Beware of outdated software and patch management – Tom’s Hardware

F-Secure says that exploits targeting unpatched software are a major online threats that companies fail to address

 
 

A recent survey by F-Secure found that only 27% of companies has a patch management solution. The problem was particularly evident in France, where only 15% of respondents said that their company has a tool to manage the update of the software.

 
 

On the other hand, 46% of companies in the Nordic countries has a solution for patch management, making them better prepared to protect their assets against threats designed to obtain benefits from software vulnerabilities.

 
 
 
 

But not enough. F-Secure also found that over 70% of companies continue to be exposed to attacks because it does not update their software. The discovery highlights, is nothing short of amazing because there are security solutions that can help companies control and manage the updating of the software company.

 
 

A recent warning coming from the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team warned that up to 85% of attacks targeted are preventable by following simple safety precautions, including in particular maintain software updated with the latest security patches. According to Timo Hirvonen, F-Secure Senior Researcher, the reluctance of companies to update the software shows how many of them have not this what is the current threat landscape.

 
 

“ Many people believe that the software update is a nuisance that can cause problems with applications or other types of problems, but it’s actually the opposite. Criminals leverage its on people who ignore the security patches , and work hard to develop exploits that take advantage of those vulnerabilities left exposed by the absence of patches. They put in place their attacks before people are installing updates, then what you get is a complete attack strategy that is based on people using unpatched software , “said Hirvonen.

 
 

The data collected in the field actually appear worrisome and such as to pay due attention to the problem. Laboratories of F-Secure reported a c 82% rowth in exploits targeting a vulnerability based on Flash that was discovered last July after the data breach of Hacking Team. Hirvonen said that these peaks of activity such as this that make exploits a major safety issue, and that a software update prompt and diligent is important.

 
 

Companies seeking to implement a security solution that includes patch management, highlights F-Secure, can use security software such as F-Secure Business Suite, the latest release includes an updated version of Client Security F -Secure combining Automated patch management with additional security tools to help companies manage and control the risks arising from exploits and other online threats.