The majority of endpoint security solutions do not provide coverage for all current security threats, according to new research from Ovum.
The analyst company says that the trend towards bring-your-own-device (BYOD), and targeted, persistent malware are some of the key areas that are not adequately managed by existing end point solutions. The consumerisation of business applications, and the different usage requirements of a BYOD approach create a need for solutions that can protect different elements of business and personal data.
Ovum has released its new Decision Matrix: Selecting an Endpoint Security Solution, which is intended to provide a consistent analysis of security solutions, to give IT buyers a better insight into the capabilities of each vendor’s offerings.
“Today, businesses need vendors that can align services with the needs of each user and their devices, proportionate to the exposure to risk and role within the enterprise,” said Andrew Kellett, senior analyst at Ovum. “But for many organisations the first stumbling block will be trying to make direct comparisons between anti-malware vendors and their products.”
“Today’s endpoint security solutions must combine core on-device malware protection with intelligence-based support services that detect new threats before a traditional signature is available. These support services are now more likely to be cloud-based so the speed of service delivery and security updates can be maintained at a high level,” Kellett added.
The OvumDecision Matrix (ODM) provides direct assessments of the eight top players in the endpoint security market and categorises them into Leaders, Challengers and Followers. In the latest report McAfee, Sophos and Symantec are gauged to be leaders; IBM, Kaspersky Lab and Trend Micro are ranked as challengers, while Avast and Eset are followers.
“As the threat landscape continues to change, the increasing need for organisations to invest in integrated endpoint protection highlights the importance for a consistent and clear method of selecting security vendors that can deliver the right levels of protection,” concluded Kellett.
