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Ramachandran Sugumar - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Information Security Engineer at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
MSP
Top 5
Allowed us to install agents on all endpoints, enabling automatic patching over the internet
Pros and Cons
  • "Automated features streamline patch deployment and ensure compliance, effectively mitigating risks and bolstering organizational security."
  • "Qualys Patch Management significantly improved our patch rates by 80 percent, scanning for vulnerabilities every four hours via the Qualys agent."
  • "Qualys Patch Management would benefit from enhanced integration to address its current limitations in patching new features."
  • "Qualys Patch Management's pricing could be more competitive, as it presents a significant obstacle for many companies who find it unaffordable."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use Qualys Patch Management for our endpoint machines. This solution automatically pushes patches to all machines, regardless of whether they are connected to the network, and allows them to update and reboot automatically.

How has it helped my organization?

The risk-based approach to automation in Qualys Patch Management helps us meet our strict SLA timelines by prioritizing critical vulnerabilities. Most vulnerabilities can be patched directly through Qualys, although some require additional external component upgrades. While we generally address critical vulnerabilities within the SLA timeframe, occasional delays necessitate quarantining affected systems from the network to mitigate risk. This automated process significantly reduces our overall security risk.

We had a large number of assets, making it challenging to push patches to all machines, especially those off the network. Qualys Patch Management allowed us to install agents on all endpoints, enabling automatic patching over the internet, regardless of network connection. Upon reconnecting to the Infosys network, any missed patches are applied, and the machine is automatically rebooted. This eliminates downtime for endpoints, except servers, and ensures timely vulnerability remediation, significantly reducing complaints and associated risks. We saw the benefits of Qualys Patch Management within a month.

What is most valuable?

Patch Management's integration capabilities are highly valuable, enabling precise targeting and prioritization of vulnerabilities. Automated features streamline patch deployment and ensure compliance, effectively mitigating risks and bolstering organizational security.

Qualys Patch Management serves as a single source of truth for identifying and addressing vulnerabilities in our assets. We utilize this tool extensively for various purposes, including VMDR, CSAM, and our own internal compliance efforts. Additionally, we are anticipating the release of Total AI and plan to integrate it into our workflow once available.

Before implementing Qualys, we lacked a comprehensive inventory view and relied on the support team to manage most machines. With Qualys Patch Management, we established a single source of truth for asset payment requests, providing clarity on server and endpoint counts. This allowed us to accurately assess vulnerabilities through scans and create dashboards for each device. By leveraging this data, we successfully eliminated one million unnecessary fees within six months.

Qualys Patch Management significantly improved our patch rates by 80 percent, scanning for vulnerabilities every four hours via the Qualys agent. Once identified, patches are automatically deployed and await system reboot, with an option to skip the reboot twice. This process effectively addresses most vulnerabilities identified in our call list. However, some vulnerabilities may require additional features or intervention from the project team, potentially involving coaching or further action, which can lead to delays. Despite these exceptions, Qualys Patch Management successfully deploys all required patches.

Our IT support team uses Qualys Patch Management with a configuration management database. Qualys Patch Management has significantly reduced our vulnerability count by enabling faster ticket resolution. This efficiency has allowed us to address vulnerabilities across thousands of machines, drastically reducing the number of vulnerabilities from millions to a manageable level.

Qualys Patch Management has helped reduce our organization's risk by 80 percent.

What needs improvement?

Qualys Patch Management's pricing could be more competitive, as it presents a significant obstacle for many companies who find it unaffordable.

Qualys Patch Management would benefit from enhanced integration to address its current limitations in patching new features.

Buyer's Guide
Qualys Patch Management
May 2025
Learn what your peers think about Qualys Patch Management. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: May 2025.
851,604 professionals have used our research since 2012.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been part of the team using Qualys Patch Management for one and a half 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?

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

How are customer service and support?

The technical support received from Qualys is excellent. We have a dedicated person to resolve any issues quickly.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The initial deployment was straightforward and was completed in two to three months. 

What about the implementation team?


What was our ROI?

The implementation of Qualys Patch Management has resulted in an eighty percent reduction in vulnerabilities across the organization, which suggests a significant positive ROI.

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

Qualys Patch Management is expensive.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Qualys Patch Management nine out of ten.

Our security team is divided into two groups. The IT support team uses Qualys Patch Management to handle automated patching and maintenance. My team addresses issues that cannot be fixed automatically. We handle vulnerabilities that have been pending for a long time, escalating them and seeking remediation. If these issues remain unresolved, we quarantine the affected vulnerabilities.

