Dark endpoints: an invisible threat to your IT team

Any device not connected to a corporate domain is a proverbial chink in the armor of a corporate security stack. Invisible devices create significant blind spots that can leave IT departments helpless to act against a breach until it is already too late.

A new report by Absolute uncovered that 13% of enterprise devices are not currently connected to a corporate domain. This makes the potential for a security breach a sobering reality. Without IT visibility to 100% of an enterprise device deployment, sensitive data can be comprised without a company’s knowledge.

13% of enterprise devices are not connected to the corporate domain.*

*Data source: >4.2M Absolute enabled active enterprise devices.

Visibility helps identify vulnerable endpoints

Maintaining visibility of all corporate devices is essential for protecting corporate data, especially with a considerable number of endpoints that are utilized outside of an organization’s protected network.

Cybersecurity Insiders reported that 60% of organizations surveyed are aware of fewer than 75% of the devices they have on their network. They further found that only 58% of organizations say they could identify every vulnerable asset in their organization within 24 hours of a breach. An additional 9% estimate it would take them up to one week or more to audit vulnerable devices.

It is vital that organizations can pinpoint such devices to ensure they connect to the corporate domain.

All of this serves as a reminder that the security of an organization is only as strong as its weakest link. Any attempt to fortify an endpoint with a security application is only effective if it remains operational and functions as intended.

Visibility is required to remain proactive against any potential cybersecurity threats. Bad actors that exploit human error to bypass controls and disable security applications could prove to be particularly devastating on an invisible enterprise device that IT is unaware of.

Visibility as part of Zero Trust

Zero Trust solutions are gaining momentum and prevalence amongst global organizations. This is being done to protect employees, work from anywhere, and ensure the safety of valuable data. A Zero Trust strategy that is thoughtfully implemented will ensure complete visibility and verification of every single device connecting to the corporate network.

A comprehensive Zero Trust strategy, however, involves more than just validating the contextual identity of network connections. It requires some form of endpoint security. Visibility to the endpoint is the frontline for ensuring application resilience and health.

Absolute provides the tools to ensure your Zero Trust solution is both effective and resilient.

Adopting a Zero Trust strategy

If your organization is looking to find a better way to implement a Zero Trust strategy or to learn more about the increased risks faced by hybrid and mobile workforces, read Absolute’s new report “The value of Zero Trust in a WFA world”.

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