Best Practices for Managing Unapplied Critical Patches in Network Vulnerability Assessments

A.

The correct answer to this question is A: Implement a process to test and apply appropriate patches.

Explanation:

When a network vulnerability assessment confirms that critical patches have not been applied since the last assessment, it indicates that there is a significant risk of exploitation of these vulnerabilities by attackers. The management should take immediate action to address this issue and prevent any potential security breaches.

Option B, applying available patches and continuing periodic monitoring, may be an option in some cases, but it does not address the underlying issue of why the patches were not applied in the first place. This approach may lead to the same problem occurring again in the future.

Option C, configuring servers to automatically apply available patches, may be a good practice for maintaining up-to-date systems, but it does not address the immediate issue of the unpatched vulnerabilities. Moreover, this approach may introduce new risks, such as software conflicts or unintended downtime.

Option D, removing unpatched devices from the network, may be an extreme measure that could disrupt business operations and cause financial losses. It is preferable to try to apply the appropriate patches or implement a process to do so, rather than immediately removing devices from the network.

Therefore, the best recommendation for management is to implement a process to test and apply appropriate patches. This process should include the following steps:

1. Identify the unpatched vulnerabilities and assess the risk they pose to the network.
2. Determine which patches are needed to address the vulnerabilities.
3. Test the patches in a controlled environment to ensure that they do not cause any unintended consequences or conflicts with other software.
4. Apply the patches to the affected systems, following a documented procedure that includes change management, testing, and approval processes.
5. Monitor the systems to ensure that the patches have been successfully applied and that no new vulnerabilities have been introduced.

By implementing a process to test and apply appropriate patches, management can reduce the risk of security breaches, demonstrate due diligence in addressing vulnerabilities, and improve the overall security posture of the organization.