Most organisations rely on platforms like Intune, SCCM or similar tools to monitor and manage their devices.
These systems are designed to provide visibility, control, and confidence in the IT environment.
But studies show that over time, 8–22% of devices quietly disappear from these systems - without anyone noticing.
(Source: Forrester / Absolute - Total Economic Impact Report)
And these devices aren’t necessarily stolen or misplaced.
In most cases, they simply slip out of view due to ordinary, low-friction IT situations:
- A colleague goes on leave, and their laptop remains offline for months
- A device is reset or reimaged without the company’s standard setup
- A new device ID is generated during reinstallation, creating confusion or duplicates
- The management agent fails silently and stops reporting
- A company laptop ends up in private use - unintentionally, but outside of IT’s control
Individually, these cases seem harmless. But collectively, they represent a systematic loss of visibility and control.
Devices may still be in use - but without protection
Devices that have dropped out of management may still be running - but:
- They're not receiving updates
- They may not be encrypted
- They can store sensitive data
- And they are no longer visible to IT
- In the system, they’re marked as offline.
In reality, they may be fully operational - and fully unprotected.
Multiple industry reports confirm the scale of the problem:
cannot identify more than 75% of the devices on their own network
(Source: Cybersecurity Insiders – Endpoint Security Report)
of CFOs plan for permanent remote or hybrid work, increasing device decentralisation
(Source: Gartner CFO Survey, 2020)
of CISOs say the pandemic permanently changed how they assess endpoint risk
(Source: CSO Online / IDG Research)
of endpoint management tools are considered “highly effective” by security teams
(Source: Ponemon Institute – State of Endpoint Security Risk Report)
Why it matters
When you lose sight of your devices, you lose control over:
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Data security
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Regulatory compliance (e.g. NIS2, DORA, CIS18)
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Operational continuity
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ESG and CSRD reporting accuracy
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Trust and governance
It’s not just about IT hygiene.
It’s about risk across the entire organisation.
Visibility is the foundation for resilience
Complete, continuous device visibility ensures:
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Every device is known, accounted for, and protected
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Compliance posture is accurate and provable
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No asset falls between the cracks - regardless of reset, reimage or offline time
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IT and security teams can make confident decisions based on live data
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