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Arshad Nr - PeerSpot reviewer
Seniour Security Consultant at CyberNxt Solutions LLP
Consultant
Top 5
Enables swift patch deployment on a large number of devices and improves confidence in our security
Pros and Cons
  • "The features I find most valuable in Qualys Patch Management include the ability to manage registry changes and run scripts both pre and post-patching. We have been able to apply workarounds for zero-day vulnerabilities efficiently."
  • "Customer service is exceptional."
  • "They need to improve the user-friendliness of identifying how many devices are affected by a particular patch. It is not intuitive, and there should be clearer indicators or buttons to access this information easily."
  • "They need to improve the user-friendliness of identifying how many devices are affected by a particular patch."

What is our primary use case?

We are using the Qualys Patch Management and VMDR solution at a client location.

We primarily use Qualys Patch Management for the company's infrastructure. We utilize the core Patch Management module to remediate and manage patches. We mainly use it to address zero-day vulnerabilities and swiftly deploy patches across a large number of devices.

How has it helped my organization?

Whenever Microsoft releases any zero-day vulnerabilities, they provide a workaround. We are able to push that workaround from the Patch Management module. We can push the registry key changes or use the PowerShell script. We push changes to almost 600 devices in ten minutes. It helps us ensure our infrastructure security.

Qualys Patch Management has significantly improved our visibility into vulnerability remediation and patch severity. The solution has enabled us to remediate a large number of vulnerabilities and reduce our attack surface effectively.

We can track live updates and present dashboards to management, which has increased their confidence in our security posture. We can see the progress while pushing the patches. We have VMDR dashboards and reports. The reports are user-friendly, and everyone can understand these reports. We could also present them to the management. They were also happy to see the progress. They had visibility.

We have not implemented much automation. We are still in the early stages of this solution and testing out the possibilities. We had an issue because of the requirement that every server should be connected to the Internet before downloading the patches, but QGS was very helpful with that. QGS helps to ensure that we are able to patch devices that are not connected to the Internet.

We are able to prioritize the vulnerabilities and remediation. We did not see any discrepancies. With some of the other tools I have used, I have seen so many discrepancies between the vulnerability and the patching.

It helped our teams to work together. We created a separate team for vulnerability remediation. We also could help the patching team and support them in automating patch management. Previously, they were doing it manually on each server.

With Qualys Patch Management, there is an increase in vulnerability remediation. We have remediated almost 100,000 vulnerabilities. That is a huge count. Previously, we used a formula to identify critical vulnerabilities, and we could remediate only a limited number of vulnerabilities. With Qualys Patch Management, we could remediate all the vulnerabilities. We did not exclude any of the vulnerabilities.

There is also an increase in the patch rate. Previously, we could only cover 30% patching, whereas with Qualys Patch Management, within one and a half months, we could achieve 70% to 80% patching. The remaining ones are not included in the initial phase because of certain dependencies. We pushed data to almost 2,000 devices. It took some time for us to do the testing. We tested on ten production devices. After that, we pushed the patches to other devices.

We can download reports and customize the report templates based on the information we need. Our management could clearly see where we are now as compared to before. They could see our progress. They could see that we have fixed all high-priority ones within a month. The remaining ones are of medium and low priority. Even if we do not remediate them, it will be fine.

The Risk Reduction Recommendation Report helped us see which vulnerabilities would reduce the most risk within our organization.

What is most valuable?

The features I find most valuable in Qualys Patch Management include the ability to manage registry changes and run scripts both pre and post-patching. We have been able to apply workarounds for zero-day vulnerabilities efficiently.

Being able to create patch groups based on QIDs is also valuable. We can identify vulnerabilities using the QID and create a patch group. After that, we can push the patches.

What needs improvement?

They need to improve the user-friendliness of identifying how many devices are affected by a particular patch. It is not intuitive, and there should be clearer indicators or buttons to access this information easily. Currently, we have to go to the Patch Management module within an asset to see the information but not many people are aware of it. It is not intuitive in terms of seeing how many patches are pending on an asset. Other than that, it has everything we need.

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Qualys Patch Management
November 2024
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For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Qualys Patch Management for approximately one year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We faced an issue once due to a cloud-related problem that slowed down the console and presented device status inconsistencies, but it was resolved within four hours.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have not encountered any scalability issues. We operate across multiple locations and have not faced any lags.

We have almost 125,000 users. We are a multinational company. We have offices in about 15 states in India. We are also in two or three other countries. This is why our asset count is high.

How are customer service and support?

Customer service is exceptional. The support team is experienced and responsive, providing solutions quickly without delay. I would rate them a ten out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Before Qualys, we used Microsoft SCCM, which was not effective in progress tracking and vulnerability remediation. The tool was basic, the licensing cost was high, and we were only able to address 30% to 40% of vulnerabilities.

