Tanium launches patch management integration with ServiceNow

Tanium has announced the launch of Tanium Patch Management for ServiceNow IT Operations.

This new integration aims to streamline and automate the patch management lifecycle, potentially eliminating the complexities and inefficiencies associated with traditional patching tools.

The new solution integrates directly with ServiceNow IT Operations Management (ITOM) and Security Operations (SecOps) workflows to patch assets in the ServiceNow Configuration Management Database (CMDB). This move is poised to significantly simplify the patch management process for IT teams, who often struggle with visibility, manual processes, long cycle times, and uncertainty regarding the efficacy of patching.

Shawn Gallagher, VP of Strategic Technology Alliances at Tanium, commented on the development, stating, "Organisations struggle to meet standard SLAs for patch management for a variety of reasons, including lack of visibility, manual and complex processes, long cycle times to patch, and uncertainty on the efficacy of patching. This next step in our collaboration with ServiceNow simplifies and enhances the patch management process. With Tanium Patch Management for ServiceNow IT Operations, we're enabling IT operations teams to gain comprehensive visibility, automate manual steps, and ensure that patch management is seamless and integrated with their existing IT workflows."

Several key features and benefits are part of this integration, including proactive scanning and identification, automated deployment, enhanced reporting, integrated workflows, and operational resilience. These features allow IT teams to gain comprehensive visibility and automate many of the manual steps previously involved in patch management. Additionally, organisations can leverage native ServiceNow reporting and dashboard capabilities for patch history, deployments, and outstanding risks.

Binoy Gosalia, VP of Global Partnerships and Channels at ServiceNow, also expressed optimism about the integration. He noted, "By combining the robust configurability and automation capabilities of Tanium with our seamless workflows, data orchestration, and an AI platform, we're simplifying the patch management processes for IT teams across enterprises. Our integration with Tanium will enhance experiences and reduce complexity for engineers and IT professionals as they work to quickly and seamlessly monitor today's changing threat landscape."

One aspect of the integration that stands out is its ability to scan, identify, and report on patches as records linked to Configuration Items (CIs) in the ServiceNow CMDB. This not only assigns business risk criteria to open patches based on CI attributes but also improves compliance, risk management, and operational resilience. The system provides real-time patch information along with CI history and relationships, offering enhanced visibility and control to IT teams.

The integration allows for the consolidation of tools and minimises manual work by enabling IT teams to plan, schedule, approve, and deploy patches directly from change records using the no-code ServiceNow Flow Designer. This capability ensures more efficient auditing and reporting on patch effectiveness across organisations.

This development is anticipated to help organisations better manage their patch management processes, particularly in light of increasing cybersecurity threats. By embedding Tanium patching into existing change processes within ServiceNow, the integration promises to bring about a seamless end-to-end patch management experience for various systems including Windows, Mac, and Linux configuration items.