In 2008, the SANS Internet Storm Center made headlines with a sobering discovery: an unpatched Windows XP computer connected to the internet could be compromised in just five minutes. Security researchers showed that worms like Sasser and Blaster were scanning the internet relentlessly, infecting any system left unprotected. Back then, the message was clear patch fast, or be compromised. Patch management is essential to fix vulnerabilities that attackers exploit, helping to prevent security breaches and maintain system stability.
Seventeen years later, not much has changed. The platforms have shifted from Windows XP to cloud workloads, SaaS platforms, and enterprise VPNs, but the game remains the same: attackers are still faster than defenders. Outdated software continues to expose organizations to security vulnerabilities, operational issues, and compliance risks. Despite billions invested in cybersecurity, major enterprises and governments continue to fall victim to the same fundamental weakness delayed patching. Timely software updates are critical to address these vulnerabilities and protect against evolving threats.
The 2008 Lessons (and Why They Still Apply)
The original research warned that within just five minutes of going online, an unpatched system would be compromised. The risks were clear:
- Worms exploited vulnerabilities almost instantly.
- The absence of firewalls or layered defenses amplified exposure.
- Enterprises struggled to roll out patches consistently across large fleets of systems.
- Unpatched vulnerabilities increase the risk of exploitation by attackers, especially through zero-day vulnerabilities.
Unpatched vulnerabilities can also lead to system errors and instability, as outdated software may cause operational issues and compatibility problems.
Back then, many assumed this problem would fade as security awareness and patching tools improved. But history has proven the opposite. Today, attackers exploit unpatched systems even faster, and the cost of patching delays is now measured in millions sometimes billions. With the rise of AI and large language models (LLMs) accelerating exploit development and discovery, the patching problem is only set to get worse.
Modern Case Studies: How Internal Bureaucracy Often Delays Patch Cycles
Equifax (2017)
Equifax failed to patch an Apache Struts vulnerability (CVE-2017-5638) despite a clear advisory. Attackers exploited it within days, leading to the theft of 147 million records. The attackers gained access to sensitive data, including personal and financial information, due to the unpatched vulnerability. Internal investigations revealed patching delays were not technical, but bureaucratic: approvals, ownership disputes, and lack of accountability.
Microsoft Exchange (2021)
The Hafnium attacks exploited four zero-days in Microsoft Exchange, which were critical vulnerabilities requiring immediate attention. Even after emergency patches were released, tens of thousands of organizations left systems vulnerable for weeks. Why? Enterprises struggled to get approval to bring systems down, coordinate across IT/security teams, and avoid business disruption. Bureaucracy once again trumped urgency.
MOVEit & GoAnywhere (2023–2024)
Ransomware groups pivoted to exploiting managed file transfer tools like MOVEit. Enterprises that delayed patching or relied on outdated risk assessment cycles were hit hardest, leading to mass data theft and extortion.
These incidents highlight a painful truth: the longer it takes an enterprise to approve and deploy patches, the larger the window of opportunity for attackers. A well-defined patch management lifecycle could have helped prevent these incidents by ensuring timely updates.
Why Enterprises Still Struggle with the Patch Management Process
Despite having mature IT teams and advanced security budgets, enterprises face unique obstacles. Limited resources and complex IT environments make patch management especially challenging.
- Bureaucracy & Change Control
- Patches often require lengthy change management approvals.
- Teams fear downtime and disruption more than breaches.
- Executives demand “business continuity,” slowing patch rollout.
- Scale & Complexity
- Thousands of servers, endpoints, and cloud workloads.
- Legacy systems that break if patched.
- Multiple vendors, each with their own patch timelines.
- The need for a structured patch management process and patching process is critical to handle diverse systems and ensure consistent updates.
- Ownership Disputes
- Security teams identify the vulnerability.
- IT ops teams actually deploy patches.
- Business units push back, fearing downtime.