We proposed the Qualys Patch Management module. Its cost was almost similar but we got many more features. After implementing it, we could see the progress in vulnerability remediation and patching.

Qualys Patch Management also provided us with a variety of dashboards or criteria. We could see the number of patches done, pending, and failed. Microsoft SCCM did not give us that information. We could also export reports with Qualys Patch Management. This option was not available with Microsoft SCCM. 

In terms of user-friendliness, Microsoft SCCM is more user-friendly. It has fewer features and is very easy. Even a beginner can use Microsoft SCCM, which is not the case with Qualys Patch Management. 

How was the initial setup?

It is a cloud solution, so everything required is provided by Qualys. 

It does not require any maintenance from our end.

What about the implementation team?

We required assistance from the Qualys team for the initial setup and configuration as we were not familiar with setting up and configuring QGS at the time.

What was our ROI?

It has saved us resources. We now have only two people for patch management.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing is reasonable and competitive. We get many more features at the same price as other solutions such as Microsoft SCCM.

It is worth the money considering the services and features it has. Their support team is also awesome.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We evaluated Rapid7 as an alternative to Qualys but found it lacking in some features that Qualys offered.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend Qualys Patch Management to every organization looking for better patch management and remediation. I would recommend opting for the cloud version of Qualys Patch Management as it is easier and faster to use compared to an on-premises solution.

I would rate Qualys Patch Management a ten out of ten. It makes my job easy.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Other
Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor. The reviewer's company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: MSP
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Prasadbabu Talluri - PeerSpot reviewer
Systems Mgmt Consultant at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Top 10
Enhance svulnerability remediation with efficient patch management and process automation
Pros and Cons
  • "Qualys Patch Management is an effective tool for vulnerability remediation."
  • "Our patch rate was 85 percent before implementing Qualys Patch Management, and now it is 98 percent."
  • "The availability of Qualys Patch Management needs to be improved."
  • "The availability of Qualys Patch Management needs to be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We use Qualys Patch Management for server deployment and workstation deployment. It is also used for vulnerability management, managing open ports, and remediating vulnerabilities.

How has it helped my organization?

The risk-based management involves process automation, identifying vulnerabilities through scheduled reports, and ongoing patch deployments.

Qualys Patch Management utilizes advanced algorithms within its management policies to effectively address vulnerabilities. It accurately identifies threats and provides the necessary solutions to remediate bugs in end-user systems.

TruRisk automation streamlines our vulnerability remediation process by automatically identifying and deploying necessary patches, eliminating the need for constant security team involvement. Previously, the security team would provide monthly scan profiles and assign them to us. We would then scan endpoints, identify vulnerabilities or partially/fully installed patches, and use Qualys reports to address any patching failures. TruRisk automates this entire workflow, increasing efficiency and reducing our reliance on manual intervention from the security team.

Qualys Patch Management offers a single source of truth to identify, prioritize, and address vulnerabilities across all assets. This ongoing monthly process consistently identifies vulnerabilities in our network, devices, and systems. Using a standardized remediation template, we scan for vulnerabilities and implement necessary fixes to ensure ongoing security.

It reduces costs through automated deployments, eliminating the need for manual monitoring and machine checks. By creating a job to identify machines with low disk space or those not requiring patches, we generate a report and exclude unnecessary machines from the patching schedule. This automation removes machines that don't need patches, ensuring only those requiring updates are involved, and reduces manual effort by approximately 50 percent through automated scheduling and issue identification.

I have been managing patches for the past two years. Previously, the tools available lacked automation and couldn't handle all tasks, including scheduling. Now, with Qualys Patch Management, we can schedule jobs, automatically identify and fix bugs, and significantly reduce the time spent on patching. For instance, tasks that once took ten hours can now be completed in three.

Our patch rate was 85 percent before implementing Qualys Patch Management, and now it is 98 percent.

We utilize Qualys Patch Management's ITSM tools for ticket management, which has proven highly beneficial for our operations. We are integrating Qualys Patch Management with ServiceNow and BMC Remedy. This integration automatically identifies and closes approximately 50 to 60 percent of tickets.

Adding Qualys Patch Management to our existing vulnerability management tools has provided us with an on-demand capability to patch our internal devices as needed.

Qualys Patch Management helped reduce our organization's risk by patching 98 percent of vulnerabilities.

What is most valuable?

Qualys Patch Management is an effective tool for vulnerability remediation. It identifies vulnerabilities, creates profiles, and recognizes vulnerabilities on the endpoint, all within a user-friendly environment.

What needs improvement?

The availability of Qualys Patch Management needs to be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Qualys Patch Management for almost five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

There are times when Qualys Patch Management is unavailable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I would rate the scalability of Qualys Patch Management a nine out of ten.

How are customer service and support?

