Make It Harder to Exploit You: Why Patching & Updates Matter

Keeping systems updated is a basic part of cybersecurity, but it's not always as simple as installing the latest patch. IT teams have to balance security risks with operational needs, and the growing number of vulnerabilities is making that job harder. And the challenge is growing. 

According to Google Threat Intelligence Group's September 2026 research, monthly vulnerability disclosures more than doubled between January and August 2026, increasing from 5,045 to 10,740. The research also found that observed vulnerability exploitation is increasing, while artificial intelligence (AI) is beginning to accelerate vulnerability discovery and potentially the development of exploits.

But identifying a vulnerability doesn't always mean a fix is immediately available or easy to deploy. Some weaknesses lack an available patch, while others require testing, vendor coordination, or scheduled maintenance before organizations can safely apply. That doesn’t stop attackers from continuing full speed ahead. According to Verizon's 2026 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR), vulnerability exploitation became the leading initial access method in its reporting dataset, accounting for 31% of breaches and surpassing credential abuse for the first time.

For the IT sector, when a breach happens, the impact can extend beyond a single organization. Technology companies develop, manage, and support the infrastructure, applications, and services that businesses and other critical infrastructure sectors depend on. An unpatched vulnerability in a widely used product or platform can create opportunities for attackers to compromise multiple organizations.

With more vulnerabilities to evaluate and limited time and resources to address them, organizations face a difficult reality: not every weakness can be fixed immediately, and not every vulnerability presents the same level of risk.

This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the IT-ISAC is encouraging organizations to Make It Harder for Attackers to Exploit You by updating tech regularly, prioritizing vulnerabilities that matter most, and making patch management an ongoing security practice.

The Fundamentals: Patch, Update, Protect

Keeping software and systems updated and current is one of the most effective ways to reduce cybersecurity risks. Whether you're managing a personal device or supporting a broader network, these five fundamentals will give you a strong starting point:

1. Install Security Updates Promptly: Don't put off important updates. Software vendors regularly release patches to address vulnerabilities that attackers may exploit to gain access, steal information, or disrupt operations. Follow your organization's update procedures and prioritize critical security fixes immediately.
   

2. Enable Automatic Updates Where Appropriate: Automatic updates help reduce the amount of time that systems remain exposed to known vulnerabilities. Enable them for operating systems, browsers, applications, and devices when supported. Just note: enterprise-managed systems may require testing or scheduled deployment to avoid unintended disruptions.
   

3. Look Beyond Computers and Phones: Firewalls, routers, VPN appliances, servers, cloud applications, and other connected technologies also require attention. Make sure these systems aren't overlooked simply because they operate behind the scenes or are managed by third parties.
   

4. Replace Unsupported (EOL) Software and Devices: When products reach End-of- Life (EOL), manufacturers stop providing security updates. Identify outdated technologies and develop plans to replace, upgrade, or securely isolate systems that can no longer be maintained.
   

5. Verify Updates Are Successfully Installed: Downloading a patch doesn't always mean a vulnerability has been fixed. Updates may fail, require a restart, or need additional configuration. Confirm successful installation and report issues that prevent updates from being completed.
   

These practices form the foundation of effective patch management. But with vulnerability disclosures increasing and attackers continuing to exploit known weaknesses, organizations must go beyond routine updates to determine where, when, and how to address the greatest risks.

Beyond the Fundamentals: Strengthening Vulnerability Management

For IT and security teams, patch management isn't simply about installing every available update. It requires continuous visibility, informed prioritization, and coordination across teams.

Prioritize What Attackers Are Actually Exploiting

While disclosure volumes are rising, not every vulnerability affects every organization, and only a small fraction are being actively exploited. Some may affect isolated systems with limited exposure, while others provide attackers with direct access to critical infrastructure.

Organizations can make better prioritization decisions by combining vulnerability severity with real-world threat intelligence:

• CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) Catalog identifies vulnerabilities with evidence of active exploitation.

• The Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) estimates the likelihood that a vulnerability will be exploited within the next 30 days.
  

These resources, combined with an understanding of which systems are exposed and how critical they are to operations, can help organizations focus remediation efforts where they will have the greatest impact. For technology providers, vulnerabilities affecting widely used products, privileged infrastructure, or customer-facing services may require especially urgent attention.

The goal isn't simply to patch more — it's to patch what matters most, before attackers take advantage.

Don't Overlook Internet-Facing and Critical Systems

Some of the most consequential vulnerabilities affect technologies that connect enterprise environments to the outside world. Firewalls, VPN gateways, network management platforms, and remote access systems are attractive targets because a successful compromise may allow attackers to steal credentials, access additional infrastructure, or move deeper into an organization's network.

Google's September 2026 research found that exploitation activity remained concentrated in exposed enterprise services and perimeter technologies, reinforcing the importance of securing systems that provide access to broader environments.

When a patch is unavailable or cannot be immediately deployed, temporary safeguards — such as restricting external access, disabling vulnerable services, isolating affected systems, or increasing monitoring — can help reduce exposure. However, these protections shouldn't become permanent substitutes for remediation. Security teams should also consider whether a vulnerability may have been exploited before a patch was applied, as closing the original weakness doesn't necessarily remove an attacker who has already gained access.

Know What's in Your Software Supply Chain

Modern IT environments depend on interconnected technologies, including third-party software, open-source libraries, cloud services, development frameworks, and shared applications. That interconnectedness improves efficiency and innovation, but it can also expand the impact of an unpatched vulnerability.

A weakness in a widely-used software component may affect numerous products and services, sometimes without organizations immediately realizing they're exposed. Software Bills of Materials (SBOMs), which document components used within software products, can help organizations identify affected technologies and respond more quickly when vulnerabilities are disclosed. After all, you can't fix what you don't know you have.

Make Patching a Continuous, Measurable Process

As vulnerability disclosures increase, patch management cannot be a once-a-month activity or something addressed only when a major security incident makes headlines.

Effective vulnerability management requires cross-departmental coordination. Automation can help streamline vulnerability scanning, prioritization, and patch deployment, while testing and change management processes can reduce the risk of unintended disruptions.

Validating the results is equally important. Tracking overdue critical patches, unsupported systems, and remediation timelines helps organizations identify persistent gaps and improve their response. A successful vulnerability management program isn't measured simply by how many patches are installed — it's measured by how effectively an organization reduces its exposure to threats.

Make It Harder for Attackers: Don't Leave the Door Open

Attackers don't always need a sophisticated new technique to compromise an organization. Sometimes, they simply take advantage of a weakness that has already been discovered but hasn't been addressed.

For the IT sector, the challenge is keeping pace with a growing number of vulnerabilities while protecting the technologies and services that many organizations depend on. Sharing information about actively exploited vulnerabilities and emerging threats through trusted channels, including ISACs, helps organizations make more informed decisions.

Throughout Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we've highlighted four practices that work together to strengthen cybersecurity:

• Using strong passwords and password managers

• Implementing MFA

• Recognizing phishing and scams

• Keeping systems patched and updated
  

Each addresses a different opportunity attackers look to exploit. Together, they help reduce the likelihood that a single weakness becomes a successful compromise. Take a look at our landing page for more details on each pillar -- both the fundamentals and beyond.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month may be coming to a close, but protecting the technologies we depend on is a year-round responsibility. Make It Harder for Attackers, every single day.