Understanding Patch Failure Reasons in Saner CVEM tool

Product Version: 6.5.0.0

Overview

Saner CVEM provides detailed insights into patching failures, helping users troubleshoot and remediate issues efficiently. This article outlines the possible reasons for patch failures observed in Saner CVEM and suggests appropriate resolutions.

Applicable Platforms

• On-Cloud Deployment

• On-Premise Deployment

Possible Reasons for Patch Failure

Below are the commonly observed patch failure reasons, along with their explanations and suggested corrective actions:

1. Selected patch not available in software repository / Unable to locate package

Cause:
Occurs when Windows Update is configured with WSUS, and the required patches are not approved or missing in the repository.

Resolution:
Verify that the required patches are approved and available in the WSUS or configured software repository.

2. The required patch is not found in the software repository

Cause:
This can occur if devices have not been rebooted after applying previous patches before creating a new remediation job.

Resolution:
Reboot the device to complete pending patch installations, then recreate and run the remediation job.

3. The patched version of the package seems to be the same as the previously vulnerable version

Cause:
Typically seen on Linux systems when YUM or APT repositories are outdated or configured with a local mirror that is not up to date.

Resolution:
Update the package repositories using:

sudo yum update

or

sudo apt-get update

Then, retry the patch installation.

4. Common Windows Patch Error Codes

Error Codes:
0x80240022, 0x80072ee2, 0x80072efe, 0x80072f8f, 0x8024000b, 0x8024001e, 0x80240438, 0x8024402c, 0x80080005

Possible Causes:

• Insufficient space on the C: drive

• Corrupted system files

• Windows Update service disabled

• Conflicts with antivirus/firewall software

• Corrupt Windows Update components
  
  

Resolution:
Ensure enough disk space, run Windows Update Troubleshooter, and restart the Windows Update and BITS services.

5. Network Error during update

Cause:
The device does not have a stable or sufficient internet connection.

Resolution:
Ensure a stable internet connection with a minimum recommended bandwidth of 2 Mbps and retry the patch operation.

6. A system shutdown is in progress (0x8007045b)

Cause:
A system reboot or shutdown was initiated during the patching process.

Resolution:
Reboot the device, ensure it is fully operational, and retry the patching process.

7. The remediation task failed / Installation failed / Remediation skipped / Pre-requisite feature upgrade not selected

Cause:
The device may require a reboot before continuing with new patch installations.

Resolution:
Restart the device and re-run the remediation task to complete the patching process.

8. The patched version of the package seems the same / Unable to locate package / Dpkg remediation failed

Cause:
Occurs when the local Linux repository is outdated or unable to connect to the online repository, preventing access to the latest package versions.

Resolution:
Update the package repository configuration and run repository update commands (yum update / apt-get update) before reattempting remediation.

9. Patch information is not available – Vendor has likely not published a fix

Cause:
The software vendor has not yet released a patch for the reported vulnerability.

Resolution:
Monitor the vendor’s security advisory for updates. Once a fix is published, Saner CVEM will include it in the subsequent content update.

Conclusion

Understanding the possible causes of patching failures enables administrators to troubleshoot efficiently and maintain endpoint compliance. By ensuring repository synchronization, system stability, and periodic reboots, most patch failures can be resolved effectively. If the issue persists, review the system logs and verify connectivity to the required repositories or contact SecPod Support for further assistance.