Technical support is good, providing seamless efforts in their support.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We use multiple tools. On-demand, we use Qualys alongside other solutions like Tanium, Rapid7, and SCCM to manage machines both inside and outside the organization.

How was the initial setup?

The initial deployment is straightforward. It does not take much time to deploy. Everything is completed within the four-hour schedule.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Compared to other tools, the price of Qualys Patch Management is reasonable.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Qualys Patch Management a nine out of ten.

Qualys Patch Management is deployed in multiple departments and locations. We have five members that administor the solution.

No maintenance is required from our end.

I recommend Qualys Patch Management because it is effective in past deployment and vulnerability management. It identifies necessary patches instead of scanning the entire machine.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Other
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
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Qualys Patch Management
November 2024
Learn what your peers think about Qualys Patch Management. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2024.
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Chaitanya Kajjam - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Lead - Security Operations at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Streamlined patch scheduling and automated management enhance security
Pros and Cons
  • "Qualys Patch Management excels with its automated patch scheduling and retrieval."
  • "Qualys Patch Management streamlines our vulnerability management process by providing a single source of truth to assess, prioritize, and remediate vulnerabilities across all assets."
  • "Qualys's current response time for releasing solutions to zero-day vulnerabilities, which takes approximately 12 to 16 hours, needs improvement."
  • "Qualys's current response time for releasing solutions to zero-day vulnerabilities, which takes approximately 12 to 16 hours, needs improvement."

What is our primary use case?

We utilize Qualys Patch Management to patch our customers' virtual machine environments. This includes performing tasks and remediation actions in conjunction with Qualys Vulnerability Management, Detection, and Response.

We implemented Qualys Patch Management for the zero-touch patches.

How has it helped my organization?

Qualys Patch Management's risk-based approach simplifies the automation of risk mitigation.

The automatic inclusion of relevant patches in Qualys Patch Management based on Qualys VMDR findings streamlines remediation. This integration simplifies patching tasks by providing a direct solution from VMDR to Patch Management, making it easier to address vulnerabilities.

Qualys Patch Management is user-friendly. We used to have a different tool that did not provide good solutions or responses, so we tested Qualys Patch Management internally and with a few customers. As a result, the time to push patches, get updates, or push zero-day patches has significantly decreased compared to the previous tool. We realized the benefits of Qualys Patch Management within the first quarter.

Qualys' TruRisk automation improves our operational efficiency by enabling us to remediate vulnerabilities without requiring direct involvement from our security team.

Qualys Patch Management streamlines our vulnerability management process by providing a single source of truth to assess, prioritize, and remediate vulnerabilities across all assets. This consolidated approach has significantly reduced our workload, enabling us to meet all compliance standards and accelerate remediation from weeks to days.

We have significantly improved our patch rates using Qualys Patch Management, though the exact improvement varies depending on the vulnerabilities. For critical issues, typically those with a CVSS score of four or five or higher, we contact the customer and, upon their approval, immediately patch the relevant item. This includes application software, configurations, Microsoft Patch Tuesday updates, and zero-day vulnerabilities.

We augmented our vulnerability solution with Qualys Patch Management to address patching deficiencies within our customer base. Many clients operate in silos with disparate IT teams, hindering comprehensive patching efforts. Our adoption of Qualys Patch Management enables us to centrally manage and execute patching through its VMDR capabilities, resulting in higher success rates compared to decentralized client-managed patching.

We have seen a significant reduction in our customer's risk, around 70 to 80 percent.

What is most valuable?

Qualys Patch Management excels with its automated patch scheduling and retrieval. The system efficiently executes jobs, provides clear messaging, and simplifies the management of installations and residual file removal.

What needs improvement?

Qualys's current response time for releasing solutions to zero-day vulnerabilities, which takes approximately 12 to 16 hours, needs improvement. The goal is to reduce this timeframe to under 12 hours. Additionally, their platform requires enhanced support for multi-tenancy.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Patch Management for the last two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I would rate the stability of Qualys Patch Management nine out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Qualys Patch Management's scalability is eight out of ten because it does not provide good support for multi-tenancy.

How are customer service and support?

Qualys' technical support is good.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We previously used patching solutions like Kaseya VSA, but now prefer Qualys Patch Management due to its integration with VMDR. This single-solution approach reduces remediation time significantly.

How was the initial setup?

The initial deployment is straightforward. It involves installing agents and scanner appliances, which automatically manage everything. The deployment can be completed within a few days.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing is reasonable and less expensive than the previous tool.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?


What other advice do I have?

I would rate Qualys Patch Management eight out of ten.

Our customers who use Qualys Patch Management are small and medium-sized businesses.

Qualys Patch Management does not require any maintenance.

