Two-thirds of security professionals believe their existing endpoint protection tools cannot defend their organization from a significant malware attack, according to a recent survey.

In its report, “The State of Endpoint Security in Addressing Malware and Other Modern Cyber Threats,” Minerva Labs surveyed approximately 600 security professionals, of which three-quarters said their endpoint protection solutions could prevent only 70 percent of malware infections.

Malware Keeping Pace With Endpoint Security Evolution

Even though vendors are constantly trying to improve their products and services, those defending corporate networks don’t expect the situation to improve anytime soon. In fact, 75 percent of survey respondents said they believe the rate of malware infections either stayed the same or got worse over the past year.

Ironically, the report suggested that the powerful new features being added to many endpoint security solutions are driving cybercriminals to step up the sophistication of the malware they create. That could explain why 42 percent of security professionals cited analysis evasion as their top concern, followed by fileless malware (24 percent).

When malware strikes, more than a quarter of respondents said it can take days or weeks to restore their systems to a normal state. Only 41 percent said this can be done in a matter of hours. That could leave plenty of time for cybercriminals to steal data, disrupt business operations or cause all kinds of damage.

Security Professionals’ Endpoint Protection Wish List

Chief information security officers (CISOs) and their teams have a long wish list when it comes to security tools. Thirty-nine percent said they want antimalware products that work well without consuming a lot of system resources, and 29 percent are in the market for tools that are easier to deploy and upgrade.

Finally, given the high priority on digital transformation and other IT initiatives, 17 percent of survey participants hope to invest in endpoint security technologies that don’t interfere with other business applications.

While 31 percent of survey participants said they would consider replacing their current endpoint security tools with different products, more than half said they would prefer to invest in additional layers of technology to close whatever gaps are leaving them vulnerable to a malware attack. The report’s authors suggested that this could help organizations get around the costs and potential risks of switching the products they use.