Patch Tuesday can be a dreaded day even though it fixes a lot of critical breaches and bugs in Microsoft software. Because the fixes are issued monthly, hackers always have time to exploit holes before users get the patches installed. That’s all about to change.
Microsoft announced last week at its Ignite event that beginning with the release of its Windows 10 operating system, security updates will be released as soon as they’re available, instead of once a month. The new update policy will follow the protocol used for smartphones and other mobile devices, which are capable of receiving updates as soon as they are available. That’s part of the Windows 10 strategy to work seamlessly across all platforms, including Apple and Android.
The good news for network administrators is that they won’t have to scramble every month to install a boatload of updates while worrying about what parts of their systems might have been attacked. But they will still need to decide when and how to deploy them. Windows Update for Business will have tools to help administrators decide which machines get updated first and determine when to install or not install specific updates.
SOHO and home users who want their PCs to be frequently patched can choose to do so with the option to sign up for either a “fast ring” of security patches, where security patches are released quickly; or a more conservative “slow ring.” We don’t know how quickly or slowly those updates will be deployed in each “ring,” and we don’t know yet if Microsoft will push out certain updates faster if they’re needed.
We believe that making updates available on an as-need basis instead of once a month will be better for everyone who uses a computer or a device – especially in this day and age, where most people shuttle among computers, tablets and smartphones to access all sorts of data and application files from the cloud. We’ll keep you posted on how the process to deploy updates develops. If you are thinking about upgrading your technology now or sometime in the next 6 to 12 months, let’s talk about the timing to make sure you can maximize your productivity and cost-efficiency. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us to start the discussion.