Which term refers to identifying, testing, and deploying OS and application updates?

Which term refers to identifying, testing, and deploying OS and application updates?

• A. Vulnerability scanning
• B. Patch management
• C. Update scheduling
• D. Security configuration

Answer: (B)

Patch management is the process of identifying which OS and application updates are needed, testing them to ensure compatibility and safety, and then deploying them across systems. This sequence—identify, test, and deploy—directly aligns with the task described in the question. It helps reduce the window of vulnerability by applying fixes to known issues while minimizing the risk of disrupting critical services, and it includes verification that patches were applied successfully. Vulnerability scanning finds issues but doesn’t automatically test and roll out fixes; update scheduling concerns timing rather than the full cycle of identification, testing, and deployment; security configuration focuses on maintaining secure settings rather than delivering software updates.

Patch management is the process of identifying which OS and application updates are needed, testing them to ensure compatibility and safety, and then deploying them across systems. This sequence—identify, test, and deploy—directly aligns with the task described in the question. It helps reduce the window of vulnerability by applying fixes to known issues while minimizing the risk of disrupting critical services, and it includes verification that patches were applied successfully. Vulnerability scanning finds issues but doesn’t automatically test and roll out fixes; update scheduling concerns timing rather than the full cycle of identification, testing, and deployment; security configuration focuses on maintaining secure settings rather than delivering software updates.