Method, system and computer program for distributing software patches
US7937697B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 15, 2006 |
| Grant date | May 3, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 8, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F8/65
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A software patch management solution is proposed. The devised solution is based on the idea of automating the installation of the patches through a software distribution infrastructure. An automation engine is added to a distribution server. The automation engine interfaces with a patch provider acting as a proxy, which stores a local copy of the patches and of a patch catalogue for detecting corresponding vulnerabilities. The automation engine automatically builds a distribution plan for deploying the patches to the relevant endpoints, according to a vulnerability catalogue that stores the actual exposures of the endpoints. The distribution plan arranges the required activities in the correct order, to minimize the number of rebooting of the endpoints; the distribution plan ends with an activity for scanning the endpoints, to update the vulnerability catalogue accordingly.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.