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What the survey measured
JumpCloud commissioned Propeller Insights to survey 1,213 IT decision-makers between November 14 and 27, 2023. Respondents were managers, directors, vice presidents and executives at organizations with 2,500 or fewer employees in the United States, United Kingdom and India. JumpCloud published the announcement in February 2024 as part of its biannual SME IT research.
The release does not provide a sampling frame, response rate, weighting methodology, complete questionnaire or uncertainty estimates. Percentages should therefore be read as what these respondents reported, rather than as precise estimates for every SME.
AI enthusiasm comes with a security and job-risk qualifier
| Finding reported by JumpCloud | Share of respondents |
|---|---|
| Viewed AI as a net positive for their organization | 79% |
| Viewed AI as a net negative | 6% |
| Said their organization should be investing in AI | 76% |
| Agreed AI was outpacing their ability to protect against threats | 62% |
| Worried about AI’s impact on their job | 45% |
These results show coexistence, not contradiction: respondents could see business value while also judging their controls and workforce readiness insufficient. The survey does not establish whether AI adoption caused security incidents, reduced headcount or improved performance.
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Security was the dominant reported IT pressure
- 56% named security as their biggest IT challenge.
- 72% agreed that cuts to the security budget would increase organizational risk.
- Leading reported concerns were network attacks (40%), software-vulnerability exploits (34%) and ransomware (29%).
JumpCloud CEO Rajat Bhargava said, “While AI is the buzzword that grabs headlines, it’s security that remains a paramount concern for IT teams given the increasing sophistication of external threats and rising regulatory pressures.” He also said 56% were more concerned about their organization’s security posture than six months earlier. Those are executive comments accompanying the announcement, not independent findings or verbatim respondent quotations.
Respondents favored consolidation and outside help
Three-quarters (75%) preferred one tool to multiple point solutions. That preference indicates a desire to reduce administrative complexity, but the survey does not show that consolidation improves security, productivity or costs.
| Reported operating model | Share |
|---|---|
| Used a managed service provider (MSP) for some functions | 76% |
| Said an MSP completely managed their IT environment | 42% |
For an SME evaluating its budget, the relevant service categories suggested by these findings include managed security and monitoring, backup, cloud storage and help-desk support. The announcement does not endorse a particular MSP, and JumpCloud’s commercial interest in identity and device management should be considered when interpreting its sponsored survey.
Authentication practices show a control gap worth examining
- 83% reported password-based authentication for some resources.
- 83% said they required multifactor authentication.
These measures are not mutually exclusive: an organization can require MFA in some systems while retaining password-only access elsewhere. The release does not specify coverage, enforcement, authentication methods or whether MFA was phishing-resistant, so it does not support a recommendation to buy a particular hardware key.
Operating-system figures need a caveat
In a comparison with April 2023, the announcement reported Windows at 60% (down from 64%), macOS at 22% (up from 20%) and Linux at 22% (up from 16%). The reported shares add to more than 100%. JumpCloud does not explain whether the categories overlap, reflect rounding or use another survey convention; the figures should not be treated as a mutually exclusive market-share estimate.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the findings mean for SME financial planning
Budget for controls alongside AI projects
The 79% positive AI view and 62% threat-protection concern suggest that an AI initiative should carry a parallel control budget. That can include identity governance, access reviews, patching, logging, incident response and workforce training. The percentages do not tell an individual business how much to spend; they show why treating security as an afterthought conflicts with the concerns reported by this sample.
Assess consolidation on outcomes, not just license count
A single platform may simplify administration, but switching costs, migration work, integration limits and concentration risk can offset savings. Compare total cost of ownership, coverage, support and recovery capability before replacing multiple tools.
Make the internal-versus-MSP decision specific
MSP use was common in the sample, but “some functions” and “complete management” are different arrangements. A financial comparison should identify the exact services, response times, retained internal duties, contract escalation terms and exit process rather than treating MSP adoption as automatically cheaper or safer.
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How to read this report responsibly
- Use the percentages as reported experiences of 1,213 surveyed decision-makers in three countries, not as a forecast for all SMEs.
- Separate attitudes from outcomes: optimism, worry and preferences are not measured security performance or financial returns.
- Keep the fieldwork date attached to every comparison; the data were collected in November 2023 and announced in February 2024.
- Account for sponsorship: JumpCloud commissioned and published the survey and sells identity and device-management software.
- Seek current, organization-specific evidence—risk assessments, incident records, control coverage and vendor costs—before changing an IT budget.
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