How Microsoft's Patch Tuesday Affects Business Processes and Security
An entire industry has grown up around Microsoft Patch Tuesday: The five-year push for predictable, scheduled security fixes has spawned both Microsoft and third-party vendor tools specifically to deal with the complexity of installing Microsoft security patches.
All in all, however, many believe that Microsoft's handling of security patches, especially releasing them on a specific schedule, is beneficial to those organizations whose systems are affected. Everybody knows the patches are coming, and companies and vendors are as prepared as they can be.
Still, Livingston says Microsoft receives a failing grade for releasing systems that need patching as often as they do.
"Microsoft needs a much stronger emphasis on security before programs are written instead of adding security to a program after it's done. This step really needs to be taken before the program is released," he says. "The next version of Windows and Office really needs bullet-proof security. There are operating systems like FreeBSD that haven't had remote exploits for years, so it's not impossible to create an operating system that's resistant to attacks from the Internet."
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