Streamlining Cybersecurity with Enterprise Live Patching Services

Rohan Timalsina

February 7, 2024 - TuxCare expert team

Enterprise live patching services are essential in proactive cybersecurity strategies.
There is no need to reboot the system when using the live patching method.
TuxCare provides automated live patching services to enterprises.

Safeguarding digital assets from evolving threats is an ongoing challenge for enterprises in the realm of cybersecurity. Cyberattacks, such as sophisticated malware or exploits of zero-day vulnerabilities, can cripple businesses and compromise sensitive information. To stay ahead of these threats, enterprises are turning to proactive strategies, with one of the key components being Live Patching.

This article will explore how enterprise live patching services contribute to proactive cybersecurity strategies, reducing vulnerabilities and enhancing overall resilience.

What Is Live Patching?

Live patching is a dynamic method of applying updates or patches without the need for system reboots. Conventional patching methods often require reboots, causing significant amounts of downtime and leaving systems exposed to vulnerabilities until the patches are installed.

Live patching, on the other hand, allows enterprises to deploy critical patches instantly, reducing the window of vulnerability and eliminating downtime.

Role of Enterprise Live Patching Services

Live patching helps businesses enhance security and maintain compliance effectively. What follows are the key benefits of using live patching techniques for enterprises.

Quick Response to Vulnerabilities

Live patching enables enterprises to respond rapidly to emerging vulnerabilities. Cybersecurity threats are dynamic and attackers can take advantage of weaknesses rapidly. Thus, it requires the swift deployment of patches to reduce the chance of exploitation.

TuxCare’s KernelCare Enterprise, an innovative live patching tool, streamlines vulnerability management by automating the deployment of patches and enabling organizations to apply patches as soon as they become available – instead of waiting for a time when a reboot is convenient.

Reduced Downtime

Conventional patching methods necessitate system reboots, causing downtimes and interrupting regular operations. Meanwhile, reboots are not required with enterprise live patching services, which ensures ongoing system availability and boosts overall productivity.

With live patching, end-users and employees alike notice fewer disruptions.

Protection against Zero-Day Exploits

Zero-day vulnerabilities are unknown vulnerabilities to vendors and are being exploited in the wild. As attackers can exploit zero-day vulnerabilities before a patch is released, it makes them extremely dangerous. Live patching services help bridge this gap by enabling enterprises to apply patches as soon as they’re released.

Improved Compliance

Many industries and regulatory bodies require enterprises to maintain up-to-date security measures. By guaranteeing that systems are patched immediately, enterprise live patching services help with compliance efforts by lowering the risk of security breaches and the corresponding fines from regulatory bodies.

Enhanced Resilience Against Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs)

APTs often use known vulnerabilities to infiltrate systems over an extended period. By quickly addressing these vulnerabilities, live patching services disrupt their strategies and make it more challenging for attackers to maintain persistence within the network.

Customization and Flexibility

Some enterprise live patching services, like those offered by TuxCare, enable organizations to automatically apply the latest patches at specific intervals. It can be once weekly, once daily, or every few hours – whatever is best for their team’s unique requirements. This flexibility ensures that patching processes align with the organization’s operational needs.

TuxCare’s Enterprise Live Patching Services

TuxCare offers KernelCare Enterprise, which can live patch all popular enterprise Linux distributions, including Ubuntu, RHEL, Debian, AlmaLinux, CentOS, Rocky Linux, Oracle Linux, and more. Additionally, KernelCare automatically applies all the latest security updates available, reducing the chances of missing or delaying patches.

Other live patching services with automated vulnerability patching provided by TuxCare are as follows:

LibCare, an add-on tool for KernelCare, can be used to live patch open-source shared libraries, like glibc and OpenSSL.
KernelCare IoT for Linux-based Enterprise Internet of Things (IoT) environment
QEMUCare for QEMU and KVM virtualization systems

Final Thoughts

In the face of persistent cyber attacks, enterprise live patching services have become a vital component of proactive cybersecurity strategies. By offering immediate responses to vulnerabilities, reducing downtime, and enhancing overall resilience, live patching services play a crucial role in protecting systems and confidential information.

Implementing live patching services into an organization’s cybersecurity is becoming strategically necessary as they aim to keep up with cyber adversaries and guarantee the ongoing protection of vital systems and data.

Summary