What is the purpose of patch management?

The purpose of patch management is fundamentally about fixing vulnerabilities and bugs in software. When software is developed, it often has security weaknesses or operational issues that can be exploited by malicious actors or may hinder performance. Patch management involves the systematic process of identifying, acquiring, installing, and verifying patches for products and systems.

By regularly managing patches, organizations can address these vulnerabilities before they can be exploited, thereby enhancing the security posture of their systems. This practice helps to ensure that software remains functional and secure over time, protecting sensitive data and maintaining system integrity.

While installing new software, creating backup copies of data, and enhancing user experience are all important aspects of IT management, they are not the primary focus of patch management. Each of these activities serves different needs within an IT strategy, but the core goal of patch management is specifically to address and remediate software vulnerabilities and bugs to prevent potential security breaches.