I would recommend Qualys Patch Management to other users because of its advantages over other tools. This tool is good compared to others.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Other
Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor. The reviewer's company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
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Brad Mathis - PeerSpot reviewer
Employee-Owner, Senior Consultant, Information Security at Keller Schroeder
MSP
Top 5Leaderboard
Helps simplify patching, integrates well, and reduces costs
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature in Patch Management is the Qualys query language for set-it-and-forget-it patching for our preapproved patches, and our preapproved schedules, That is extremely helpful compared to the old days of patching."
  • "A common area for improvement in Patch Management, both within our environment and others I've encountered, is the lack of built-in driver updates."

What is our primary use case?

My organization uses Qualys Patch Management internally, including its core patching functionality and Vulnerability Management, Detection, and Response. As a consultant, I help several Qualys user clients with best practices and similar tasks, addressing use cases ranging from vulnerability reduction and patch management to asset management.

Qualys is a cloud-based platform. While they offer a private cloud option at a higher cost, their core functionality resides in the cloud. The lightweight agents we install on our systems simply collect data and upload it to the cloud-based Qualys interface. The only exceptions are passive sensors like network sniffers and on-premise scanners, which are optional deployments for specific needs. This cloud-centric approach eliminates the need for us to manage on-premise servers, unlike some competing products like baramundi.

How has it helped my organization?

Qualys query language simplifies patch selection by allowing us to define risk-based criteria. We can target patches based on severity medium to critical and Qualys rating while excluding specific unwanted patches like "Patch xyz". As long as a patch meets our pre-approved criteria, it's automatically selected, making the approval process quick and efficient.

The Patch Management integration with VMDR including all development patches and configuration changes required to remediate vulnerabilities detected by the VMDR is significantly important.

While Qualys offered benefits initially, the deployment of the cloud agent truly transformed our security posture. Previously, regular scans provided only point-in-time vulnerability identification. Now, with continuous updates from the cloud agent every four hours, we have near real-time visibility into our risk levels, allowing us to prioritize and swiftly address vulnerabilities to minimize overall security exposure.

TruRisk automation streamlines vulnerability remediation by prioritizing threats based on real-world exploitability, not just a generic CVSS score. This allows us to focus on the most critical issues first, avoiding the time-wasting whack-a-mole approach of patching everything at once. While all vulnerabilities eventually need to be addressed, TruRisk helps us prioritize effectively and work through them in a methodical way.

Qualys' prioritization feature streamlines vulnerability management by offering a central hub to find, rank, and address critical security issues. This unified approach significantly improves collaboration between security and IT teams. Previously, prioritizing vulnerabilities was often a matter of simply patching critical ones. Patching policies also play a role, with most companies aiming for a 30-day window or less for critical patches. While the industry average turnaround is 17 days, faster patching remains crucial. Qualys' TruRisk scoring system helps identify outliers – vulnerabilities that might slip through the cracks in a well-managed environment. Traditional patching methods, like Microsoft's WSUS, may miss these outliers, but Qualys excels at finding them, providing better communication and faster remediation.

This single source has helped reduce soft costs where employees were wasting time spinning their wheels searching for answers. This newfound focus allows them to dedicate their energy to more important tasks.

Prior to implementing patch management, a random sampling of systems would often reveal outdated patches, some exceeding 60 days old. However, with patch management in place, finding such aged patches is now a rarity.

We integrated Patch Management on top of Qualys VMDR. This gave us a lot more visibility and accuracy.

Patch Management has helped to reduce our organizational risk.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature in Patch Management is the Qualys query language for set-it-and-forget-it patching for our preapproved patches, and our preapproved schedules, That is extremely helpful compared to the old days of patching.

What needs improvement?

A common area for improvement in Patch Management, both within our environment and others I've encountered, is the lack of built-in driver updates. Ideally, the system would handle updates for network interface cards, video cards, and other components, eliminating the need to rely on manufacturer-specific tools like Dell Update or HP Update. Integrating these patching options would significantly improve the overall functionality.

Qualys Patch Management primarily updates operating systems, third-party software including Adobe products and many more, leaving video card drivers and firmware updates to other tools. This focus on core software is understandable, as driver and firmware updates can be more complex.

The price has room for improvement.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Qualys solutions for over 20 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Qualys Patch Management is very stable. They clearly communicate any scheduled maintenance in advance, and these updates typically require no downtime. In rare cases of major maintenance, they might announce limited portal access during specific hours. Like any software, occasional minor glitches can occur, but we can easily check for known issues at status.qualys.com before troubleshooting on our own. Overall, Qualys Patch Management is a reliable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Qualys Patch Management is highly scalable. 

How are customer service and support?

Qualys technical support has been excellent recently. While there have been occasional periods of lower satisfaction in the past, similar to any organization, they seem to be prioritizing customer happiness. This is evident by their recent staffing improvements, which have led to my last few support requests being resolved quickly and efficiently.

