Traditional patching, while necessary, can be disruptive and time-consuming.
Workload patchless mitigation offers a more efficient, non-disruptive way to secure systems. It protects against vulnerability exploitation without the need for immediate patching, helping you to minimize the attack surface without jeopardizing operational continuity.
Workload Patchless Mitigation Defined
Workload patchless mitigation is a novel cybersecurity approach that addresses security gaps independently of patching. Instead of relying on long patching cycles, it applies protective controls that instantly reduce the impact of vulnerabilities. These controls include techniques such as virtual patching, runtime protection, and system hardening.
The key advantage of patchless mitigation is that it provides an immediate solution to security risks. This approach is especially valuable where patches are unavailable and difficult to implement, like in legacy workloads.
How Does Workload Patchless Mitigation Operate?
Workload patchless mitigation works by applying security mechanisms that prevent attackers from exploiting known (CVE) or unknown (zero-day) vulnerabilities. The key techniques include:
- Virtual Patching: This involves using security tools, like intrusion prevention systems (IPS) or web application firewalls (WAF), to block attack attempts targeting a known vulnerability. The tools act as a virtual patch, preventing exploits without altering the software itself.
- Runtime Protection: This technique adds security layers at the runtime level, allowing you to monitor applications and workloads for suspicious behavior in real time. If an ongoing attack is detected, runtime protection blocks it in real time, which helps you effectively mitigate the risk without requiring a patch.
- Configuration Hardening: Another part of patchless mitigation involves tightening system configurations. That can include disabling unnecessary services or enforcing stricter access controls. With these mechanisms in place, attackers have a hard time exploiting vulnerabilities.
- Segmentation and Isolation: This means that you isolate vulnerable workloads from other systems or networks. By dividing your network into different segments and isolating the problematic ones, you minimize the vulnerable system’s exposure. In this case, even if threat actors gain a foothold, they won’t be able to move laterally and spread across your environment.
Workload Patchless Mitigation vs. Traditional Patching
While both workload patchless mitigation and traditional patching address vulnerabilities, they work differently.
Traditional patching involves applying updates to fix vulnerabilities, which typically is a lengthy process that requires downtime and testing. When you apply a patch, you address the root cause of the vulnerability.
Workload patchless mitigation, in contrast, focuses on providing immediate protection. It doesn’t alter the system, but it also doesn’t necessarily remove the root cause of the problem. Hence, it’s considered a temporary protection, and as such, is particularly useful when patches are not available or when they would cause operational disruptions.
In short, patchless mitigation reduces the risk of exploitation in real time, until you fix for good the underlying issue.
Examples of Workload Patchless Mitigation in Use
A company with legacy software that lacks any support whatsoever is an example of a use case for workload patchless mitigation. In this scenario, the company may rely on virtual patching enabled by a web application firewall (WAF). Thus, it can block attackers’ attempts to exploit vulnerabilities without modifying the code.
Another example is a financial institution that faces SQL injection risks in a legacy database. Instead of waiting for a patch, it can put in place runtime protection. This way, the institution will be able to monitor database queries and block malicious actions in real time, mitigating the risk of an attack.
In cloud environments, where workloads may change frequently, you can apply patchless mitigation to secure instances without having to patch each new instance. Segmenting the workloads and applying fundamental security measures, like MFA and encryption, would be all it takes to protect critical systems and sensitive data.
Addressing Vulnerabilities at Speed
Workload patchless mitigation provides a proactive and flexible way to secure systems. It protects against vulnerabilities without the disruption, delays, and risks of traditional patching. Instant workload protection is made possible through techniques like virtual patching, runtime protection, and configuration hardening.
This approach is indispensable for organizations that prioritize operational continuity and, hence, must minimize exposure promptly without downtime.