When was the last time you ran security patches on your servers?
Businesses often ignore server patches or updates until they encounter issues. When it comes to server security best practices, regular server security patching is always at the top of the list. Unfortunately, this is also one of the most overlooked practices in server management. Whether you’re managing a small business or a large enterprise, making sure your servers are always in top shape lets you avoid headaches – and high maintenance costs.
Here’s how server security patching can make or break your business:
Risks of Using Outdated Software
“What’s the worse thing that can happen if I don’t run security updates?”
This is a common question among business owners who are afraid that they may break their servers when they install updates. While your concerns are understandable, not installing server security updates can do more harm than good.
Vulnerabilities
Outdated security software may have vulnerabilities that you might not be aware of. This makes it easier for hackers to access confidential data. If customers access your servers, they may accidentally stumble into a vulnerability and gain access to other customers’ data.
Support
Another risk of not performing server security patching regularly is that it could be difficult for you to look for support once the server encounters an issue. If your server is still using an outdated program and support for the program has already been discontinued, you’ll be left on your own. You could also be forced to purchase new servers, which is more expensive than a simple server security update.
Benefits of Updating Server Security
As one of server security best practices, installing updates offers many benefits:
Functionality
As servers age and near the end of their service life, their performance could slow down. Regular updates ensure that they could continue to perform processes efficiently. Some patches could also provide speed enhancements. Other updates may add features that are considered industry standard. This means, you may not have to upgrade your servers for a while as they still meet requirements and the latest benchmarks.
Bugs
A common reason for creating security patches is to get rid of bugs that weren’t there when the software was developed. Bugs don’t just slow down your servers. They could also corrupt your data. When they go unnoticed, these annoying pests can result in system downtime and cost you a lot of money. Updates give you peace of mind that your servers will be able to handle any bugs that may appear in the system.
Security
With today’s technology, both hackers and developers are getting good at data access and security. Following server security best practices ensures that your servers are always safe from emerging hacking trends.
Tips on Security Patch Management
Patch management is also one of the industry’s server security best practices. It often comes up when people talk about security updates. Proper patch management makes you more confident to install updates. With patch management, you create an inventory of all the software you use in your servers and classify any known threats. Once you have this, it’ll be easier to determine when you should perform server security patching.
Patch management lets you schedule how often you should install updates to ensure efficient server performance. Learning and following server security best practices help you manage your servers better and maximize them.
