Effective third-party patching is essential for maintaining security, minimizing vulnerabilities, and meeting compliance standards, yet many managed service providers (MSPs) and IT teams still lack a scalable, automated process to manage it. As remote work expands, application sprawl grows, and AI-driven threats accelerate, application patching has become a critical pillar of any cybersecurity strategy in 2025.
Unlike operating system patching, third-party application patching presents unique challenges. This blog covers everything you need to patch third-party applications efficiently and securely.
Key takeaways
- Application patching includes both OS and third-party updates, but third-party patching often lacks the automation and visibility of OS-level tools, such as Windows Update.
- Third-party application patching is critical for cybersecurity, as attackers frequently exploit unpatched third-party apps to deliver malware or gain access.
- Automating third-party patching reduces manual workload and improves security, ensuring updates are deployed quickly and consistently across endpoints.
- Top patching tools support features such as automated discovery, policy-based deployment, and compliance reporting, helping IT teams scale securely.
ConnectWise RMM™ simplifies both application and third-party patching through integrated automation, real-time alerts, flexible scheduling, and unified visibility via the ConnectWise Asio® platform.
What is application patching?
Application patching is the process of updating software to fix vulnerabilities, improve performance, or add new features. It applies to both operating systems and third-party applications used across modern IT environments.
Operating system patching, such as Windows patch management, is typically well-supported through centralized services, such as Windows Update. However, third-party patching often lacks that level of automation and visibility, making it more complex and risk-prone for IT teams to manage at scale.
What is third-party patching?
Third-party patching refers to updating software that isn’t part of the operating system, including tools such as web browsers, conferencing platforms, PDF readers, and more. These applications fall outside the scope of native OS update mechanisms and are released by independent software vendors (ISVs).
Key challenges of third-party patching include:
- Unpredictable release cycles: Vendors issue patches on varying schedules, often without advance notice
- Elevated security risk: These widely used apps often have broad system access
- Limited native support: OS tools usually don’t detect or manage third-party patches
- Dependency vulnerabilities: Outdated libraries or frameworks can introduce hidden risk
Because third-party software is frequently overlooked, it’s a common target for attackers. Exploiting unpatched apps is a favored technique for deploying ransomware, stealing credentials, and gaining lateral access within networks.
To mitigate these risks, organizations need third-party patch management software that can track and automate the deployment of third-party updates.
Top five benefits of third-party patching
Implementing a consistent, automated approach to third-party application patching delivers measurable advantages across security, operations, and compliance. For MSPs and IT teams managing multiple endpoints and applications, the ability to patch third-party software quickly and at scale helps reduce risk, strengthen service delivery, and improve overall IT efficiency.
Below are the top five business and technical benefits of third-party patching in 2025.
1. Minimized attack surface and exposure to exploits
Third-party applications are a prime target for attackers. Outdated tools such as browsers, file-sharing apps, and communication software are often exploited within days of a new CVE being published. Proactively patching them reduces the window of opportunity for threat actors.
The result: Better protection against ransomware, credential theft, and supply chain attacks.
2. Streamlined compliance with industry frameworks
Compliance standards such as HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and NIST demand timely remediation of known vulnerabilities. Third-party patching supports these mandates and provides verifiable reporting to satisfy audits and demonstrate risk management maturity.
The result: Simplified audit preparation and reduced risk of regulatory penalties.
3. Greater endpoint performance and application reliability
Unpatched software often leads to crashes, bugs, and inconsistent user experiences. Routine patching ensures third-party applications remain stable, compatible, and secure, especially in hybrid and remote work environments.
The result: Fewer IT tickets, improved uptime, and smoother app performance across devices.
4. Increased operational efficiency through automation
Manual patching is time-consuming and error-prone. Automating third-party patching helps IT teams save hours of administrative overhead, avoid patch backlog, and focus on higher-priority projects.
The result: Faster patch cycles, fewer emergency fixes, and more predictable IT workflows.
5. Stronger client trust and SLA delivery for MSPs
For MSPs, patching is a key component of uptime and security SLAs. A well-executed third-party application patching strategy demonstrates proactive risk mitigation and builds confidence with clients.
The result: Higher client satisfaction, better retention, and fewer escalations.
How to automate third-party patching
Automated third-party patching is one of the most effective ways to reduce risk, save time, and ensure consistent protection across your IT environment.