- Clear patch management strategies and effective managing patches are essential to avoid endless finger-pointing while attackers exploit the gap.
- Third-Party & Supply Chain Risks
- Even if internal systems are patched, vendors and contractors may lag behind.
- This extends the attack surface and creates hidden exposures.
Asset management is foundational for effective patch management. Maintaining an up to date inventory of all hardware and software assets enables organizations to prioritize routine patching tasks and streamline patching efforts. This approach supports efficient vulnerability remediation and helps ensure that no critical systems are overlooked.
Ultimately, patch management is important for reducing security risk and protecting the organization’s IT infrastructure.
Patch and Pray: Why the Old Model Is Broken
In the early 2000s, the approach was simple: wait for patches > deploy them > hope nothing breaks. However, without proper testing, this could result in system crashes and compatibility issues, leading to operational interruptions. This “patch and pray” cycle was tolerable when worms were the main threat.
But in 2025, it fails for three reasons:
- Speed of Exploits: Attackers weaponize vulnerabilities within hours of disclosure, not weeks. We remember specifically when Zero-Day Vulnerability CVE-2025-6543 in NetScaler was announced within hours boxes were being scanned and exploited.
- Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS): Professional criminal groups scan the internet and exploit at scale. Hacking has moved from a hobby to organised crime groups looking for financial gains fast.
- Cloud Complexity: Patches span SaaS, IaaS, APIs, and microservices — far harder to manage than a few Windows servers.
Applying multiple patches without proper planning can introduce unintended consequences, such as compatibility issues or system crashes, that disrupt business operations and impact productivity.
Simply waiting for Patch Tuesday, running updates, and hoping for the best is no longer an option.
What Works in 2025: Modern Automated Patch Management Solutions
Leading enterprises are evolving patching strategies away from manual, bureaucratic processes. Key practices include:
- Automated Patch Deployment
Automated tools and patch management tools like WSUS, SCCM, and modern vulnerability management platforms support effective patch management by auto-deploying critical patches within 24–48 hours, reducing the need for manual patching and requiring minimal human intervention. - Risk-Based Patching
Instead of patching everything blindly, organizations use patch identification to prioritize based on exploitability (CISA KEV catalog, EPSS scores), focusing on urgent patches and security patches to address software vulnerabilities and fix bugs. - Microsegmentation
Limiting blast radius by isolating vulnerable systems while patches are tested/deployed. This approach also helps protect production systems and critical component infrastructure. - Executive Buy-In
CISOs are reframing patching delays as business risk tying them directly to revenue, fines, and reputational damage. This helps cut through bureaucratic slowdowns by emphasizing the impact on security posture and the importance of robust security controls. - Continuous Monitoring
Attackers don’t wait and neither can defenders. Enterprises now integrate patch status with SIEMs and attack surface management tools to spot gaps in real time, monitor patch deployments, identify missing patches, and maintain an up to date inventory.
Testing patches is a crucial step in the patch management process. Patch testing and using test patches in a controlled environment or controlled environments help ensure compatibility and system stability before deploying patches to production systems. This is especially important in diverse software ecosystems that include third party apps and various operating systems.
Software vendors play a key role by providing security patches and updates necessary for maintaining secure and stable systems.
Successful patch management and effective patch management processes are critical components for maintaining system stability and reducing security risks.
Staying up to date with patch management processes is essential to fix vulnerabilities and address software vulnerabilities as they arise.
The Cultural Problem in Patch Management
Technology can only solve so much. The deeper issue is cultural: enterprises often treat patching as a low-level IT chore rather than a board-level risk. Until patching is seen as mission-critical as vital as revenue protection or compliance the delays will persist.
Executives may balk at downtime from patching, but those same executives must also face multimillion-dollar ransom payments, lawsuits, and regulatory fines when unpatched systems are exploited. They should fund proper vulnerability management and patching teams to ensure round the clock coverage when the latest zero days drop.