With extensive system use, I've occasionally received initial responses from what seems like level-one support. I then need to clarify and request further troubleshooting before they escalate the issue.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

Qualys Patch Management deployment is straightforward as long as we have the right team, whether it's a consulting firm or our own IT staff familiar with whitelisting. This is because whitelisting the Qualys Cloud Agent on systems protected by endpoint security tools like Carbon Black or CrowdStrike is crucial to prevent them from blocking the agent. Fortunately, the whitelisting requirements are well-documented, making implementation smooth for a prepared team.

A single person can handle the deployment if they have permission to distribute the cloud agent, install on-premise scanners, and build the virtual machine for the scanner. In fact, several of my colleagues successfully manage deployments for large organizations on their own.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Qualys Patch Management's pricing is competitive. While some perceive it as expensive, competitor tools are similar. While a free option like Microsoft WSUS exists, it lacks features. While I'd prefer Qualys VMDR to include Cyber Security Asset Management for a more attractive overall package, Patch Management itself remains competitively priced. Scaling brings lower per-asset costs, and Qualys recently introduced better pricing bundles for smaller environments.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

To verify Qualys Patch Management's effectiveness, I've occasionally used free tools like Patch My PC to scan for missed patches. These scans consistently come up clean, giving me confidence that Qualys Patch Management is doing a good job.

While both Qualys Patch Management and baramundi Update Management are powerful tools, Qualys offers a clear advantage in ease of use. For organizations with large IT teams that can handle a more hands-on approach, baramundi can be effective, but it requires more ongoing management compared to Qualys' set-and-forget approach. Notably, baramundi goes beyond patching with software distribution capabilities, but this additional functionality comes at the cost of increased complexity. Ultimately, for those seeking a simpler solution, Qualys is the better choice.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Qualys Patch Management ten out of ten.

While the initial setup involves deploying cloud agents, Qualys Patch Management is low maintenance. Updates for both agents, signatures, and related components are automatic. Qualys handles maintenance in the cloud, and new systems are easily enrolled with agents through software distribution or policy enforcement.

New Qualys Patch Management users should consult the documentation and training resources before deploying. While a trusted partner can assist with implementation, understanding the process is crucial. Qualys offers free training to cover essential steps like agent deployment, configuration, and security considerations to ensure successful patching. Don't skip these steps, as seemingly minor setup issues can hinder functionality. This applies not just to Qualys, but to any endpoint security solution.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor. The reviewer's company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Reseller
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Sr Cyber Security Manager at BARC India
Real User
Effortless patch scheduling and prioritization enhance our security posture
Pros and Cons
  • "Qualys Patch Management offers valuable features like scheduling and on-demand patching, allowing us to conveniently push patches to our servers at designated times."
  • "The GUI has areas that need improvement, particularly in the accuracy of results when adding dashboards and running queries."
  • "The GUI has areas that need improvement, particularly in the accuracy of results when adding dashboards and running queries."

What is our primary use case?

We use Qualys Patch Management to mitigate and remediate all critical vulnerabilities present within our infrastructure.

We implemented Patch Management to address critical vulnerabilities in our infrastructure. This proactive measure mitigates the risk of compromise that could arise from unpatched vulnerabilities.

How has it helped my organization?

Patch Management has tremendously increased our security posture. Previously, we used to manage patching manually and remotely, which did not provide accurate data. With Qualys, all the details are readily available on the dashboard, aiding us in submitting details to management. It has significantly helped in providing management with up-to-date data, leading to improved satisfaction. We saw the benefits of implementing Qualys Patch Management within the first quarter.

Qualys Patch Management gives us a single source of truth for assets and vulnerabilities that must be assessed, prioritized, and remediated. This has drastically affected our operations because the features present on Qualys are amazing, and it's user-friendly compared to other tools.

We've observed an improvement in our patch rates by up to 50 percent. Utilizing the Patch Management tool allows us to download comprehensive compliance reports detailing the number of patches applied to each server, which is significantly beneficial.

Qualys Patch Management's risk reduction recommendation report offers comprehensive and customizable details, including in-depth vulnerability information with plugin output not found in other tools. This makes Qualys a superior solution for managing and understanding security risks. Qualys Patch Management's risk reduction recommendation report provides a helpful scoring system, the QDS, which can be mapped to our asset classification system, allowing us to prioritize and address vulnerabilities according to their risk level.

The risk reduction recommendation report has identified vulnerabilities that, if addressed, would yield the most significant risk reduction. Prioritizing these vulnerabilities based on their severity allows us to focus on the most critical risks to our organization and take appropriate remediation action.

We have created widgets with the assistance of the Qualys support team to add them to our existing vulnerability management solution, which has been instrumental in helping us track vulnerabilities related to our infrastructure.

