Trying to keep data assets and software safe online is like trying to keep water out of a sinking boat. Just like water will penetrate even the smallest crack of a boat, malware will easily enter into a system that is not properly equipped with the right security measures. The threat of malware is getting worse, as right now there are over 300 active Internet threat groups online, which represents a fourfold increase from 2011. And a vulnerable system can be compromised in less than 15 minutes.

In order to keep software secure on the Web, IT managers need to be vigilant about patching, which entails finding and addressing security vulnerabilities and improving software performance. Recent research from the Center for Strategic and International Studies shows that 75 percent of attacks exploit publicly known commercial software vulnerabilities that could be prevented with regular patching.

Unfortunately, many companies fail to adequately patch software due to the fact that they lack the necessary tools. Manual endpoint management is difficult, costly and time consuming. Without a robust patch management system that can detect threats and eliminate third party invasions, many companies struggle to keep up with patching. And now that an increasing number of companies are using a remote workforce, endpoint management is getting even harder. IT managers often lack the visibility necessary for seeing what software employees are using. This makes it impossible to perform necessary updates.

Novell’s ZENworks Patch Management takes the time, cost and hassle out of endpoint management. ZENworks Patch Management scans the network around the clock, searching for anything that needs patching, including remote software and cloud-based applications. ZENworks is a rules-based patch system that works based on policies you set. This means IT managers can have complete control over what they want to check and when they want to check it. As such, IT managers can deploy updates at a convenient time, which minimizes end user disruption.

For more information about how Novell’s ZENworks Patch Management tool can help your software stay secure on the Web, click here.