.”
- Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud Review, Vinu R.
5. Atera
Atera is an AI-powered IT management platform that offers remote monitoring, ticketing, patch management, help desk support, and automations from an intuitive dashboard.
What users like best:
“It is not mandatory to be inside the building to track IT operations or the same networks because this platform is suitable for working remotely. The important thing is that it also gives you technical support when you are making patches. In short, it is an ideal tool to track the assets.”
- Atera Review, Liam C.
What users dislike:
“Atera's platform falls short in offering comprehensive control over networking hardware like routers, switches, and printers. This could be a significant drawback for organizations that require detailed management of their network infrastructure.”
- Atera Review, Nigel N.
Your digital first aid kit awaits
Keeping your internal and end user’s data safe. Having a patch management system in place shows leadership, team members, and end users that you care about their sensitive data. It remains essential to good business practices and helps your company stay on top of new features that boost your application’s security, ensuring all customers stay safe and protected.
We tested the 7 best patch management software for 2025. Read our honest review of their features, pros, and cons.
Holly Landis
Holly Landis is a freelance writer for G2. She also specializes in being a digital marketing consultant, focusing in on-page SEO, copy, and content writing. She works with SMEs and creative businesses that want to be more intentional with their digital strategies and grow organically on channels they own. As a Brit now living in the USA, you'll usually find her drinking copious amounts of tea in her cherished Anne Boleyn mug while watching endless reruns of Parks and Rec.
