2025AI在终端管理和安全融合中的核心作用分析报告

TheGrowingRoleofAI

inEndpointManagementandSecurityConvergence

GabeKnuth|SeniorAnalyst

ENTERPRISESTRATEGYGROUP

april2025

©2025TechTarget,Inc.AllRightsReserved.

©2025TechTarget,Inc.AllRightsReserved.Backtocontents

TheGrowingRoleofAIinEndpointManagementandSecurityConvergence

ResearchObjectives

Organizationscontinuetofaceincreasingcomplexityinendpointmanagementandsecuritythatisdrivenbytherapidexpansionofremotework,risingdeviceandOSsprawl,vulnerabilitymanagementandincidentresponsechallenges,andcontinuingthreatslikeransomware.Atthesametime,thegrowinginfluenceofAIandautomationisreshapingbothoffensiveanddefensive

strategies—empoweringdefenderswithnewtoolswhileenablingbadactorstolaunchmoresophisticatedattacks.

Togainfurtherinsightintothesetrends,howorganizationsareattemptingtoovercomechallenges,andtheresultsoftheirefforts,EnterpriseStrategyGroup,nowpartofOmdia,surveyed364ITandcybersecurityprofessionalsinNorthAmerica

(USandCanada)responsibleforevaluating,purchasing,andsupportingendpointmanagementand/orsecuritytechnologies.

Thisstudysoughtto:

Assessthestateofendpointmanagementandsecurityaswellasthechallengesandprioritiesthatdrive

decision-making.

Comparetheresultsofthisresearchtosimilarresearchfrom2022,andrevealtrendsintheconvergenceofITandsecurityteams,devicesinuse,andexperiencedsecurityevents.

Understandtheshiftingtrendsinbuyingteamsasconvergencetakesholdaswellasfutureprioritiesandlikelyspendingintentions.

Highlightemergingtrends,threats,andsolutionsbroughtaboutbyanevolvingmarketthatisincreasinglycontendingwiththebenefitsanddangersofAI.

2

TheGrowingRoleofAIinEndpointManagementandSecurityConvergence3

©2025TechTarget,Inc.AllRightsReserved.Backtocontents

KeyFindings

OrganizationsFace

IncreasingDeviceDiversity

andManagementComplexity

PAGE4

SecurityAwarenessandEfficacy

AreAffectedbyConsolidation

MaturityandSkillGaps

PAGE16

ManagementandSecurityTool

SprawlPersistsAmidChangingToolandTeamConsolidationEfforts

PAGE9

AIandAutonomousEndpoint

ManagementShowOverwhelminglyPositiveInitialImpacts

PAGE20

MostUnmanagedDevicesAreNotUnmanagedbyChoice

PAGE13

StrategicInvestmentsinTechnologyandServicesAreKeytoSuccess

PAGE23

OrganizationsFace

IncreasingDeviceDiversityandManagementComplexity

TheGrowingRoleofAIinEndpointManagementandSecurityConvergence5

EndpointManagementandSecurityAreBecomingMoreDifficult

Mostorganizationsaremanagingthousands—andinmanycases,tensofthousands—ofendpointdevices.Nearlythree-quarters(72%)oforganizationsreporthavingatleast1,000devicesinplay,spanninglaptops,mobiledevices,andmore.Thislevelofdevicesprawl,especiallyacrossbothmanagedandunmanagedassets,underpinstheoperationalchallengesteamsfaceastheytrytomaintainvisibility,enforcepolicies,andrespondtothreatsinrealtime.Compoundingthechallenge,employeesareusingmultipledevicestogettheirworkdone.Infact,93%oforganizationssaythetypicalemployeeusestwoormoreendpointsdaily.Thatincludeslaptops,smartphones,tablets,andotherdevices,allofwhichneedtobesecured,patched,andmonitored.

Thislevelofper-usersprawlputsadditionalpressureonITandsecurityteamsalreadystretchedthinbygrowingdevicecountsandlimitedvisibilityacrossenvironments.Becauseofthis,roughly40%ofrespondentsnotedthatendpointmanagementand/orsecurityarenowmoredifficultcomparedwithtwoyearsago.

Totalendpointdevicesinuse.

Changeindifficultyofendpointmanagementandsecurity.

45%

EndpointsecurityEndpointmanagement

27%

27%

32%

1,000to9,999endpointdevices

10,000ormoreendpoint

devices

Fewerthan1,000endpoint

29%

devices

25%

22%

22%

21%

Averageendpointdevicesperemployee.

