HP Urges Endpoint Management for Evolving Workforce

HP Inc. (NYSE: HPQ) has unveiled the results of a newly commissioned study, conducted by Forrester Consulting, underscoring the imperative for companies to embrace continuous endpoint management to cater to the evolving global workforce. A striking 72% of surveyed companies currently employ a hybrid working model, with 75% of respondents noting that the shift to remote and hybrid work has exacerbated IT operational challenges.

The survey, conducted by Forrester Consulting and encompassing 312 IT and security decision makers, revealed the struggle of companies to harmonize asset management, ensure user experience quality, and maintain risk management. The key findings from the 2023 study, “Mastering Endpoint Security In A Hybrid World,” include:

1. The foremost challenges in remote endpoint management involve ensuring data security (60%), keeping software on remote devices up-to-date (55%), and enhancing the accuracy of asset databases (55%).
2. Alarmingly, only 42% of companies perform firmware updates on an annual basis, while 23% update every two years or less, and 12% only update “when essential,” leaving these firms exposed to security vulnerabilities and compatibility issues.
3. A substantial 67% of respondents expressed concerns about ensuring secure and uninterrupted communication with remote endpoints, which ranks as a major IT department challenge.
4. Inadequate endpoint security solutions hinder 50% of respondents in addressing security and management issues, while 54% acknowledge the limitations of full-disk encryption, particularly when physical access to the device is obtained.

Dr. Ian Pratt, Global Head of Security for Personal Systems at HP Inc., commented on the findings, stating, “The flexibility of operating globally and hiring employees worldwide is a significant advantage of the digital economy. However, as the workplace evolves, so must security. To offer secure, efficient, and user-friendly IT experiences in the future, companies will require an always-on endpoint management infrastructure capable of supporting this new way of working.”

In light of these challenges, 75% of respondents believe that enhanced endpoint management would positively impact overall business operations and efficiency. Companies express a need for more efficient endpoint software tracking and management (48%). To achieve this, respondents seek device backup and restore capabilities (55%), automation of device recovery processes (47%), BIOS update deployment (46%), and device location tracking (46%).

To bolster remote endpoint security and management, 82% of respondents are contemplating investments in solutions that enable remote PC location, locking, and erasure. Upcoming solutions like HP Wolf Protect and Trace with HP Wolf Connect will have the ability to remotely locate, lock, and erase a PC, even when it’s powered off or disconnected from the internet.

Dr. Pratt concluded, “An always-on approach to fleet management is essential for establishing a secure device life cycle and optimizing distributed working environments. Continuous endpoint monitoring and real-time device management will assist companies in safeguarding sensitive data on the move and reducing IT costs by minimizing PC remediation or replacements.”