After applying a security patch, an administrator notes that the patching process completed without any reported errors. What is the BEST next step to verify that the underlying vulnerability has actually been eliminated?
Initiate a targeted rescan of the system with the organization's vulnerability scanner to confirm remediation.
Monitor SIEM alerts for seven days; if no new alerts are generated, assume the vulnerability is resolved.
Rely on the patch management tool's success log and close the ticket without additional action.
Wait until the next scheduled quarterly enterprise-wide scan to see if the vulnerability reappears.
Even when a patching job reports success, the vulnerability might persist because the patch failed to install on every file, did not reach all affected hosts, or introduced new issues. Running a follow-up vulnerability scan (or targeted rescan of the affected system) provides objective evidence that the vulnerability identifier (e.g., CVE) no longer appears and that no additional findings were introduced, thereby closing the remediation loop.
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Why is a rescan necessary after applying a patch?
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What are vulnerability scanners and how do they work?
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What could happen if a rescan is skipped after patching?