You are here: DIME Home > Programming and Scripting > Points To Consider While Patching Your Operating System


Points To Consider While Patching Your Operating System

Unfortunately, no code that is millions of lines long is perfect, and security holes will always exist. One of the best ways to protect yourself is to make sure your system has the most recent patch levels installed.

Author: Venkatesh Pai
Date: Dec 21, 2009 - 11:42:31 AM


Printer FriendlyPrinter friendly page

Unfortunately, no code that is millions of lines long is perfect, and security holes will always exist. One of the best ways to protect yourself is to make sure your system has the most recent patch levels installed. Rarely does a virus or worm attack a brand new vulnerability; rather, they attack known vulnerabilities for which patches exist. Typically, people who discover vulnerabilities will report them to Microsoft, and a patch is created and released along with the announcement of the vulnerability.

 

Administering the Patching Process

 

When you are administering a production environment with business-critical functions, it’s extremely important that you use a controlled process to manage your patching. Here are some ideas to get you started on a patching procedure.

Implement Change Control

 

First and foremost, you should implement a change control process for your system. A change control process has
• Defined owners for the system, patch, and any applications
• Communication to all parties involved in the patch
• A waiting period, so that the interested and affected parties can raise objections or questions; it’s often a good idea to get approval from each of the owners before applying a patch
• An audit trail and back-out plan
• A scheduled time for installation and a defined outage window

 

Be Consistent

 

When applying patches, make sure the same patch level is applied to each server-unless you have a good reason not to do this. Consistent installation is especially true for domain controllers, since out-of-sync patches could mess with replication or authentication between DCs.

 

Read the Documentation Always

 

Completely read the documentation for a patch before you install it, so you can understand thoroughly what’s involved. That way, you can determine whether applying the patch is going to disable some needed functionality or cause issues with a certain piece of hardware or software on your system. Reading the documentation will also educate you on which patches are necessary and which ones are not critical.

 

Test It Out

 

It is a good idea to have a test lab in your organization that tests any new patches before they’re installed systemwide. When you are completely satisfied that the patch performs appropriately and have appropriate sign-off from everyone involved, target noncritical systems first for patching. If you are not comfortable patching, don’t do it, especially if the patch is a feature enhancement rather than a security patch.

 

Be Able to Uninstall the Patch

 

If you can, install patches so that you can uninstall them if you need to later on. That way, you can back out of a patch if it causes problems on your system. You can usually find switches that allow for this. Also, keep a backup of the system state data on hand, plus a full backup of the system, just in case.

 

Make Sure the Patch Is Relevant

 

Always make sure that you can or should apply a patch to a system. Applying a WS03 Post SP1 patch before applying SP1 probably isn’t a great idea. Also, keep in mind that you may not need to apply client patches, such as Internet Explorer patches, to a server, since Internet Explorer won’t be used on the server. In addition, applying a whole service pack is usually better than applying lots of individual patches within the service pack.


Spec-India is Software Development Company that offers Mobile Software Application Development, ASP.Net Application Development, HandHeld Computer System Development, Outsourcing Software Development and .Net Framework Application Development.




View all articles by Venkatesh Pai

Link to this article:

Code to copy: <a href="http://www.dime-co.com/programming/Points-To-Consider-While-Patching-Your-Operating-System.shtml">Points To Consider While Patching Your Operating System</a>




Related Articles...

HTML5 - The End of PSD to HTML Slicing Providers?

Oct 18, 2010 - 11:20:32 AM

In 2009 the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) decided to concentrate their efforts on HTML5, a new revision of HTML, rather than XHTML2. HTML5 is strongly supported by Apple, Opera, Mozilla, Microsoft, Google and other leading IT companies and web browser developers. All this means that HTML5 is becoming a mainstream of the Internet.... [Read the full story]

Top 10 Points to Remember While Doing Web Development

Sep 17, 2010 - 6:44:25 AM

The web developers have a vital role to play in the success of the online business as they are actual programmers of the web site.  No one is going to fence on the fame of the web development in today’s competitive world. This is a high tech decade and you have to be on your toes all the time to contend well. The design of the website sets the tone for the success. If its attractive people would love it but if it’s not they are going to leave the page next moment.... [Read the full story]

Top 5 PHP Frame Work List to speed up your Programming efficiency

Jan 9, 2010 - 3:23:32 AM

PHP is a widely used and open source scripting language which designed for web development to build dynamic web pages. PHP Applications are normally hosted or found on Linux Servers. Its functionality same as Windows platform by Active Server Pages Technology.... [Read the full story]

