Sunbelt Software - VIPER White Paper Sample

Any organization whose business operations involve networks, computers, and application software is at risk due to vulnerabilities in these assets that can potentially be exploited, leading to unauthorized access, exposure of sensitive data, disruption of services, or failure to comply with regulatory requirements. Vulnerabilities in computing infrastructure stem from many sources, including software defects, improper configurations, and simple human error.

Small enterprises are just as susceptible to these threats and vulnerabilities - including viruses, worms, Trojans, spyware, adware, bots and rootkits, to name a few - as any other Internet-connected organization.

The quantity, diversity and sources of software being installed at the endpoints exacerbate the problem. About half of all respondents in Aberdeen's recent benchmark studies reported a year-over-year increase in the average number of software agents installed and managed on endpoint devices, with no statistically meaningful differences between top performers and lagging performers in this regard. And this does not include the many applications, add-ins, players, readers, gadgets, toolbars and other endpoint software installed and "managed" unofficially by the end-users. Anecdotal conversations with organizations of all sizes indicate a growing concern in general over software "bloat" at the endpoints, the additional security risks it creates and especially its negative impact on endpoint performance.