To implement automation successfully, your patch management solution must support centralized control, policy-based deployment, automated monitoring, and visibility. Below are the seven essential best practices for automating third-party application patching.
1. Identify and inventory third-party applications
Start by taking inventory of your environment, specifically all installed third-party software. This includes web browsers, communication tools, remote access tools, media players, collaboration apps, and other commonly used applications.
Goal: Establish a clear, up-to-date view of your patching surface.
2. Enable automatic patch detection and cataloging
Your tool should continuously monitor vendor sites and update catalogs as new patches become available. It should also map available updates to the specific applications and versions installed across your endpoints.
Goal: Eliminate manual tracking and reduce time-to-patch.
3. Define patching policies by applications used
Tailor your patching strategy to how applications function within your environment. Mission-critical apps should be patched quickly to avoid exposure, while line-of-business or specialty software may require compatibility testing before updates. Grouping apps by function or department also enables more targeted automation.
Goal: Align patching cadence with how applications are used across teams and workflows.
4. Schedule patch deployments during maintenance windows
Set patch rollouts to occur during low-traffic periods to minimize user disruption. Use phased or pilot rollouts to test compatibility issues before full deployment.
Goal: Ensure smooth, conflict-free patch deployment across systems.
5. Monitor patch success and automate alerting
Your solution should log every patch action, flag failed installations, and notify your team in real time. Integration with ticketing systems helps create automatic alerts and track remediation steps.
Goal: Gain full visibility and speed up issue resolution.
6. Use rollback and version control features
If a patch causes performance issues or breaks a critical app, your tool should allow a fast rollback to the previous version via scripting or another solution. Preparation is essential for maintaining operational continuity.
Goal: Minimize risk while deploying updates at scale.
7. Integrate patch automation with broader IT workflows
Connect your patching process with RMM, PSA, SIEM, and compliance tools to streamline documentation, reporting, and response. This alignment ensures patching doesn’t operate in a silo.
Goal: Centralize and automate IT operations for better efficiency and audit readiness.
By automating third-party application patching with the right tools and policies, MSPs and IT teams can dramatically improve efficiency, reduce vulnerabilities, and stay ahead of compliance demands.
For more tips on how to stay ahead of patch management, download our Patch Management Best Practices eBook.
Top features to look for in third-party patching tools
With a growing number of applications and increasing patch velocity from vendors, MSPs and IT teams need tools that go beyond basic updates to deliver automation, visibility, and control at scale.
Here are the top six features to prioritize when evaluating third-party patching tools:
1. Automated patch discovery and deployment
The tool should automatically identify outdated third-party applications and apply patches without manual intervention. Look for support for a wide catalog of software vendors, not just the major names.
2. Policy-based patch management
Granular control over patch deployment, based on application type, client, or schedule, is essential.
3. Real-time monitoring and alerting
Your patching solution should provide instant feedback on patch status, deployment success/failure, and any exceptions. Integration with your RMM software or PSA solution helps route alerts into existing workflows.
4. Rollback and version control
If a patch causes unexpected issues, your solution should support prompt rollback to a known stable version. While true one-click rollback isn't always feasible, tools that support version control, detailed audit logs, and scripted remediation can reduce downtime and maintain user productivity.
5. Broad third-party application catalog
Make sure the tool supports a wide range of business-critical apps: browsers, conferencing tools, productivity suites, and niche software. Gaps in coverage can leave exploitable holes in your security layer.
A patching tool that integrates with your existing IT stack, such as ConnectWise RMM, lets you unify automation monitoring and alerting in one centralized solution.
How ConnectWise simplifies application and third-party patching
ConnectWise makes application patching and third-party patching faster, safer, and easier to manage across distributed environments. Through ConnectWise RMM on the Asio platform, MSPs and IT teams can automate updates, enforce patch policies, and remediate issues quickly without the manual overhead.
ConnectWise simplifies patching with:
- Automated deployment: Applies third-party patches from vendors such as Adobe, Zoom, and Chrome.
- Policy-driven workflows: Schedule patches based on application and client site.
- Quiet, scheduled deployments: Reduce user disruption with background or maintenance-window installs.
- Unified experience: Manage patching alongside alerting, IT automation, and endpoint monitoring in the ConnectWise Asio platform.
With ConnectWise, patching becomes a proactive, automated process, not a recurring risk.
Ready to streamline third-party patching?
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