15%

15%

10%

35%

29%

9%

6%

13%

Muchmoredifficult

todaythanitwastwo

yearsago

8%

10%

Somewhateasier

todaythanitwastwo

yearsago

Somewhatmore

difficulttodaythanitwastwoyearsago

Mucheasiertoday

thanitwastwoyears

ago

Nomoredifficultor

easytodaythanitwas

twoyearsago

12345Morethan5

©2025TechTarget,Inc.AllRightsReserved.Backtocontents

TheGrowingRoleofAIinEndpointManagementandSecurityConvergence6

©2025TechTarget,Inc.AllRightsReserved.Backtocontents

TheCoreDriversBehindRisingComplexityinEndpointManagementandSecurityCanBeSummedUpinTwoWords:MoreandLess

Organizationsaredealingwithmorethreats,morefrequentOSandapplicationupdates,moredevices(bothmanagedandunmanaged),andmoreremoteorhybridworkers.

Thegrowingdiversityofoperatingsystems,applications,anduserneedsonlyaddstothechallengeofmanagingandsecuringtheseworkspaces.

Ifthere’sathemearoundwhatorganizationshavelessofwhenitcomestomanagingandsecuringdevices,itincludestime,expertise,andvisibility.Respondentspointtoalackof

skilledstaff,insufficienttraining,andlimitedtimetolearnoroptimizenewtoolsascontributingfactors—highlightingagrowingresourcegapatatimewhendemandscontinuetorise.

Topfactorsdrivingincreasedendpointmanagementcomplexity.

Thenumberand

frequencyofOSupdatesorpatcheshasincreased370630.

37%

Difficultyprovidingsecureaccesstothird-party

resources

290710.

29%

Thenumberofmanaged

deviceshasincreased

360640.

36%

Complexityofregulatory

compliancerequirements

280720.28%

Wesupportmore

remoteand/orhybrid

workerstoday

360640.36%

Thenumberof

unmanageddevices

hasincreased

260740.

26%

Employeesuseanassortmentofdevices,OSes,and

applicationstodotheirjob320680.

32%

Increasedaccesstoanduse

ofbrowser-basedorSaaS

applications

260740.

26%

Shortageofskilledpersonnelwithendpointmanagementknowledgeorexperience

300700.

30%

Thenumberandfrequencyof

applicationupdatesorpatches

hasincreased

260740.

26%

TheGrowingRoleofAIinEndpointManagementandSecurityConvergence7

Topfactorsdrivingincreasedendpointsecuritycomplexity.

Thethreatlandscapehas

grownmorecomplex

400600.

40%

Thenumberofendpoint

vulnerabilitieshasincreased

310690.

31%

IncreaseduseofAIbythebusinessorendusers

400600.

40%

Thenumberofunmanaged

deviceshasincreased

300700.

30%

Thenumberofmanaged

deviceshasincreased

360640.

36%

Complexityofregulatory

compliancerequirements

290710.

29%

Wesupportmoreremoteand/

orhybridworkerstoday

360640.

36%

Increasedaccesstoanduse

ofbrowser-basedorSaaS

applications

280720.

28%

Employeesuseanassortmentofdevices,OSes,and

applicationstodotheirjobs320680.

32%

Enduserslacktheright

securitytraining

270730.

27%

TheGrowingRoleofAIinEndpointManagementandSecurityConvergence8

SkillGapsandAIThreatentoMakeEndpointMattersWorse

Whilemanyorganizationsunderstandablystruggletosupportnewtechnologieswithadequatelyknowledgeableandexperiencedstaff,asignificantportionnotedheadcountgapsinbothnewerareaslikeAI/MLandcloudsecurityandtraditionalendpointmanagement,aswellasautomationandworkflowdevelopmentandIoTdevicemanagement.PerhapsmostconcerningisthatAIisenablingbadactorstotakeadvantageoftheverygapsinskillfromwhichorganizationssufferacrossavarietyofareas,inadditiontoageneralincreaseinboththequantityandsophisticationofattacks.

This,aswillbeseenlater,hasadirectinfluenceonanorganization’sabilitytomanageandprotectitself,letaloneknowwhetheritisunderattack.

Topskillgapareasforendpointmanagementandsecurity.