Qualys Patch Management has significantly reduced our organizational risk by up to 70 percent by identifying vulnerabilities in our infrastructure and prioritizing remediation efforts. This has allowed us to reduce vulnerabilities and strengthen our overall security posture effectively.

What is most valuable?

Qualys Patch Management offers valuable features like scheduling and on-demand patching, allowing us to conveniently push patches to our servers at designated times.

What needs improvement?

The GUI has areas that need improvement, particularly in the accuracy of results when adding dashboards and running queries.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Qualys Patch Management for the last two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of Qualys Patch Management is impeccable. I would rate it ten out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Qualys consistently upgrades itself with major changes and new technologies. They introduce new modules as needed, making Patch Management highly scalable.

How are customer service and support?

Qualys support is exceptional. Whenever we need custom reports, we log a ticket with Qualys.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We transitioned from Nessus Security Center to Qualys due to challenges with Nessus's automatic patch deployments, which resulted in unplanned downtime on critical systems. A proof of concept and vendor support confirmed Qualys as a more suitable solution for our needs.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward. Before deciding to implement it, we conducted a month-long POC to ensure all requirements were met. The deployment took over 25 days.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?


What other advice do I have?

I would rate Qualys Patch Management ten out of ten. 

We are conducting testing in a UAT environment. Our risk mitigation approach involves deploying a patch only after thorough testing in the UAT environment confirms the absence of issues.

We use an internal ticketing system called TUSOM. While previous discussions with our Qualys TAM indicated that integration with TUSOM was not possible, we have recently re-engaged with them, and they are now working on a solution to enable integration.

Approximately 13 individuals have administrative access to Qualys Patch Management, while the remainder have read-only access for viewing reports.

Maintenance is required before we can implement the policy. As a result, we are conducting preliminary testing in the UAT environment. Additionally, Qualys will notify us of any planned maintenance.

I recommend starting with a proof of concept to ensure Qualys Patch Management meets your requirements. In my experience, it is highly user-friendly and has excellent support, making it superior to other products.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
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Mubashir K - PeerSpot reviewer
Cyber Security Engineer at Techensglobal
Real User
Enhance client security with timely insights and streamlined patch management
Pros and Cons
  • "Qualys Patch Management allows us to structure all the patches together and schedule patch management sessions."
  • "Qualys Patch Management helps reduce our client's organizational risk by 50 percent."
  • "The pricing of the solution is slightly high compared to other tools in our field."
  • "The pricing of the solution is slightly high compared to other tools in our field."

What is our primary use case?

I am a cybersecurity engineer focused on vulnerability assessment and penetration testing. We use Qualys Patch Management to scan our client infrastructure and external-facing applications. We collect asset details from clients and perform activities using Qualys VMDR to prepare and submit reports. If vulnerabilities are detected, we conduct patch management.

We implemented Qualys Patch Management to simplify patching processes and maintain a comprehensive record of all assets, both those already patched and those requiring patching.

How has it helped my organization?

Qualys Patch Management's risk-based approach to automation is effective in addressing vulnerabilities. By configuring policies, patches are applied automatically, eliminating concerns about oversight and ensuring comprehensive mitigation.

The integration of Patch Management and VMDR is critical for medium and large organizations because it automatically includes relevant patches and configuration changes to remediate detected vulnerabilities. This allows organizations to gain clear visibility into device vulnerabilities and take immediate action to mitigate risks.

Qualys Patch Management keeps our clients informed of all security aspects. It keeps the quality up to date, with vulnerability databases and new CVEs based on the CVSS score. Clients are pleased with the insights on their security posture and any security gaps.

We use TruRisk automation and the Qualys knowledge base, with its batch management and information-sharing features, to remediate vulnerabilities without involving the security team.

Qualys Patch Management provides a centralized platform to identify, prioritize, and address vulnerabilities across all assets. This allows us to tailor vulnerability assessments and patching strategies for clients with critical assets, such as servers hosting public-facing web applications, by leveraging asset criticality tags to create dedicated sections within the platform.

Qualys Patch Management has helped improve our patch rate by 35 percent.

Qualys Patch Management helps reduce our client's organizational risk by 50 percent.

What is most valuable?

Qualys Patch Management allows us to structure all the patches together and schedule patch management sessions. If we do not need a particular patch, it can push it automatically. It provides insight into the organization's security posture and keeps databases updated with new CVEs.

What needs improvement?

The pricing of the solution is slightly high compared to other tools in our field. It’s manageable for clients, but as a service provider, it can be challenging due to the lower cost of vulnerability assessments and penetration testing.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Qualys Patch Management for the past two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Qualys Patch Management is a stable solution. I would rate its stability as a ten out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability could be improved, as not everyone can afford it, and some may not fully understand how to use Qualys.

How are customer service and support?

During the license purchase process, there was some delay in technical communication from Qualys. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

What about the implementation team?

