2 Out of 3 Businesses Lack Endpoint Security Strategies, Survey Says

Just one-third of security pros say their organizations have security strategies in place to protect the growing number of endpoints on their networks, according to a new survey from Tripwire Inc.

The survey, carried out by Dimensional Research in August, evaluated key challenges that organizations must address in order to optimize their cyber security and compliance programs. Study respondents included over 500 IT security professionals.

According to Tripwire’s study, only thirty-three percent of the respondents have security strategies in place to protect the growing number of endpoints on their networks.

In addition, sixty percent of the respondents said they are not confident that all of the devices connected to their networks receive security updates in a timely fashion. Meanwhile, nearly one-third (thirty-one percent) of the respondents said they conduct comprehensive inventories of hardware- and software-based assets, including IoT devices, on their networks only once per year.

Twenty-one percent of the respondents consider the security of IoT devices connecting to their organization’s networks to be one of their top security concerns.

“Timely application of security updates is one of the most effective ways to reduce risk in any organization, but it remains a widespread challenge,” said Tim Erlin, senior director of IT security and risk strategy for Tripwire.

“As more diverse devices are deployed, the availability and management of these updates becomes more difficult. Organizations need to have a strategy now, before an incident occurs.”