Why AWS Patch Management is Key to Your Platform's Security

If you’re an AWS user, then you probably know that patch management is a crucial part of keeping your platform secure.

In this blog post, we'll explore why AWS patch management is critical to your AWS security hardening, and why you should use a third-party cloud management platform to handle and automate other day-to-day tasks.

First things first, what is AWS patch management?

AWS patch management is the process of ensuring that your instances, applications, and services are up to date with the latest security updates and patches. AWS releases security patches on a regular basis to address known vulnerabilities and keep their platform secure. As an AWS user, it's your responsibility to ensure that these patches are installed on your instances and services.

Patches can be for many parts of your cloud resources, from the operating system up to the application level. You need to be patching your virtual machines at the very least with critical and definition updates. As part of IG CloudOps there is a patching service which covers both Windows and Linux virtual machines. 

Why is AWS patch management so important?

As cyber threats become more sophisticated, it's crucial that your AWS platform is protected from vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers. By keeping your instances, applications, and services up to date with the latest security patches, you can significantly reduce your platform's attack surface and improve its overall security posture.

As part of IG CloudOps we collect and collate a lot of data about your cloud infrastructure and then can carry out security audits on a quarterly basis which include integrated penetration testing. For more on the technology driving this review our unified cloud management page.

AWS patch management is not only important for security, but it's also required by compliance regulations such as HIPAA, PCI DSS, and GDPR. These regulations require organizations to implement security measures that include patch management to protect sensitive data and ensure compliance.

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Why use a third-party cloud management platform for AWS patch management?

While AWS provides some tools to help manage patching, many organizations find that they need more to effectively manage their platform's security. Here are some reasons why you might consider using a third-party cloud management platform for AWS patch management:

1. Centralised Management: A third-party cloud management platform provides a centralised console to manage patching for all of your AWS instances and services. This can save time and improve efficiency, especially if you have a large number of or spin-up regular instances.
2. Automation: With a cloud management platform, you can automate the patching process to reduce the risk of human error and ensure that all instances are up to date with the latest security patches.
3. Additional Security Features: Many cloud management platforms offer additional security features beyond patch management, such as vulnerability scanning, threat detection, and incident response or penetration testing. This is usually part of a larger security-hardening approach to keep your cloud infrastructure secure. 
4. Cost-Effective: Using a third-party cloud management platform can be a cost-effective solution for managing your AWS environment, as it eliminates the need for additional staff and infrastructure.

Where should I go from here?

AWS patch management is a crucial part of keeping your platform secure and compliant with regulations. While AWS provides some tools to manage patching, you need more robust functionality to effectively manage your platform's security.

Using IG CloudOps as your cloud management platform can provide a single pane of glass dashboard, automation, monitoring, cost analysis, additional security features, and cost-effectiveness for AWS patch management and other day-to-day tasks.

Take the first step today and book a test drive to find out how IG CloudOps can work for your business. 

Or speak to an AWS expert about your cloud challenges and find out how we can help.