Question

Select four applications (not OSs) that you frequently use. How does each of them address patch management? Visit their websites to determine what facilities they must alert users to new vulnerabilities. Are the patch management systems adequate?

Write a one-page paper on your findings.

Answer 1

The three applications that I frequently use are

• Microsoft Office
• Adobe Illustrator
• VLC media player

Microsoft Office has a list of bugs on their support section of the website. However, they are also pretty regular in releasing updates to fix those bugs. These patches and updates come through the Windows update center and depending on a computer setting it automatically gets update. (In my computer it asks for permission before updating and show the list of improvements that are available with the new update)

Adobe Illustrator works with a plugin called Adobe Creative Cloud. This small plugin resides on my computer and tracks updates and patches from Adobe website and installs them automatically. However, this application connects to Adobe server every time I open the software. This includes a process of checking for new patches, fixes or updates.

VLC media player is a purely desktop application. However, their website has a very “open source” feel and provide the list of bugs and known issues with every release. They also publish the list of bugs that has been fixed with their version numbers. In addition, in case an updated version of the software is available, it notifies the same at the launch.

One of the MS Office alternative is Google Docs. I do use that as well from time to time and their patching and updating process is completely automatic.

The closes competitor to Adobe Illustrator that I have experienced is Sketch. They too operate in the same manner as Adobe illustrator where the software connects to Sketch server at the launch for verification and checking for updates/patches.

Alternative to VLC media player is built-in windows media player. Since it is a bundled software with the OS, it receives the patches in the same way that the OS does. Through update center.

The patch management system is fairly common across different software. Every one of these software keep a track of version update and patch/fix release. They announce (if any) available updates at the launch and gives users the option to install it. I would say that the patch management system is pretty adequate.