SOC 2 Readiness Control
Patch Management
Timely updates for operating systems, packages, and infrastructure components with documented approvals.
Why auditors care
OS and dependency updates
Demonstrate clear ownership, evidence, and cadence to show this control operates consistently.
What to implement
- •Assign an owner and set a review cadence.
- •Document the policy, procedure, and escalation path.
- •Track exceptions with remediation dates.
Evidence auditors expect
- •Dated records of reviews or approvals.
- •Screenshots/exports showing configurations and coverage.
- •Tickets proving remediation or follow-up.
Common mistakes
- •Unowned control with no cadence.
- •Evidence not tied to who/when/what changed.
- •No process for exceptions or emergency changes.
FAQ
Evidence
Patch cadence policy, recent patch cycles, approvals, and exception handling.
Pitfalls
Unpatched long-lived servers, untracked exceptions, and missing emergency patch path.