Security Patch Management

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Published:

April 05, 2011 by CRC Press - 284 Pages

Author(s):

Felicia Nicastro, BT Global Services, Colorado, USA

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$79.95

ISBN 9781439824993

Cat# K11189

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ISBN 9781439825006

Cat# KE11111

Features

Ties together all aspects of patch management into an easy-to-understand format
Provides the support and guidance needed to integrate an effective patch management process
Demonstrates how patches should be implemented on devices and systems within various infrastructures
Describes how to distribute patches quickly and without draining essential network resources

Summary

Although the patch management process is neither exceedingly technical nor extremely complicated, it is still perceived as a complex issue that’s often left to the last minute or resolved with products that automate the task. Effective patch management is not about technology; it’s about having a formal process in place that can deploy patches to vulnerable systems quickly.

Helping you figure out exactly what to patch and which patches to use, Security Patch Management provides detailed guidance through the process of creating and implementing an effective and efficient patch management process. It uses a format that is easy-to-understand and applicable regardless of the operating system, network device, or patch deployment tool. The author illustrates the proper implementation of patches on devices and systems within various infrastructures to provide the insight required to:

Design your own patch release process and keep it action ready
Test the effectiveness of your patches
Keep up with the latest patch releases
Prioritize the vulnerabilities that need to be addressed
Apply patches quickly and without draining essential network resources

This book supplies the tools and guidelines you need to stay one step ahead of the exploits on the horizon. It will help you establish a patch management process that not only protects your organization against zero-day attacks, but also helps you become more proactive when it comes to this critical facet of information security.

Introduction
How to Use This Book
Background
Getting Started
     Who Owns the Process?
     People, Process, and Technology
     Measuring Success
     Next Steps
Types of Patches
     Functionality Patches
     Feature Patches
     Security Patches
Product Vendor’s Responsibility

Vulnerability to Patch to Exploit
Who Exploits When, Why, and How
     The Who
     The When
     The Why
     The How
Tracking New Patch Releases
     Resources for Information

What to Patch
Desktops
     Standard Build
     User Awareness
     Use of Tool
Remote Users
     Laptops
Servers
     Windows
     UNIX and Linux
Network Devices

Network and Systems Management: Information Technology Infrastructure Library
Network and Systems Management
Starting with Process
ITIL
     Service Support
          Service Desk
          Incident Management
          Problem Management
          Configuration and Asset Management
          Change Management
          Release Management
     Service Delivery
          Service-Level Management
          Financial Management for IT Services
          Performance and Capacity Management
          IT Service Continuity Management
          Availability Management
     ICT Infrastructure Management
     Security Management
Assessing and Implementing IT Operations
     Assessing the IT Operations Capabilities
     Designing an IT Operations Solution
     Implementing an IT Operations Solution
     Putting the IT Operations Solution into Action
     Outsourcing to a Service Provider

Security Management
Overview
     Security Operations
Preparing for Security Operations
     Gather Requirements
     Selecting the Tools
Establishing Security Operations
     Methods of Implementation
     Roles and Responsibilities
Implementing Security Operations
     Incorporating Security into Operational Processes
     Process Example
Next Steps

Vulnerability Management
Definition of Vulnerability Management
Vulnerability Management Process
     Monitor
     Gather Data
     Assess the Posture
     Remediate
     Rinse and Repeat
Establishing Vulnerability Management
     Assess
     Design
     Implement
     Review
Next Steps

Tools
Process versus Tools
Where to Use Them
     Asset Tracking
     Patch Deployment
How to Determine Which One Is Best
     Price
     Leveraging Existing Software
     Supported Operating Systems
     Agent-Based versus Agentless Software Products
Tools Evaluated
     Conducting Comparisons

Testing
Common Issues with Testing
     The Testing Process
     Preinstall Activities
     Patch Installation
     Test Intended Purpose
     Test Primary Uses
     Test Secondary Uses
     Testing Patch Back Out
     Approving Deployment
Patch Ratings and How They Affect Testing
Prioritizing the Test Process
     Externally Facing Hosts
     Mission-Critical Hosts
     Critical Users
     Mobile Devices and Remote Users
     Clients of Critical Hosts
     Standard User Systems
     Internal Network Devices
     Dynamic Prioritization
The Test Lab
Virtual Machines
Wrapping It Up

Process Life Cycle
Roles and Responsibilities
     Security Committee
     Security Group
     Operations Group
     Network Operations Center
Analysis Phase of Patch Management
     Monitoring and Discovery
     Initial Assessment Phase
     Impact Assessment Phase
Remediation Phase of Patch Management
     Patch Course of Action
     Patch Security Advisory
     Testing the Patch
     "Critical" Vulnerabilities
     Use of a Standard Build
Updating the Operational Environment
     Distributing the Patch
     Implementation of Patches
     Time Frame of Deployment
     Exceptions to the Rule
     Updating Remote Users
Tracking Patches
     Patch Reporting

Putting the Process in Place
Preparing for the Process
     Assessing Current State
     Determine Requirements
     Performing the Gap Analysis
Designing the Process
     Assessing Network Devices and Systems
Implementation Phase
     Standard Build
     Implement the Tool
     Piloting the Process
     Moving the Process into Production
     Update Design Based on Implementation
Operating the Process
     Integration into Existing Processes
     Updating Standard Builds
     Implementation of New Servers
     Day-to-Day Tool Operations
     Deployment of Patches
Maintain
     Organizational Structure Changes
     Operational Changes
     Purchase of New or Additional Tool
     Annual Basis
Patch Management Policy

Conclusion
Challenges
Next Steps

Index

Author Bio(s)

Felicia Wetter (Nicastro) is Managing Director of the Ethical Hacking Center of Excellence (EHCOE) of BT Global Services. Felicia is responsible for managing the delivery of ethical hacking projects throughout North and South America. With a team of over 40 testers and managers, Felicia interacts with multiple types of clients on a regular basis to ensure that the penetration testing they are having performed provides them with the guidance and information they need to protect themselves from a malicious attack.

With over 12 years in the information security field, Felicia has covered almost every aspect of information security throughout her tenure, including developing and providing an organization with the policies and procedures required to maintain an appropriate security posture. Because of her experience, Felicia clearly understands the needs of an organization, from both a security and an end-user perspective and thus can provide solutions for her customers that allow them to accomplish the needs of the business and to obtain the security posture they desire.

In March 2003, Felicia authored a white paper for International Network Services (INS) titled "Security Patch Management—High-Level Overview of the Patch Management Process." Her article also was published in the November–December 2003 issue of Information Systems Security Journal. Although the importance of the process has remained the same, there have been some major accomplishments in patch management as well as the process, which are changed and expanded on in this book. Felicia earned a B.S. in management information systems from Stockton College in New Jersey. She is also trained as a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), and as a Certified Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Security Professional (CHSP).