While the majority of firms have taken users out of the loop of updating anti-virus software, those that haven?t cannot cope due to the sheer volume of viruses, according to application switching vendor Radware.

'Users can't be trusted to do it themselves. Companies are fighting a losing battle over anti-virus updates unless they centralise anti-virus management so that all network traffic is scanned in one place and management of updates is a discrete business function,' said Tony Crowley, regional director for northern Europe, Radware.

'Network-based anti-virus management is becoming essential but organisations need to ensure that anti-virus tools are always available and working with maximum efficiency. The need to manage all content security tools centrally at high throughputs has never been greater,' added Crowley.

Nick Lawrence, managing director of FITE, a provider of outsourced IT support which polled its UK customer base for the study, said management of anti-virus updates has become an immense drain on operational IT resources.

'Clients want a third-party service provider to ensure that all anti-virus software is up to date because doing so themselves takes up so much time and can leave them hopelessly exposed.'