Overview

Updating devices and equipment including Desktops, Laptops, Mobile Devices, and tablets are critical to Business operations at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.  Please see below Patch Management Purpose, Best Practices, how to check for system updates, and currently supported Operating systems for Windows, Mac, and Linux distributions.

Details

Purpose of Completing System Updates/Patch Management

Our RPI Community should consistently check for all pending or new updates that are available through Microsoft, Mac, or Linux operating systems, to ensure that any vulnerabilities, bugs, new features, or compatibility with hardware is kept up to date.  In addition, through regular system updates, this will ensure that your machine will remain in compliance with:

• RPI – Vulnerability Management Policy - https://policy.rpi.edu/policy/it-vulnerability-management-policy:

• RPI – Cyber Citizenship Policy - https://policy.rpi.edu/policy/cyber-citizenship

  • 4.4 Devices – Devices with unsupported operating systems or application software, or lacking applicable security patches, are vulnerable to cyberattack.  They put themselves at risk of data breach or worse; they also put the rest of Rensselaer’s network at risk of data breach or worse.

• Performance and Stability – Software and Application developers release patches to known flaws or bugs (ex. Microsoft Office version updates). If these applications or left outdated, this could also increase the risk of exploited vulnerabilities.

•  New Features/Compatibility – Web browsers such as Firefox and other applications frequently release new features and security updates.  If these applications are not regularly updated, bad actors are known to inject malicious scripts and other redirects in web traffic that could compromise devices if not updated to the latest versions.

Patch Management Best Practices

• Enable Automatic Updates – Configure Operating System, browsers, and applications to update automatically

•  “Reboot Friday” – Recommended at least once per week, or end of Business on Fridays, to restart/power cycle machine to complete pending updates

• Regular Manual Checks – Checking for System Updates (referencing below instructions)

How to Check for System Updates

Windows OS

1. Click Start Menu – search Check for Updates.

2. Click 

3. Click Check for Updates. 

Mac OS

1. Click Apple Logo () in top left corner of screen

2. Click System Preferences – General

3. Click Software Update

4. Click Check for Updates (or enable Automatic Updates)

Linux (Ubuntu)

1. Open the terminal (Ctl+Alt+T).

2. Type sudo apt update

3. Type sudo apt upgrade

Currently Supported Operating Systems

If you have any questions, please submit a support request at https://itssc.rpi.edu or Book Office Hours with our Information Security team via below Bookings link.

Thank you,

Matthew Lewis

Information Security Analyst

 Book time to meet with Information Security

References

Cyber Security & Infrastructure: Understanding Patches and Software Updates