Findings highlight persistent challenges in manual patching processes and the growing shift toward streamlined, autonomous solutions
Adaptiva, a global leader in autonomous endpoint management, today released The State of Patch Management 2025 Report. The report reveals critical insights into the evolution of patch management and its impact on IT and security operations. Adaptiva partnered with third-party research firm Demand Metric to survey over 250 security and IT professionals on their patching processes, highlighting persistent challenges and growing demand for automation.
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“IT and security professionals are under constant pressure to remediate an endless number of vulnerabilities in increasingly complex environments,” said Dr. Deepak Kumar, founder and CEO of Adaptiva. “This research proves the urgent need for smarter patch management, with autonomous patching quickly becoming the go-to solution.”
Key report findings include:
- 98% of IT and security professionals say patching disrupts their work, forcing them to reallocate resources. This disruption often pushes teams to put off important security tasks or strategic initiatives which expose their organizations to new threats.
- 51% agree that patching has become a bigger issue than vulnerability detection. This trend highlights the increased struggle to manage the vulnerability prioritization and remediation processes.
- 94% of organizations are automating, or plan to automate, patch distribution within the next year. This marks a significant shift toward faster, safer patch management.
- 87% of organizations have had third-party applications with vulnerabilities that made patching a necessity. The sheer volume of third-party vulnerabilities can overwhelm organizations relying on manual remediation efforts to reduce risk exposure from these applications.
- 77% of organizations need more than a week to deploy patches. This is alarming as delays in patching can expose organizations to serious security risks, particularly when the average eCrime breakout time was only 62 minutes according to CrowdStrike.
- 64% of organizations say coordination between detection and remediation is their biggest challenge. Collaboration between security and IT teams is necessary to ensure that patches are applied to minimize security risks without compromising operational needs.
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The report underscores the critical need for efficient patching processes. Respondents claimed manual patching not only strains resources but also leaves systems exposed to security threats. Businesses can enhance speed, reduce resource drain, and significantly strengthen their security posture in the coming year by deploying autonomous patching solutions.
“The data clearly shows a growing trend toward automation, with businesses recognizing that traditional patching methods are no longer viable in today’s fast-paced, high-risk environments,” said Kumar. “Automated patching is no longer optional; it’s a must for organizations that want to deploy patches faster, minimize disruptions, and reduce risk without adding manual work.”
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