What does patch management entail?

Patch management involves managing software updates to ensure that systems are secure and functioning optimally. This process includes identifying, acquiring, installing, and verifying software updates—often referred to as "patches." These patches are crucial for fixing vulnerabilities in software, improving performance, and adding new features. By keeping software up to date, organizations can mitigate risks from cyber threats that exploit outdated or unpatched applications.

The other options, while important aspects of cybersecurity and IT management, do not fall within the scope of patch management specifically. Monitoring network traffic focuses on observing and analyzing incoming and outgoing data for suspicious activity or performance issues. Conducting vulnerability assessments relates to identifying security weaknesses in systems, which may lead to a need for patching but is a separate activity. Encrypting sensitive data involves securing information to prevent unauthorized access, rather than managing updates to software. Each of these tasks is vital to a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy but does not directly correspond to the definition of patch management.