Vulnerability Management

5 Critical Risks of Unpatched Applications and How Virtual Patching Can Save You

complex infrastructure and operational constraints can lead to significant delays in patch implementation, leaving vulnerabilities open for exploitation. To combat these risks, organizations must adopt proactive strategies that include effective measures like virtual patching. This article outlines these critical risks and explains how virtual patching can effectively mitigate them.

1. Exploitation of Vulnerabilities in Critical Infrastructure

Risk: Unpatched systems are prime targets for attackers. According to Veracode, 60% of applications have at least one vulnerability, and many high-risk vulnerabilities remain unaddressed.

Example: A financial institution running a legacy server with an outdated version of Windows Server might have vulnerabilities like CVE-2021-34527. Failure to patch this can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive financial data.

Action Item: Conduct a continuous vulnerability assessment to identify all critical applications and servers. Use tools that monitor for vulnerabilities in real-time and prioritize them based on potential impact, especially those connected to sensitive data.

2. Compliance Violations and Regulatory Risks

Risk: Many sectors, such as finance and healthcare, have strict compliance requirements. Unpatched applications can lead to non-compliance and subsequent fines.

Example: An EHR system that fails to patch known vulnerabilities risks exposing sensitive patient information, attracting severe penalties.

Action Item: Regularly review compliance mandates. Implement virtual patching to reduce risks associated with unpatched systems until permanent updates are feasible.

3. Increased Attack Surface for Threat Actors

Risk: Each unpatched application or OS increases your organization’s attack surface, providing attackers with more entry points.

Example: Outdated web servers (e.g., Apache or Nginx) with known vulnerabilities can be exploited via remote code execution (RCE), compromising your web infrastructure.

Action Item: Perform an inventory of all applications and servers. Utilize virtual patching to protect vulnerable systems while planning for comprehensive updates.

4. Business Disruption and Downtime

Risk: Unpatched applications can lead to outages, causing significant business disruption. According to ITIC, 98% of organizations report that a single hour of downtime can cost over $100,000.

Example: An unpatched application server might crash during peak hours, halting customer transactions and affecting revenue.

Action Item: Use virtual patching to maintain business continuity while you work on a comprehensive patching strategy for critical applications.

5. Reputation Damage and Loss of Customer Trust

Risk: Data breaches from unpatched applications can severely damage an organization’s reputation. According to PwC, 87% of consumers will not engage with a company after a data breach.

Example: If an e-commerce platform suffers a breach due to unpatched vulnerabilities in its server infrastructure, it risks losing customer trust and loyalty.

Action Item: Leverage virtual patching as a temporary measure to protect sensitive applications and servers, and prepare a public relations strategy to address potential fallout from vulnerabilities.

Conclusion: The Role of Virtual Patching in Vulnerability Management

Unpatched applications and infrastructure present substantial risks that can impact security, compliance, and operational efficiency. Virtual patching is a vital element of a proactive vulnerability management strategy, providing immediate protection while waiting for permanent fixes. By adopting virtual patching and addressing the outlined risks, organizations can effectively safeguard their critical applications and servers, ensuring a robust security posture.

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Agnayee Datta

Agnayee runs marketing at Vicarius

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