We’re Not Patching Our Way Out of Vulnerability Exposure

Why vulnerability management breaks down when exploitation moves faster than patching.

Security teams are under pressure to patch faster, but the data shows it is not enough. No organization can outpatch threat actors at scale, and only a small percentage of vulnerabilities are ever exploited.

This Gartner* research explains why patching alone creates a false sense of security and how to focus on the exposures that actually put you at risk.

What you’ll learn:

• Why patching speed does not equal risk reduction
• How to focus on exploitable exposures, not just CVEs
• Where compensating controls change the equation
• How CTEM improves prioritization and decision-making

Get the Research ➞

*Gartner, We’re Not Patching Our Way Out of Vulnerability Exposure, February 24, 2025, Chris Saunderson et al.

Gartner is a trademark of Gartner, Inc., and/or its affiliates.