RE: Patching

["Alexander Suhovey" <asuhovey () mtu-net ru>]

IMO the point of Alessandro's message is that fixes introduce *new* holes so
your formula should be corrected to:
10,000 - 1 + n, where n>0.  The question is if n<1 :)

Al.

-----Original Message-----
From: Meritt James [mailto:meritt_james () bah com] 
Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2003 12:38 AM
To: security-basics () securityfocus com
Subject: Re: Patching


On Mon, Oct 20, 2003 at 10:12:29AM +0200, Alessandro Bottonelli wrote:
> A thought has been crossing my mind for a long time, I'd like to 
> confront it
> with the list.
>
> In the "old days" a patch and/or fix was defined as "something that 
> closes a
> known hole and opens ten unknown holes" :-) Yet, literature and common 
> practices keep saying we should maintain our systems and network
appliances 
> up to date with the last patches / software releases.
>
> WHY should I feel safer that way? How can I tell Rev. 1.3 is any 
> better
> (security-wise) than Rev. 1.2 ? Is the cost (financial and others) of
change 
> management worth it? If so, how can I measure such worthness?
> -- 
> Alessandro Bottonelli

A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. (10,000 -1) is less
than 10,000.  "Safer" is not "safe".

As long as you are thinking, include that in your "why" considerations.

-- 
James W. Meritt CISSP, CISA
Booz | Allen | Hamilton
phone: (410) 684-6566

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