A recent study from 451 Research has delivered a stark wake-up call in regard endpoint security. According to the findings, only 13% of organizations that suffered a ransomware attack found their endpoint security tools effective in blocking the threat.
Even more concerning, 40% of these organizations opted to just increase their investment in endpoint security tools afterward, instead of looking strategically at addressing the issue. If using multiple endpoint security solutions aren’t proving effective, why are organizations doubling down on the same approach?
The Confidence Gap in Endpoint Security
Even organizations that have not been hit by ransomware lack confidence in their endpoint security tools, with only 25% believing their current solutions would successfully stop an attack. This lack of trust, coupled with increasing ransomware success rates, exposes a critical flaw in today’s security strategies.
More Tools, More Complexity, More Cost
The study revealed that in 2022, 2023 and again in 2024, 451 Research found that the mean number of endpoint security tools installed on endpoints is three, ranging from just under 3 tools on average for organizations with fewer than 250 employees, to over 3 and 1/2 for organizations with more than 10,000 employees.
“The number of different tools, and agents, running on endpoints has long been a concern of security leaders as well as users due to performance issues, and 23% of respondents report that their organization is running more than five” such tools.
Managing so many agents makes security complex and expensive. It increases costs and drains IT resources, making it hard to focus on innovation. Added with the confidence in these tools already being low—only 45% of IT leaders trust their current endpoint security tools—this patchwork approach clearly isn’t the answer organizations are looking for.
The Evolution of End User Computing
Traditional endpoint security was designed for a time when applications were run directly on devices. Today, more organizations are moving to SaaS, virtualised desktops and cloud-based applications. This shift demands a rethink: if the endpoint isn’t running traditional applications anymore, why continue using outdated security methods to protect it?
A Preventative Approach to Security
Rather than continuously patching vulnerabilities and layering on more tools, enterprises need a Preventative Security Model™—an approach that prioritises built-in security rather than relying on reactive defenses.
IGEL OS is purpose-built for this new era of security. As a lightweight, Linux-based operating system, IGEL OS minimises vulnerabilities by operating within a locked-down framework, reducing the attack surface instead of just detecting and responding to threats. Designed with Zero Trust principles and built for SaaS and virtualised environments, IGEL OS ensures that endpoints are inherently secure, eliminating many of the risks that come with traditional security platforms.
By shifting to a secure-by-design endpoint strategy, organizations can eliminate endpoint security tools from both CapEx and OpEx, freeing up budgets for more effective EUC modernisation and Zero Trust projects. With IGEL OS, security doesn’t have to mean layers of complexity—it’s built in from the start.
Industries with high-stakes security requirements—healthcare, manufacturing and government—are already seeing the benefits of IGEL’s Preventative Security Model. By reducing reliance on traditional endpoint security platforms and focusing on prevention, these organizations have significantly increased resilience against modern cyber threats.
Prevention Is the Future
The 451 Research study makes one thing clear: the current approach to endpoint security isn’t working. The outdated patchwork of reactive tools and constant security investments is unsustainable. Instead, enterprises must embrace preventative security models that minimise risk and simplify security management.
The data doesn’t lie—endpoint security needs a radical rethink. Organizations must stop relying on reactive security measures and start implementing technologies that are secure by design. With IGEL, enterprises can reduce their attack surface, simplify security architectures, and eliminate endpoint security inefficiencies.
The time to rethink endpoint security is now—because the cost of inaction is far too high.
See how much IGEL OS can reduce your endpoint costs while improving and simplifying your endpoint security. Use the IGEL Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Calculator to gain an understanding of your potential savings! Contact us to book a demo.
