A "Patching Cadence" rating in the context of Security Ratings assesses the effectiveness and frequency of an organization's patching practices. It measures how well an organization manages and implements security patches or updates for its software and systems. The rating evaluates the organization's ability to identify vulnerabilities, develop appropriate patches, and apply them on time.

Patching Cadence is one of several factors considered in Security Ratings to assess the overall security posture of an organization. It helps provide insights into the organization's ability to address and remediate vulnerabilities effectively, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of its security capabilities.

As an external entity, it can be challenging to determine an organization's patching cadence accurately. Patching cadence is an internal process that organizations typically manage and disclose internally. However, as mentioned earlier, there are indirect ways to gain insights into an organization's patching practices by analyzing publicly available information, security advisories, vulnerability databases, and community discussions. While these methods indicate an organization's patching frequency, they may offer a partial view of the entire patching cadence. To obtain precise details about an organization's patching cadence, it would be best to consult the organization directly or rely on official statements or publications provided by them.

ThreatNG Security Ratings substantiated with external attack surface analysis and digital risk protection features, including Domain Intelligence, Cloud & SaaS Exposure assessment (including exposed open cloud buckets), Dark Web Presence, and Sensitive Code Exposure discovery, provide enhanced fidelity, validity, and insight into Patching Cadence by considering factors related to breach and ransomware susceptibility, web application hijack susceptibility, and overall cyber risk exposure.

Breach and Ransomware Susceptibility: ThreatNG Security Ratings assess the organization's susceptibility to data breaches and ransomware attacks. This involves evaluating the organization's security controls, vulnerability management practices, and incident response capabilities. Analyzing these factors, the rating system provides insights into the organization's likelihood of experiencing a breach or ransomware incident, thereby enhancing the Patching Cadence score's validity.

Web Application Hijack Susceptibility: The rating system also considers the organization's susceptibility to web application hijacking, which involves the unauthorized takeover or manipulation of web applications. By analyzing the organization's web application security measures, secure coding practices, and web application firewall configurations, ThreatNG Security Ratings assess the vulnerability to such attacks. This assessment contributes to the accuracy and reliability of the Patching Cadence score.

Cyber Risk Exposure: ThreatNG Security Ratings evaluate the overall cyber risk exposure of the organization. This includes considering factors such as the organization's digital footprint, online brand presence, reputation, and the visibility of sensitive code in public repositories. By assessing these aspects, the rating system provides a comprehensive view of the organization's cyber risk profile, which aids in determining the Patching Cadence score's fidelity.

By integrating external attack surface analysis, domain intelligence, cloud & SaaS exposure assessment (including exposed open cloud buckets), dark web presence analysis, sensitive code exposure discovery, and assessment of breach and ransomware susceptibility, web application hijack susceptibility, and cyber risk exposure, ThreatNG Security Ratings offer a robust evaluation of an organization's Patching Cadence score. This approach provides greater fidelity and validity by considering multiple factors contributing to the organization's vulnerability to cyber threats and the effectiveness of its patching practices.