The deployment involved a team of six people and took about half a year.

What was our ROI?

Qualys Patch Management has saved time and resources by reducing the need for human resources. Clients are satisfied with the insights and reduced vulnerabilities over time.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

While the cost of Qualys Patch Management is slightly high compared to alternative tools, it is not excessively expensive. I would rate the pricing as a seven or eight out of ten for expense.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Qualys Patch Management ten out of ten.

Our clients who use Qualys Patch Management are medium to enterprise-level businesses.

Qualys handles the maintenance for Patch Management.

I recommend Qualys Patch Management to others due to its ability to enhance organizational and client security posture while reducing time and costs associated with vulnerability assessment and auditing.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Other
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
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Cybersecurity Engineer at a manufacturing company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Top 10
Vulnerability prioritization and dashboards help with efficient patch management
Pros and Cons
  • "Patch Management, if configured correctly, works effectively without requiring further action."
  • "Qualys can do regular check-ins to go over not only all the vulnerabilities but also the overall process to see if there is anything where we might need improvement."

What is our primary use case?

We use almost every module that Qualys has, except the EDR, which is endpoint protection. They came up with that module last year. We use their patch management, vulnerability scanners, cloud agents, and network passive scanners. We are using everything that is available.

How has it helped my organization?

They have a very good approach called TruRisk. If an exploit is publicly available or something is public-facing, they have an in-depth categorization process, so I do not have to think about what to patch first. Qualys take care of that. They assess them based on many factors. They have a team that works on that and goes through every aspect of the vulnerability in terms of how easily it can be exploited, and then they put a priority on it.

TruRisk automation has not helped us remediate vulnerabilities without needing to involve our security team. That is because we have been having some issues with the Windows Store app. We blocked it now but did not block it before, so it got installed on some of the machines. Because of that, we have to deal with it manually because Patch Management cannot do that. They will look for attributes, and they still exist. We cannot delete or update them because the Windows Store app is blocked, so we have to deal with those things manually.

They have a dashboard, which is very useful. I heavily rely on the dashboard. I create additional widgets if I have to, but the dashboards they have in their library are sufficient and very easy to use. I already know their language and I can build queries if necessary. 

Having this single source of truth affects the way our security and IT teams work together. Instead of me telling or sending screenshots, I can send them a link. When I send the link, others can see the exact same screen and easily drill down on endpoints.

This single source of truth helps reduce costs. It saves time, and time is always equal to money.

Patch Management has improved our patch rates. Previously, our approximate patching duration to close a vulnerability or remediate a vulnerability was almost 30 to 40 days. Right now, it does not exceed 11 days. Qualys has its own priority levels. They have priority 4, priority 3, priority 2, and priority 1 levels. Priority 4 ones are the most dangerous ones. They are patched right away. For other priorities, it was 30 to 40 days and then it was 21 days. The last one was about 14 days and now it is 11. It is a very good progress from what it was before.

I do not use their Risk Reduction Recommendation Report, but I usually go for the dashboard. The dashboard usually tells everything such as the end-of-life hardware, software, or other things. When I drill down, I can generate a report and present it to my IT colleagues and tell them that we need to get rid of this equipment or this software. We need to do something with it. This is an on-demand report, so I can put it on my schedule, and when I need it, I can generate it.

Patch Management has definitely helped to reduce our organization's risk. It is hard to provide metrics because, with the security field, you cannot be very precise about how secure you are. However, I can sleep at night and not stress about if some computer is being patched. I do not worry about situations where when you have a lot of systems, some of them you cannot patch because they have old applications. If you patch them, it will break something. I do not have that stress because I can rely on Qualys to do its job. In my previous job, I have had systems that I could not patch. I had to request a window to do the patchwork. With Qualys, I do not have to do that. There is a work/life balance. I got back my Saturdays and Sundays. In my previous job, I came to the job on Saturday and Sunday when people were not there and patched the systems. With Qualys, it is definitely not the case. We do not have to do that.

What is most valuable?

Patch Management, if configured correctly, works effectively without requiring further action. There are some applications that Patch Management cannot update, but they have a Custom Assessment and Remediation module to update third-party software. That module completes patch management, and you can now update everything.

The vulnerability scanner is solid and thorough. Vulnerability scans go through everything such as the endpoints, servers, and hardware.

What needs improvement?

They are constantly working on making it better. There is no 100% reliable or working application or software. There are caveats with the network passive sensor when it does not merge or something does not feel right, but whenever I have to report on those things, someone from their support team jumps on and tries to help us, which is why I like it. They should keep it up. 

They can maybe do check-ins with the customers once a month. All the vendors are doing it nowadays. Qualys can do regular check-ins to go over not only all the vulnerabilities but also the overall process to see if there is anything where we might need improvement. They know about the latest trends, and they have meetings about them. They can relay to us some newer information that we do not know, but they saw in our environment. That would be a nice thing.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have probably been using it for three years, give or take.

