What is the primary purpose of patch management?

The primary purpose of patch management is to regularly update software to protect against vulnerabilities. This process involves identifying, acquiring, installing, and verifying patches for products and systems. Regular updates are crucial because they address security flaws and bugs that could be exploited by attackers. By ensuring that software is kept current with the latest patches, organizations can significantly reduce their risk of breaches and improve overall security postures.

Patch management is not focused on hardware installations, creating network diagrams, or reducing network latency. These activities are distinct and serve different objectives within network management and security. For example, while reducing network latency might improve performance, it doesn't directly protect against vulnerabilities, which are the main concern addressed through patch management.