A U.S.-based global manufacturing company with international operations and a strong server infrastructure to support consistent performance worldwide.
Introduction
A large manufacturing enterprise operates in a competitive environment where maintaining the security of systems and applications is critical. With a global footprint and various production lines, the company relies heavily on Microsoft Windows and numerous third-party applications to support its operations. However, the increasing number of vulnerabilities in these systems posed a significant risk to their operations. The organization recognized the urgent need for a more effective patch management solution that would not only streamline the process but also enhance their overall security posture.
Challenges
The organization faced several challenges with its previous patch management approach. Using ManageEngine as their primary solution, they encountered significant delays in the patching process, taking up to three hours to patch Windows servers, which hindered productivity and increased vulnerability exposure. Moreover, ManageEngine's limited capabilities meant that it did not adequately support the patching of third-party applications, leaving many systems outdated and susceptible to attacks. This situation resulted in frequent downtime during monthly updates, disrupting business operations and negatively impacting overall efficiency. The IT team found themselves overwhelmed with the manual effort required to keep systems up to date, often relying on multiple vendors to source and apply necessary patches, leading to a fragmented and inefficient patch management process.
Solution
By implementing Vicarius vRx, the manufacturing enterprise has effectively consolidated vulnerability discovery, prioritization, and remediation into a single platform. Key uses of vRx include:
- Automating the patching process, including for third-party applications, which eliminates the need for manual downloads and configurations.
- Utilizing vulnerability dashboards to easily target and address high-priority vulnerabilities.
- Providing developers access to deploy patches, reducing the burden on IT staff.
Vicarius' vRx has reduced the amount of time we spend on patching from three hours to under one hour.
Impact so far
The impact of vRx has been significant:
- The time spent on patching has decreased by 60%, allowing IT teams to focus on other critical issues.
- The company now remediates hundreds of thousands of vulnerabilities monthly, improving its overall security posture.
- Downtime during monthly updates has been reduced from hours to less than one hour, enhancing operational efficiency.
Conclusion
The manufacturing enterprise is highly satisfied with Vicarius vRx. The transition from ManageEngine to vRx has resulted in a more efficient patch management process, improved security, and a more empowered IT team. The organization rates Vicarius vRx a nine out of ten for its effectiveness and reliability. Read the full review here.