How are customer service and support?

I have interacted with them many times. Their support is good and reactive. When we needed support, it took a day or two. We can always reach out to our technical account manager. He is able to get on board with the engineers to help resolve issues, which I appreciate. If we need to fix something urgently, he can always help us.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We also use Microsoft through the GPL, and we have KACE, which checks for missing patches and applied patches, but mostly, we use Qualys. Qualys would be our single pane of glass where we see all those.

How was the initial setup?

I joined after the initial deployment was completed, but I deployed a couple of scanners, like vulnerability scanners on the VMs, and that process was easy. It was self-explanatory and straightforward. You just spin one up, put the IP address, and it works.

It does not require any maintenance. It is a cloud agent. As long as the cloud agent is installed on the endpoint, we are collecting all the information and the system is being patched. That is a good part.

What other advice do I have?

It took us some time to realize its benefits. I went to a Qualys conference, and that was when I started to realize its benefits. Till then, I thought Rapid7 was a good one or Manage Engine was a good one. I thought those products were good, and they also patch third parties whereas Qualys did not patch third parties. After going to Qualys, they explained there is a way to do that. It was a longer way, which I did not do. We decided to go with an MSP that specializes in installation and fine-tuning the Qualys product. When they did everything, I did not have to touch any configuration with Qualys Patch Management. Everything was going through. With the way we did things previously, it was going through, but it was a longer approach. It was taking a little longer and was more manual. We did not properly utilize tagging. We did not properly utilize the patching process scheduling. The MSP guys did tagging. They did automation of the patch management according to the risks. That was very important. Previously, we had six or seven jobs and sometimes, we manually patched individual machines. After the MSP guys did the fine-tuning, we had only two scheduled jobs, and that was it. The first job does 10 to 15 testing computers, and then the next one does the old machines.

I would rate Qualys Patch Management a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Other
Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
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Project Manager at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Top 20
Has significantly improved our vulnerability scanning and patch management
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature of Qualys Patch Management is the support and service provided by Qualys. The feedback that I got from our team is that Qualys' team is very supportive. They are always there to help us and solve queries in real-time. I liked the service aspect."
  • "The most valuable feature of Qualys Patch Management is the support and service provided by Qualys."
  • "It would be beneficial to have more efficiently scheduled task deployments that are tailored to specific asset types or deployment needs."
  • "Pricing is on the higher side. We found it costly compared to other vendors."

What is our primary use case?

We use Qualys Patch Management to detect open vulnerabilities and manage patches.

How has it helped my organization?

Qualys Patch Management has significantly improved our vulnerability scanning and patch management. It helps us to detect open vulnerabilities and missing patches across on-prem and cloud assets, as well as on remote endpoints. It is efficient and the communication with the support team is also good.

It also provides a high level of accuracy. There is better efficiency in terms of operating system patch management.

Its efficient scanning system has made us continue using this system. We have been renewing our partnership with Qualys every year. We are satisfied with what we are getting.

Qualys Patch Management gives a single source of truth for assets and vulnerabilities that need to be assessed, prioritized, and remediated. For remediation and mitigation, we have a company called iZOOlogic. We are using their services for mitigation.

Qualys Patch Management has improved our patch rate by 30% to 40%, but we are targeting about a 90% patch rate.

We have been able to patch Windows, Linux, and Mac devices with Qualys Patch Management.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of Qualys Patch Management is the support and service provided by Qualys. The feedback that I got from our team is that Qualys' team is very supportive. They are always there to help us and solve queries in real-time. I liked the service aspect.

Its overall functionality is good. I like the way it identifies and understands the vulnerabilities and the way it integrates. We swiftly get information from the platform.

What needs improvement?

It would be beneficial to have more efficiently scheduled task deployments that are tailored to specific asset types or deployment needs.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Qualys Patch Management for four to six years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable, though there is always room for betterment. I would rate it eight out of ten because it could be improved.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Qualys Patch Management is very much scalable. I would rate its scalability as eight out of ten.

We have about 20 people working with Qualys products. They also handle other products. 

How are customer service and support?

Qualys' technical support is fantastic. The support team is always on their toes, providing excellent service, for which I would give a five-star rating.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Before using Qualys, we were using a CheckPoint legacy system. We do regular performance reviews and assessments, and we switched based on a set of metrics, including reliability, cost, and other parameters.

How was the initial setup?

Its deployment is quick. It typically takes a week.

What was our ROI?

We are not able to quantify the ROI, but we are getting a good output.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Pricing is on the higher side. We found it costly compared to other vendors.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We extensively evaluate vendors across industries.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend Qualys Patch Management because of its efficiency, scalability, and excellent support. 

I would rate Qualys Patch Management an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
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