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Endpoint Security
What is Endpoint Security?
Endpoint security is the practice of securing endpoints or entry points of end-user devices such as
desktops, laptops, and mobile devices from being exploited by malicious actors and campaigns.
Having endpoint security systems in place help protect these endpoints on a network or in the cloud from cyber security threats. Endpoint security has evolved from traditional antivirus software to providing comprehensive protection from sophisticated malware and evolving zero-day threats.
Businesses of all sizes are at risk from nation-states, hacktivists, organised crime, and malicious and accidental insider threats. Endpoint security is key in cyber security and a must for network security.
As the volume and sophistication of cyber security threats have steadily grown, so has the need for more advanced endpoint security solutions. Today’s endpoint protection systems quickly detect, analyse, block, and contain attacks in progress. To do this, they need to collaborate with each other and with other security technologies to give administrators visibility into advanced threats. This helps with the speed detection and remediation response times.
Why Endpoint Security is Important?
An endpoint protection platform (EPP) is a vital part of enterprise cyber security for several reasons. First of all, in today’s business world, data is the most valuable asset of a company. To lose that data, or access to that data, could put the entire business at risk of insolvency.
Businesses have also had to contend with a growing number of endpoints as well as a rise in the number of types of endpoints. This makes endpoint security more difficult on their own, but they’re compounded by remote work and BYOD policies. Which make perimeter security insufficient and create vulnerabilities. The threat landscape is becoming more complicated, as well. Hackers are always coming up with new ways to gain access, steal information or trick employees into giving out sensitive information. Add in the opportunity, cost of moving resources from business goals to addressing threats, the reputational cost of a breach, and the actual financial cost of compliance violations. It’s easy to see why endpoint protection platforms have become regarded as must-haves in terms of securing modern enterprises.
How it Works ?
The EPP gives admin teams a central console on a network gateway or server. It allows cyber security professionals to control security for each device remotely. The client software is then assigned to each endpoint. It will either be a SaaS and managed remotely. Or installed directly on the device. Once the endpoint is set up, the client software can send updates when needed. Meaning IT teams can also authenticate log-in attempts from each device, and administer policies from one location.
EPPs secure endpoints through app control which blocks the use of apps that are unsafe or unauthorised. This is done through encryption, which helps prevent data loss.
The EPP can be set up quickly to detect malware and other threats. Some solutions also include an Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) component. EDR capabilities allow for the detection of more advanced threats. Such as polymorphic attacks, file-less malware, and zero-day attacks. The EDR solution can offer better visibility and a variety of response options.
EPP solutions are available in on-premises or cloud based models. While cloud- based products are more scalable and can more easily integrate with your current architecture, certain regulatory/compliance rules may require on-premises security.
What's Considered an Endpoint
It is considered an endpoint if a device is connected to a network. Also with the growing popularity of BYOD (bring your own device) and IoT (Internet of Things), the number of individual devices connected to a network can quickly reach into the thousands.
Endpoints can range from the more commonly thought of devices such as:
Tablets
Mobile devices
Smart watches
Printers
Servers
Medical devices
Because they are entry points for threats and malware, endpoints are a favourite target for hackers. Mobile endpoint devices have become much more than just mobile phones. Think of the latest wearable watches, smart devices, voice-controlled digital assistants, and other IoT-enabled smart devices. As the different types of endpoints have evolved and expanded, the security solutions that protect them have also had to adapt.
Endpoint Security Components
Typically, endpoint security software will include these key components:
- Machine-learning classification to detect zero-day threats.
- Advanced anti-malware and antivirus protection.
- Proactive web security to ensure safe browsing on the web.
- Data classification and data loss prevention
- Integrated firewall to block hostile network attacks.
- Email gateway to block phishing and social engineering attempts.
- Actionable threat forensics allowing administrators to quickly isolate infections.
- Insider threat protection to safeguard against malicious actions.
- Centralised endpoint management platform.
- Endpoint, email and disk encryption.
Epp vs Traditional Antivirus
Endpoint protection platforms (EPP) and traditional antivirus solutions differ in some key ways.
- Endpoint Security vs. Network Security – Antivirus programs are designed to safeguard a single endpoint. Offering visibility into only that endpoint, and in many cases only from that endpoint. Endpoint security software, however, looks at the enterprise network as a whole. It can offer visibility of all connected endpoints from a single location.
- Administration – Legacy antivirus solutions relied on the user to manually update the databases or to allow updates at pre-set time. EPPs offer interconnected security that moves responsibilities to enterprise IT or cyber security team.
- Protection – Traditional antivirus solutions used signature-based detection to find viruses. This meant that if your business was Patient Zero, or if your users hadn’t updated their antivirus program recently, you could still be at risk. Today’s EPP solutions stay current by using the cloud. They also help identify previously unknown threats based on suspicious behaviour.
Advanced Solutions
IT360 offers a full range of enterprise solutions that combine powerful endpoint protection with efficient endpoint management. IT360 Endpoint Security combines firewall, reputation, and heuristics with cutting-edge machine learning and containment. Along with EDR into a single platform agent, with a single management console. The resulting integrated EPP keeps users productive and connected while stopping zero-day malware before it can infect the first endpoint.
