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Last updated on Mar 28, 2025
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You're faced with multiple critical system vulnerabilities. How do you determine which one to patch first?

Navigating a minefield of tech threats? Dive into the strategy that guides your patching priorities.

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Last updated on Mar 28, 2025
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  3. Information Security

You're faced with multiple critical system vulnerabilities. How do you determine which one to patch first?

Navigating a minefield of tech threats? Dive into the strategy that guides your patching priorities.

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    Alexia Wong

    Tuition teacher. Earned Community Top Voice Badge in Teaching in '23 and Community Top Voice Badge in Cybersecurity in '24.

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    To determine which one to patch first, you need to first assess which system contains the vulnerabilities. This is so that you would know which one needs to be patched first. You need to then evaluate which one poses the most threat to you. This is so that you would know which one needs to be prioritized. You must also patch those that you use most frequently. This is to avoid it from opening you up to any vulnerabilities and threats.

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    Santosh Kumar FIP, CISSP, PMP, CISA, CHFI, AIGP

    Cybersecurity & Data Protection Leader | CISO & DPO Expertise | GenAI Architect | Fellow of Information Privacy (FIP) 🏫 IIT Madras| IIM Indore

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    "Not all vulnerabilities are created equal; wisdom lies in knowing which ones demand immediate attention." 🎯 Assess CVSS scores to understand severity objectively 🎯 Evaluate exploitability in your specific environment 🎯 Identify vulnerabilities with active exploitation in wild 🎯 Consider proximity to crown jewel assets and data 🎯 Analyze potential business impact of each vulnerability 🎯 Check for dependencies between vulnerabilities 🎯 Review threat intelligence for targeting likelihood 🎯 Evaluate effectiveness of existing compensating controls 🎯 Consider patch stability and potential for disruption 🎯 Assess regulatory compliance implications of delays 🎯 Consult internal stakeholders for business context

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    Max Liashenko

    Director of Services & Innovation / IT Service Management / Digital Transformation Leader / Industry 4.0 | 5.0 Expert

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    When faced with multiple critical system vulnerabilities, it's essential to prioritize effectively. Here's what we might consider, in terms of which one to patch first: 1) Severity & Exploitability: Look at the CVSS score and whether the vulnerability is actively exploited. 2) Impact: Assess the potential damage (e.g., remote code execution) and exposure (public vs. internal). 3) System Criticality: Focus on business-critical systems with access to sensitive data or infrastructure. 4) Patching Complexity: Consider the ease of patching and potential operational impact. 5) Known Exploits: Prioritize vulnerabilities actively targeted by attackers. 6) Compliance: Ensure patches meet regulatory requirements if applicable.

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