Auditing of Patch and Vulnerability Management (IT GRC Kongress 2023)

Effective patch and vulnerability processes are essential to enhance the cyber security resilience of a company. Patch management involves the distribution and application of updates to address defective code and security risks in IT assets. Alongside, vulnerability management focuses on identifying, and mitigating security weaknesses causing service disruptions. Both processes are interconnected and require a holistic evaluation to provide a reasonable assurance on control design and operating effectiveness.

Notably, patch and vulnerability management are often outsourced to service providers, leading to a limited internal expertise in these fields. The scarcity of in-house knowledge in these areas can present difficulties for auditors, seeking to thoroughly assess the internal controls.