In patch management, which step comes last in the lifecycle?

• A. Inventory
• B. Assess
• C. Deploy
• D. Verify

Answer: (D)

In patch management, verification is the last step. After you inventory what needs patching, assess which patches are most important, and deploy them to the endpoints, verification checks that everything actually changed as intended. It confirms patches were installed successfully, that there are no failures or rollbacks, and that systems remain functional and compliant after the update. Verification often involves re-scanning to confirm vulnerabilities are remediated, validating that affected services still run correctly, and updating records to reflect the new, patched state.

Skipping verification leaves a gap where you might believe systems are protected when some devices haven’t applied patches, or where patches caused hidden issues. By closing the loop with verification, you ensure the patch cycle ends with verifiable, measurable results and can immediately address any problems that arise.