AWS systems-manager documentation change
Summary
Added UTC timezone clarification for patch approval dates
Security assessment
Prevents potential misconfiguration in patch scheduling by clarifying UTC usage, helping ensure timely security patch approvals. Addresses a configuration accuracy issue rather than a direct vulnerability.
Diff
diff --git a/systems-manager/latest/userguide/patch-manager-selecting-patches.md b/systems-manager/latest/userguide/patch-manager-selecting-patches.md index c9065122f..6d82c6486 100644 --- a//systems-manager/latest/userguide/patch-manager-selecting-patches.md +++ b//systems-manager/latest/userguide/patch-manager-selecting-patches.md @@ -12,0 +13,8 @@ This behavior is consistent with YUM and DNF's `update-minimal` command, which f +###### Note + +When you use the `ApproveUntilDate` parameter or `ApproveAfterDays` parameter in a patch baseline rule, Patch Manager evaluates patch release dates using Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). + +For example, for `ApproveUntilDate`, if you specify a date such as `2025-11-16`, patches released between `2025-11-16T00:00:00Z` and `2025-11-16T23:59:59Z` will be approved. + +Be aware that patch release dates displayed by native package managers on your managed nodes may show different times based on your system's local timezone, but Patch Manager always uses the UTC datetime for approval calculations. This ensures consistency with patch release dates published on official security advisory websites. +