A free online scanner reveals that most corporate endpoints fail even basic security tests, according to a Sophos report. Everyone knows that there’s no such thing as 100 percent security, but it’s unlikely that most businesses realize how insecure they really are. New research on endpoint security shows just how vulnerable corporate networks are.Eighty-one percent of corporate endpoints probed by IT security and control product vendor Sophos failed basic security tests: They either lacked Microsoft security patches, their client firewalls were disabled, or they missed endpoint security software updates.For 40 days, Sophos ran its Endpoint Assessment Test, a free online scanning service that checks for endpoint security vulnerabilities. The Endpoint Assessment Test was performed against 583 corporate endpoints from around the world. North America represented 39 percent of the sample base, while the U.K. made up 36 percent, and Australia and Germany were 11 percent and nine percent respectively (five percent were from other countries). Test results showed that 63 percent were missing at least one Microsoft security patch; more than half (51 percent) of endpoints tested had their client firewalls disabled, and 15 percent had out-of-date or disabled endpoint security software. “Ultimately, machines that fail such a test represent ‘low hanging fruit’ for cybercriminals and a real danger to their corporate networks,” Bill Emerick, vice president of product management for Network Access Control, said in a statement.Sophos says thirty-nine percent of those tested were part of an organization with fewer than 100 employees; 36 percent had between 100 and 1,000 employees; and 25 percent were from organizations with more than 1,000 employees. Related content brandpost Sponsored by BMC BMC on BMC: How the company enables IT observability with BMC Helix and AIOps The goals: transform an ocean of data and ultimately provide a stellar user experience and maximum value. By Jeff Miller Dec 07, 2023 3 mins IT Leadership brandpost Sponsored by BMC The data deluge: The need for IT Operations observability and strategies for achieving it BMC Helix brings thousands of data points together to create a holistic view of the health of a service. By Jeff Miller Dec 07, 2023 4 mins IT Leadership how-to How to create an effective business continuity plan A business continuity plan outlines procedures and instructions an organization must follow in the face of disaster, whether fire, flood, or cyberattack. Here’s how to create a plan that gives your business the best chance of surviving such an By Mary K. Pratt, Ed Tittel, Kim Lindros Dec 07, 2023 11 mins Small and Medium Business IT Skills Backup and Recovery interview WestRock CIDO Amir Kazmi on building resiliency Multidimensional resiliency is vital to setting yourself, your teams, and your organization up for success. Kazmi sets the tone at WestRock by recognizing the pace of change, instilling a learning and growth mindset, and being transparent with his te By Dan Roberts Dec 07, 2023 8 mins IT Strategy Staff Management IT Leadership Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe