1. A method of updating a machine, the method comprising: determining, by an update controller residing in a network interface card (NIC) of a machine, whether the machine is in a dormant state in which a host portion of the machine is unable to receive updates via a network; and in response to a determination that the machine is in the dormant state, listening, by the update controller, for a candidate update via the network, determining, by the update controller, the candidate update is an applicable update for the machine based at least in part on a security standard, and caching, by the update controller, the applicable update in a memory of the update controller, wherein the applicable update is to be applied to the machine by the host portion of the machine in an active state of the machine.