Windows 24 Hr Vulnerabilty Patch - Would It Help?

super_ogg asks: "In light of the recent Windows infection rate problem, it prompted me to ask the question: if Microsoft was able to guarantee a 24-hour-patch for a vulnerability (and hell didn't freeze over), how much would it affect the rate of infection seeing that a lot of people don't patch their systems? Would the rate of infection increase dramatically?"

Comments

Cut down the number of installers!

[AnamanFan]

Warning: Apple reference ahead, but no where does it state the fix is to buy an Apple computer.

What would help the situation is if roll-ups or service packs were released in conjunction with hot fixes, limiting the number of total patch installers.

Let's take Apple for example. In a nutshell, there's the retail box release (10.4.0), then a few security patches as needed (Denoted as: date of post). Let's say there are three of such fixes.

Active Patch Installers: 3 (1 reboot)

Eventually a point release is made (Denoted as: 10.4.1). This point release includes all of the previous security patches as well as other fixes usually along the lines of 'recommended' as Microsoft would put it.

Active Patch Installers: 1 (1 reboot)

After 10.4.1 is released, a few more security holes are found and patched, each with a date of release. We'll say there's two.

Active Patch Installers: 3 (1 reboot)

When 10.4.2 comes around, Apple releases two versions of the update:
A smaller file size for systems with 10.4.1 installed
A larger file if 10.4.0 (Retail) installed.

Active Patch Installers: 2 - Only one needed (1 reboot)

Here's the key point: From the retail version of the software, you only need to install one service pack release, and maybe 3 to 5 security patches at any point in time. Not 50 which branching restart cycles; One to five patches, one restart.

Obviously there's some variation here and there. Apple will have a lot more than five updates at a time for all the other non-OS software, but the underlining concept is there:

The fewer the installers and restarts, the easier patches are for the normal user.