46%

AIandmachinelearningimplementationand

operations

38%

CloudandSaaSsecurity

32%

Modernendpointsecuritytoolsandtechnologies

31%

Traditionalendpointmanagementskills

30%

Automationandworkflowdevelopment

30%

IoT/OTdevicemanagement

TopwaysAIisusedbyattackerstargetingend-userdevices.

41%

Increasedquantityandsophisticationofphishingandsocialengineeringattacks

37%

DevelopingAI-drivenbotsorwormsforautomatedlateralmovement

37%

Developingmalwareorransomwarethatishardertodetectoranalyze

35%

Increasingthevolumeofattacksoverall

34%

Increasingthescaleofattacksoverall

34%

Increasingthespeedoragilityofattacksoverall

©2025TechTarget,Inc.AllRightsReserved.Backtocontents

ManagementandSecurityTool

SprawlPersistsAmidChangingToolandTeamConsolidationEfforts

TheGrowingRoleofAIinEndpointManagementandSecurityConvergence10

ToolSprawlIsRealandDrivenbyNumerousFactors

Mostorganizationsarejugglingmultipletoolsforbothendpointmanagementandsecurity,withthemajorityusingbetweenfiveand15toolsineachcategory.Nearly30%saythey’remanaging16ormoretoolsforendpointsecurityalone.Whilerespondentswereasked

separatelyabouttheirmanagementandsecuritytools,it’slikelythatsometoolsspanbothfunctions.Still,theoveralltakeawayisclear:Teamsaresupportingalargenumberoftools,whichcanaddfriction,increasecost,andcomplicateintegration.Thefactthat21%reportusingfewerthanfivetoolsforeachcategoryhintsatsomeconsolidation—butformost,

there’sstillalongwaytogo.

Themostcommonfactorsdrivingsprawlacrossendpointsecurityandmanagementtoolsincluderequirementsspanningcustomersecurity,cyberinsurance,andindustrycompliance,aswellasspecializedtoolsforIoT/OT.

Numberofendpointmanagementandsecuritytoolsdeployed.

EndpointmanagementEndpointsecurity

37%

29%

21%21%21%20%

18%

12%

11%

9%

1%1%

Fewerthan55to1011to1516to20Morethan20Don’tknow

Toptenfactorscontributingtomanagementandsecuritytoolsprawl.

Customersecurityrequirements

Cyberinsurancerequirements

Industrycompliancerequirements

IoT/OTrequiringspecializedtools

Toolsrequiredbyimmediatecomplianceneeds

Cloudadoptionrequiringadditionaltools

Quickoremergencydeploymentsthatbecame

permanentsolutions

Legacytoolsmaintainedalongsidenew

solutions

Vendor-orpartner-mandatedtools

SeparatetoolsneededfordifferentOSor

devicetypes

Respondingtospecificsecurityincidents

41%

37%

36%

36%

35%

35%

34%

33%

32%

30%

30%

©2025TechTarget,Inc.AllRightsReserved.Backtocontents

TheGrowingRoleofAIinEndpointManagementandSecurityConvergence11

ToolConsolidationSeenasaPositive

Eightintenorganizationsbelievethatconsolidatingendpointmanagementandsecuritytoolswouldpositivelyimpacttheirabilitytomanageandsecureendpoints,whichisapositionthatisreinforcedthroughoutthisresearch.Furthermore,50%ofrespondentsbelievethatoverlappingtoolfunctionalitiesnegativelyimpacttheirorganization’sabilitytosecureand

manageendpoints.

It’snosurprise,then,toseethattheprimaryapproachtoconsolidationtakenbyorganizationsistoconsolidateendpointmanagementandsecurityvendors,followedbyobservabilityandmonitoringtechnologies.

Toolconsolidationandfunctionaloverlapavoidancearetopofmind.

Actionstakentosupportendpointmanagementandsecurityconsolidation.

48%

Consolidateendpointmanagementandsecurity

Overlappingfunctionalityacrosstoolscausesproblemsthatnegativelyimpactendpointmanagementandsecurity.

StronglyagreeAgree

Consolidatingtoolsusedforendpoint

managementandsecuritywould

positivelyimpactourabilitytomanage

vendors

42%

Consolidateorintegrateobservabilityandsecurity

monitoringtechnologies

andsecureendpoints.

