Software Update Service to Ease Patch Distribution

Microsoft’s Software Update Service (SUS) provides an automated means to distribute and install critical operating system (OS) fixes and security rollups on Windows 2000 and later workstations and servers. Part of Microsoft’s Strategic Technology Protection Program and formerly known as Windows Update Corporate Edition, this free Windows 2000 Server-based product is currently in beta testing and due out by the end of June 2002. Though much less capable than full-featured software distribution products such as Microsoft’s Systems Management Server, SUS is relatively inexpensive to deploy and contains the core set of features many IT departments will need to consistently patch machines before hackers have a chance to exploit newly discovered OS vulnerabilities.

The Need for Automated Patch Distribution

The Code Red virus illustrated that typical combinations of firewalls and virus-scanning software cannot completely protect organizations against certain types of malicious attacks. In particular, protecting against buffer-overflow vulnerabilities can be accomplished only by correcting the flawed code and installing patches containing the corrected code on all affected systems. (For more information on Code Red and Microsoft’s response to it, see “Get Secure, Stay Secure” on page 17 of the Dec. 2001 Update and “Secure Windows Initiative to Tackle Security Vulnerabilities” on page 13 of the Aug. 2001 Update.)