Ethical Hacking for Strong Security

Jan 7, 2010 - 12:53:55 PM

Ethical hacking is a process that utilizes the same techniques that malicious hackers use, but for the purpose of assessing security threats to your organization’s information assets. Entities of all types (private businesses, government agencies, non-profit corporations, Hospitals, Universities, Etc.) need strong IT security now more than ever. It is imperative that IT security personnel learn “Black Hat” (malicious) hacking techniques in order to counter or prevent attacks on critical IT systems and assets.... [Read the full story]


Newest Articles in Popular Topics:

Business & Marketing Computers & the Internet Entertainment Health & Fitness
Finding Ways To Save Money And Maximize Revenue In Business
Cooper's Golf Park Tees Off Their New Website
Fiinovation Adjudged CSR Team of the Year & Caring Company at World CSR Day
Reasons Why Kale Realty is the Best Real Estate Firm in All of Chicago
Montreal Tech Startup Kangaroo Rewards Launches Mobile Loyalty Program for Local Merchants
It is time we break out of the SEO Shelter
3 Strong Reasons You Should Start Your Own Blog
Evolve Your Career With CompTIA A+ Certification Exam
High speed VMware Backups - Powered by UltraBlaze(™) from Vembu
Things to Consider When Selecting a Domain Name for Your Website
Fling Boom "Launches" This Holiday Season
Beautiful Abstract Canvas Art is Up for Grabs
Buying Art as a Gift: Tips From an Expert
Complete Guide to the 2014 Gatlinburg Fine Arts Festival Released by Jackson Mountain Homes
Learn Blues Music Online-Alternative to Traditional Piano Lessons
Causes and Treatment of Acne
What Type Of Constipation Home Remedies Are There?
Manual Wheelchairs: Buying One
Instant Facelift with Dental Implants
Lasik Surgery Leading Correction Of Vision Issues

Home & Family

Shopping

Sports

Travel
Enhance Your Learning Experience Through Best Responsive Elearning Development Tools
Best Apps for Learning German
Esvees is Cranbourne's Elite Hair Dressing Company
Ozone Generator
Practical Tips When Choosing Gates and Gate Openers for Your Home or Business
Why Cases are Required for Mobile Phones?
Are Dealership Services Worth It?
2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Named Must-Shop SUV for Towing from AutoTrader.com
Online Selling With An Appraisal Advantage
Macsome AudioBook Converter released New Version V2.0.4
Aditi Ashok signs off with a double
Softball Coaching: Avoid Becoming A Nattering Nabob of Negativity
Softball Coaching Tips - The Funnel Approach
Pick Up Specialized Advice on Jumping Exercises Which Are Highly Effective
Vertical Jump Training Tactics to Increase Your Athletic Performance
Tips for Choosing the Right Paris Short Lets
Hostels - the best choice for working womens and college students
Perfect holiday? Book a cruise and sail in Croatia!
Say Aloha to Your Best Vacation Ever with Kohala Coast Properties
The Perfect Guide for a Fantastic Family Trip to Kansas City

 



Follow & Share Your Favorite Video Articles

Tell a Friend About This Site



Chamber of Commerce - on the Web logo



Subscribe to the eMarket SmartsTM Newsletter in order to keep up to date with what's happening with dime-co.com, get the emails on new video articles, featured articles, and more. Your privacy is always protected. We never rent, sell or trade your private information

:
:

Service provided by GetResponse Autoresponders


Recommended Associates


Latest Articles in All Categories


Putting Up a Small Commercial Printing Business
So You Might Be Unemployed And Desire To Become A San Francisco Real Estate Investor Now
Meditation and Mindfulness: Dealing With Emotion
CPA Websites: Five Essential Ideas for Composing Convincing Articles
Set Goals In Order to Come Up With Your Action Plan
Is the Air in Your Home Safe to Breathe?
Coarse Fishing Tackle Review: The JW Young 13ft Trotter Rod
Section 1031 Exchanges For San Diego Real Estate Investors
Phoenix Real Estate Investing For Highest Possible Earnings
Legendary are the Volk Racing TE37 Wheels
Developing the Next Generation Wall Station (ChaseDesk™) for Healthcare - A Case Study
What are step down transformers?
Introducing Sharehype, the Revolutionary Tool for Online Marketers
Rewards To Shopping For Austin Real Estate On The Web
Hydroponics for Beginners



Do you write?

Would you like submit your articles and have them approved on a priority status? Find out more about how you can become a Priority author for pennies a day! Click here.

Dime-co.com Home
  • Business (9328)
  • Computers & The Internet (5740)
  • Entertainment (1348)
  • Family (958)
  • Finance (1963)
  • Health (4246)
  • Home and Living (6670)
  • Marketing (6113)
  • Shopping & Product Reviews (2624)
  • Sports (694)
  • Travel and Vacations (1689)
  • Video Articles (1)
  • Editors Pick (1)