We have 300 people from my team using Qualys Patch Management.

Maintenance from our end is minimal as we get comprehensive support from the Qualys team. They provide all necessary support, enabling us to effectively manage the solution.

I would recommend Qualys Patch Management, especially considering its integration capabilities and the support it provides in managing and automating patching processes, substantially reducing vulnerabilities and risks.

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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Arshad Nr - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Security Consultant at CyberNxt Solutions LLP
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
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.

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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Qualys Patch Management
May 2025
Learn what your peers think about Qualys Patch Management. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: May 2025.
851,604 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Chaitanya Kajjam - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Lead - Security Operations at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Top 20
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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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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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
PeerSpot user
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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GokulM - PeerSpot reviewer
Vulnerability Management Engineer at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Top 20
Very beneficial for quickly addressing critical vulnerability alerts
Pros and Cons
  • "We can update the registry with special features such as Registry Update. We can also run scripts via the Patch Management module. These features are very helpful in our operations."
  • "Qualys Patch Management is beneficial for addressing critical vulnerability alerts quickly, providing significant improvements in mitigating risk within our organization."
  • "I struggled to see patch availability for some applications in the Qualys console, requiring me to use third-party repositories. If repositories could be integrated within the Qualys module, it would simplify the patching process for me."
  • "I struggled to see patch availability for some applications in the Qualys console, requiring me to use third-party repositories."

What is our primary use case?

I use Qualys Patch Management to patch vulnerable applications such as Mozilla Firefox and Java. Additionally, I use features like registry updates and scripting options available in the Patch Management deployment module. Our usage is about 70%.

How has it helped my organization?

Qualys Patch Management is beneficial for addressing critical vulnerability alerts quickly, providing significant improvements in mitigating risk within our organization. It is very helpful to push patches for critical vulnerability alerts in that one shot to remediate vulnerabilities.

It is very helpful in reducing risk in our organization. This is the only tool we are using to patch applications in our environment.

What is most valuable?

The availability of patches for required applications from Qualys itself is convenient, making it easy for me to push patches. 

We can update the registry with special features such as Registry Update. We can also run scripts via the Patch Management module. These features are very helpful in our operations. 

What needs improvement?

I struggled to see patch availability for some applications in the Qualys console, requiring me to use third-party repositories. If repositories could be integrated within the Qualys module, it would simplify the patching process for me. 

Additionally, there are glitches in the VMDR vulnerability section while querying for particular vulnerabilities. There are unwanted commands in the KQL which sometimes hinder my results. For example, we sometimes could get CVE IDs while running a query, but at other times, we could not.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Qualys Patch Management for around nine months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

As of now, I have not encountered any performance issues or stability issues.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I have not faced any limitations or scalability issues.

We have more than 25K assets. We have three people to do the administrative things.

How are customer service and support?

The support team is responsive and provides detailed information. They share the required documents when we need them. They are very helpful in resolving issues. I would rate them a nine out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

We previously used Microsoft SCCM for patch management. We switched to Qualys because it centralizes vulnerability detection and patch availability, reducing our workload. We can find the vulnerabilities and see patch availability for those vulnerabilities. It saves time.

With Microsoft SCCM, we could push patches for the applications we wanted to, but with Qualys Patch Management, we could not push some third-party applications. That is the one main difference. Another thing is that whenever we ran the script, we could not see the results or outcome after running the script with Qualys Patch Management, whereas in SCCM, we could see the output of the script. These are the two main differences between Microsoft SCCM and Qualys Patch Management.

How was the initial setup?

It is a SaaS solution. I was not involved in its initial setup, but we are in the process of deploying agents in our entire organization. 

It does not require maintenance from our side. If anything is required, we raise a ticket. So far, we have faced only one issue. Usually, a Qualys agent having a newer version is automatically upgraded, but in our environment, on some machines, we are not able to see the latest version. We are working with the Qualys team to resolve it.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I did not evaluate any other options before choosing Qualys.

What other advice do I have?

It is a very good tool to reduce the vulnerabilities in our organization. Our current usage is about 70%, but we have started utilizing more features. We are planning to increase its license in our environment when there is an increase in the assets.

I would recommend it to others. It is a very good solution for finding vulnerabilities and patching them.

I would rate Qualys Patch Management an eight 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
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reviewer2591694 - PeerSpot reviewer
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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Buyer's Guide
Download our free Qualys Patch Management Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: May 2025
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Patch Management
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Qualys Patch Management Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.