[ISN] Companies Still Dragging Their Feet With Patches

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/163967/companies_still_dragging_their_feet_with_patches.html

By Jeremy Kirk
IDG News Service
April 28, 2009

A study from security vendor Qualys has found that companies are 
patching just a hair faster than they were five years ago.

Qualys has conducted a research project for the last six years in which 
it collects data on software vulnerabilities from its customers' 
computers. Qualys provides Web-based services that can detect 
vulnerabilities in software, Web applications and can also perform 
compliance audits.

The latest data was collected throughout 2008, said Wolfgang Kandek, 
Qualys' CTO. Qualys scanned 80 million IP (Internet Protocol) addresses 
using 200 scanners that looked at Internet-facing PCs and 5,000 internal 
scanners behind firewalls on company intranets.

Kandek said 680 million vulnerabilities were found, with 72 million 
constituting critical ones, meaning the software problem could allow a 
hacker to take control of a computer remotely and install malicious 
software.

[...]


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