JumpCloud expands cloud directory platform with patch management to improve device security

JumpCloud announced the addition of Patch Management to its cloud directory platform, coming in Q1 2022.

The new offering extends the JumpCloud Directory Platform to help small to midsize enterprise (SME) IT admins have greater insight into system vulnerabilities, allows them to deploy automated patch updates, and strengthens their overall device security posture.

JumpCloud Patch Management gives IT admins the power to create schedules, report on operating system patches and versions, see patch versions across their remote fleet, managing both Mac and Windows updates and patches from the JumpCloud console — easily, quickly, and with the latest security.

“We all know that users don’t update their devices with bug fixes or security patches with any regularity or discipline,” said Greg Armanini, senior director of product management, JumpCloud. “This creates huge security gaps for every organization, especially those that are distributed, which is almost every organization today. JumpCloud Patch Management solves this problem quickly and easily, and delivers robust updates that improve security, enhance organization protection, and provide tremendous peace of mind as a result. Offering this functionality as part of the directory platform further centralizes user identity and device management, saving SME IT admins time and money, while eliminating the stress and potential vulnerabilities of having to work with multiple vendors.”

Patch Management is a critical pillar of cyber defense, yet many organizations still struggle with patching in a remote or hybrid work environment. This is due to the lack of visibility into user devices, the frequency of new patches introduced by software vendors, and the need to leverage multiple solutions and complicated workflows to manage patching across multiple operating systems (OS).

NTT Application Security researchers recently found the average time to fix critical vulnerabilities is 205 days, and 60% of breached organizations reported breaches were due to a vulnerability for which a patch was already available, but not deployed throughout the organization’s systems and devices.

JumpCloud gives admins a single cloud directory platform to secure users in heterogeneous device environments, wherever work happens. The first release of JumpCloud Patch Management focuses on OS level patching for Mac and Windows, with Linux, browser, and application patching coming soon. This release includes:

• Patch Visibility Dashboard with fleet OS distribution and current OS release trains
• Centralized view of policy configuration and recommended settings
• Automatic macOS Updates policy to set and enforce automatic updates with end-user notifications
• Advanced Windows Updates policy with new controls for automatically installing and enforcing Windows updates with end-user notifications

“JumpCloud has been essential in consolidating our cloud directory, single-sign on (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), mobile device management (MDM), and more,” said Ricky Jordan, senior computer systems admin at Primitive Skate. “Patch Management removes a huge IT burden and lets us fortify our cyber defenses with greater control over, and insight into, system vulnerabilities. Having to juggle mixed OS environments and make time to manage the continual rollout of patches was a headache for our team. I can’t imagine trying to manage a modern workplace without JumpCloud.”

Patch Management will be available a la carte to all JumpCloud users in Q1, and will be located in the Policy Management section in the JumpCloud console.

“In today’s landscape of ever evolving security threats, where the battle between good and evil wages on across the digital battlefields of tomorrow, admins now more than ever need to play defense across the spectrum,” said Reilly Scull, chief technology officer at Macktez. “At our clients, JumpCloud has helped us fight back by making it easy to enforce Encryption, ZeroTrust, and Conditional Access Policies to help safeguard assets and infrastructure. But, even the best policies can be foiled if the foundation they’re built on has a critical vulnerability, which is why it’s so important to have a fast and effective patching solution.

“With JumpCloud’s new Patch Management features, we’ll now be able to keep our clients safer, at a faster pace, and with less cost and management overhead than ever before. These new features will allow us to reclaim critical time and resources, allowing us to focus on helping our clients drive their businesses forward, without being bogged down in the trenches of mundane patch management. We’re super excited for these new features, and expect other JumpCloud customers will be too!”