M_Security Update Management : FAQ

Why is it important to keep systems updated?

All systems contain security flaws and as these are discovered, vendors release updates which fix the issues. Once security flaws are known about, ways of exploiting them are quickly developed by malicious actors, so systems that aren’t kept updated are vulnerable to attack.

What is a security update?

A security update is a fix for a security flaw which is released by a vendor.

What does ‘patching’ mean?

A patch is another word for a security update and patching is the process of applying the updates.

What is meant by ‘software vulnerability’?

A software vulnerability is a flaw in a computer system which may be ‘exploited’ by an attacker in order to compromise a system.

What happens if a system is not updated due to staff absence (e.g. holidays or sickness)?

The system must be updated as soon as the staff member returns and before being used to carry out their duties.

When devices no longer receive firmware updates but are still getting security patches on a biannual schedule, would the security patch be enough to pass an audit or does the device have to be fully supported?

This would be still considered a regular update, so it would be compliant with the standard and would pass the audit as long the update has been applied.

What does licensed and supported mean?

‘Licensed’ refers to having the correct license to use the software from the vendor. It’s important because many systems only provide security updates if the license fee has been paid. ‘Supported’ means that the vendor is releasing regular security updates for the software - they must also provide a date when they will stop doing this.

What about software where the vendor gives no indication about support periods, and where no new release has happened for a long time?

That would be considered as unsupported and up to the applicant to prove otherwise if they disagree.

Do personally-owned devices (and any installed software) need to be kept up to date with security updates for Cyber Essentials?

Yes, personally-owned devices must be kept up to date if they are being used for work duties.

What if we have unsupported software or operating systems that are vital to our operations?

Many organisations have devices with unsupported operating systems (for example medical or industrial equipment). Where this is the case, these systems should not be allowed to connect to the internet. This can be done using network segmentation - separating part of the network using a firewall or VLAN.

If a firewall's last firmware update was 6 months ago, would this fail as it is no longer supported by the vendor? 

As long as the vendor still supports the firewall and it receives regular security updates then it would be compliant. For some operating systems, firmware and applications, if annual licensing is not purchased, they will not be receiving regular security updates.
If a firewall has not had any new firmware updates  after 6 months, check with the supplier if the device is still supported. 

For personally-owned devices, is it mandatory to have automatic updates enabled?

The requirement is that automatic updates should be enabled where possible. A manual update process is allowable but the updates must be applied within 14 days.  For personally-owned devices, using the built-in auto-update option is the easiest way to keep these devices compliant. 

How do we ensure that all devices accessing a network have the latest operating system updates installed?

Most devices have an option to install operating system updates automatically and you should ensure that this is selected for both company-owned and personally-owned devices. There are also systems available that will automatically block devices from connecting if they do not have the required updates installed.

How much detail regarding the operating system is required for the assessment?”

You should provide the name and version of the operating system so that the assessor can determine if it is still supported.

For example MacOS Sonoma, Windows 11 Pro 21H2, iOS 17, Android 14.

For network device such as routers and firewalls, the make and model is needed.

For example Fortinet Fortigate 100F

Is virtual patching an allowed method in Cyber Essentials?

Virtual patching is not an acceptable mitigation to the security vulnerabilities of legacy unsupported operating systems long term and so will not be recognised as a mechanism for compliance with Cyber Essential requirements.