40%

39%

LeverageAI-drivenautomationfromvendors

(●

9

StronglyagreeAgree

Consolidatedesktoporapplicationvirtualization

managementteamsandworkflows

36%

36%

35%

34%

33%

Engagewiththird-partyservices

17%

40%

PurchaseordeployUEMtechnologiesthat supportPCs,Macs,andmobiledevicesPurchaseordeploytoolsthatprovidefunctionalityforbothvulnerabilityandpatchmanagement

33%

Establishanendpointassetmanagementsystem

40%

asasinglesourceoftruth

IntegratedisparatetoolsthroughAPIs

©2025TechTarget,Inc.AllRightsReserved.Backtocontents

TheGrowingRoleofAIinEndpointManagementandSecurityConvergence

TeamConsolidationEffortsSeemtoHaveStalled

Thoughtoolconsolidationistopofmind,momentumtowardoverallmanagementandsecurity

teamconsolidationhasslowed.Whileit’sstillapriority,drivenbythedesiretoimproveoperationalefficiencyandcoordinationaswellassecurityresponsetimesandeffectiveness,thepercentageofrespondentsthatidentifyashavingcompletelyconsolidatedtheirteamsintoonehasfallen

from55%to43%overthepasttwoyears.

Likewise,thereisadrop-offinconsolidationaspirationsamongorganizationsthathavenotyetcompletelyintegratedthepersonnelsupportingendpointmanagementandsecurityfunctions.

Specifically,thenumberoftheseorganizationsthatanticipatefullycombiningmanagementandsecurityeffortsunderoneteamhasdroppedfrom58%in2023to44%in2025.

Forthosethathaveconsolidatedorexpectto,mostoftentheresultingteambecomespartofIToperationsasopposedtosecurityoperations,whichcouldexplainwhysomesaytherewillalwaysbesomeproceduresthatwillbeownedbyotherteams.

Haveorganizationsconsolidatedteamsmanagementandsecurityfunctions?

Yes,completely(i.e.,thereisnow

oneteamthatownsbothendpoint

managementandsecurity)

43%

55%

20232025

12

managingendpoint

Yes,

toalimitedextent

9%936%

20232025

Areorganizationsplanningtoconsolidateteamsmanagingendpointmanagementandsecurityfunctions?

20232025

58%

44%46%

36%

10%

5%

YesMaybe,buttooearlytotellNo,therewillalwaysbeprocessesand

proceduresthatshouldbeownedandmanagedbydifferentendpointteams

Teamthatownstheconsolidatedendpointmanagementandsecurityfunction.

1%

IToperations

17%

Security

22%

60%

Anewgroupcombiningbothdisciplines

Don'tknow

©2025TechTarget,Inc.AllRightsReserved.Backtocontents

MostUnmanagedDevicesAreNotUnmanagedbyChoice

TheGrowingRoleofAIinEndpointManagementandSecurityConvergence14

©2025TechTarget,Inc.AllRightsReserved.Backtocontents

EndpointDeviceManagementIsaMixedBagWithSimilarlyMixedResults

Respondentsindicatedanaverageof68%oftheirorganization’sdevicesarecentrallymanagedbyITorsomethird-partyprovider.Therealstory,however,isintheunmanageddevices.Typically,unmanageddevicesfallintotwocategories:“strategically

unmanaged,”wherebysecurityisensuredviaalternativemeanslikezero-truststrategies,VPNs,browsersecurity,ordesktop

virtualization,and“unintentionallyunmanaged,”wherebydevicesgounmanagednotbecauseofastrategy,butduetooversight,

lackofvisibility,orcapabilitygaps.Theresearchshowsthat59%ofunmanageddevicesbelongtothelattercategory,whichmeansthatnearlyoneinfivedevicesinagivenorganizationarebothunmanagedandunsecured.

Percentageoftotaldevicesthatarecentrallymanaged.

Percentageofunmanageddevicesthatarestrategicallyunmanaged.

23%

18%

14%

15%13%

12%

12%

11%

10%

10%

9%

8%

8%

7%

7%4%

6%6%

1%

3%

10%orless

11%to

20%

21%to

30%

31%to

40%

41%to

50%

51%to

60%

61%to

70%

71%to

80%

81%to

90%

10%orless

11%to

31%to

21%to

71%to

51%to

61%to

81%to

91%to

41%to

20%

30%

40%

60%

70%

50%

80%

90%

100%

91%to

100%

TheGrowingRoleofAIinEndpointManagementandSecurityConvergence15

©2025TechTarget,Inc.AllRightsReserved.Backtocontents

Visibility,Access,andComplexityToptheListofReasonsDevicesGoUnmanaged

Whenaskedaboutwhythesedevicesgounintentionallyunmanaged,organizationsindicatedconcerningtechnicalandvisibilitylimitations,alongwithothercommonchallengesrelatedtocomplexity,moredevices,andresourceconstraints.

Giventheoverallconfidenceintheirabilities,thispaintsaparadoxicalpicturethatwouldindicatethatoperationsmaynotbeasrobustastheyseem.Asisillustratedinthenextsection,thiscanresultincriticaloversights.

Topfactorsthatleadtounintentionallyunmanageddevices.

Limitedvisibilityintodeviceexistenceorlocation

410590.

41%

Rapiddeviceproliferationoutpacingmanagementcapabilities

340660.

34%

Technicallimitations

preventingmanagement

400600.

40%

Resourceconstraints

320680.32%

Third-partyorcontractor

deviceswithrestrictedaccess

390610.

39%

Insufficienttoolsorcapabilitiestomanagethesedevices

300700.

30%

Complexorlegacysystemsthatresiststandardmanagementapproaches

390610.

39%

Organizationalsilosorunclearownership

270730.

27%

SecurityAwarenessandEfficacy

AreAffectedbyConsolidation

MaturityandSkillGaps

TheGrowingRoleofAIinEndpointManagementandSecurityConvergence17

©2025TechTarget,Inc.AllRightsReserved.Backtocontents

PoorDeviceManagementContinuestoFuelCyberattacks,butFewerAttacksAreReported

Asignificantnumberoforganizationsexperiencecyberattacksduetounknown,unmanaged,orpoorlymanagedendpoints;however,thenumberofrespondentswhoansweredintheaffirmativeonthisisdownsignificantly.Specifically,morethanthree-quarters(77%)saidtheyhadin2023versusjustmorethanhalf(54%)in2025.

Howcanthesituationbegettingmoredifficult,withsomanyskillgapsandunintentionallyunmanageddevices,yetweseereducedcyberattacks?Theansweris,forbetterandworse:awareness.

Haveorganizationsexperiencedcyberattacksrelatedtounknown,unmanaged,orpoorlymanageddevices?

20232025

43%

36%

34%

32%

22%

15%

10%

8%

0%

1%

Yes,severaltimesYes,onceMaybe,butwedon’thaveenoughNoDon'tknow

informationtoknowforsure

TheGrowingRoleofAIinEndpointManagementandSecurityConvergence18

©2025TechTarget,Inc.AllRightsReserved.Backtocontents

Awareness(andLackThereof)ContributestoaPerceived

ReductioninSecurityEvents

Whenlookingatthoseorganizationsthathad

reportedcyberattacksthroughthelensofthe

degreeofendpointmanagementandsecuritypersonnelconsolidationtheyreportedhaving

completed,itshowsaclearconnectionbetweenconsolidationandgreaterawarenessofthe

securityeventsthathaveoccurred.Inessence,consolidatedteamsseemoreeventsbecausetheyarebetteratfindingthem,whereasgroupsthatarenotconsolidatedarenotasgoodat

identifyingthoseeventsandaremorelikelytosaytheyhaven’texperiencedany.

Frequencyofcyberattackdetectionbasedonextentofendpointmanagementandsecuritypersonnelconsolidation.

We'veexperiencedseveralcyberattackscausedbytheexploitofanunknown,unmanaged,orpoorlymanagedendpointWe'veexperiencedonecyberattackcausedbytheexploitofanunknown,unmanaged,orpoorlymanagedendpoint

35%

23%

Wehavecompletelyconsolidatedtheteamsorindividualsresponsibleforendpointmanagementandendpointsecurity(i.e.,thereisnowone

teamthatownsbothendpointmanagementandsecurity)

13%

45%

Wehaveconsolidatedtheteamsorindividualsresponsibleforendpointmanagementandendpointsecuritytoalimitedextent

11%

24%

Wehavenotconsolidatedtheteamsorindividualsresponsiblefor

endpointmanagementandendpointsecurity

TheGrowingRoleofAIinEndpointManagementandSecurityConvergence19

©2025TechTarget,Inc.AllRightsReserved.Backtocontents

IncreasingVisibility

RaisesAwareness

Likewise,whenorganizationsstartedlookingforproblems,theyfoundthem.