Endpoint security is an essential aspect of any business. It protects the different endpoints (laptops, tablets, mobile devices, POS systems, and more) from cyber threats that could compromise the company’s data.
Businesses should implement effective strategies that prevent, detect, mitigate, and remediate advanced cyber attacks to protect sensitive data. Here are some tips to help you implement an effective endpoint security solution:
Anti-Malware
So, what are the endpoint security examples, and what do they do? An endpoint protection platform protects your business from sophisticated cyber threats. Attackers are constantly developing new ways to gain access to networks, steal data, and manipulate employees into revealing information. And the cost of recovering from a cyberattack can be in the millions.
The typical cost of a cyberattack includes ransomware payments, expenses related to operational disruption, loss of intellectual property, and even fines from regulators. And that doesn’t even have the reputational cost of a data breach, which can cripple businesses.
Protecting your business against these threats requires a layered approach covering all security aspects. A critical piece of an endpoint solution is anti-malware. This type of software combs through all data stored on an endpoint and detects any suspicious behavior that could indicate a malicious program is running. This can be based on signature detection or more advanced methods like machine learning that analyzes data from many different endpoints to recognize patterns and identify threats.
Modern-day endpoint solutions are designed to be cloud-based, quickly deployed, and scaled as your business grows. This also eliminates the bloat associated with storing this threat data on each endpoint and the maintenance required to update that database. Using a centralized platform for management improves visibility and simplifies operations, allowing threats to be isolated quickly.
Anti-Spyware
Endpoint security solutions scan devices for any malware, viruses, spyware, or other malicious code that could threaten the integrity of a business network. This protects against data theft, which can result in a loss of productivity or reputation damage if sensitive information is compromised.
With the rise of remote work and bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies, employees access business information 24×7 via laptops, iPads, iPhones, smartwatches, and an ever-expanding list of Internet of Things (IoT) devices that connect to company networks. These endpoints must be protected because they can represent a significant entry point for cyber threats.
One of the best ways to do this is with a powerful anti-spyware software solution that scans for suspicious activities and looks at how files are being used on the device, comparing against an extensive database of known threats. It can also encrypt the contents of an endpoint device to prevent unauthorized access and provide a level of protection in case of a stolen or lost computer.
An endpoint security solution provides a central portal allowing system admins to monitor activity, install and configure software, patch or update the client software on a device, investigate suspicious traffic, and resolve issues remotely. This streamlines the process, saves IT teams and users time, and gives enterprises complete visibility over their on-network and off-network assets.
Anti-Theft
With data being a company’s most valuable asset, it’s no wonder that cybersecurity breaches are one of the leading causes of business failure. And the threats aren’t limited to traditional desktop and server computers. Endpoint protection is more critical than ever with the rise of remote work and bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies. Businesses need to know exactly what devices are accessing their network and how they’re doing it – 24×7.
Companies must use an endpoint protection solution offering more than anti-malware software to do this. This solution must thwart new and evolving malware attacks, prevent data theft, and detect devices that are off-network or offline.
The best way to protect your endpoints is to implement an enterprise-grade solution, which includes a centralized management console installed on a network gateway or server and enables system administrators to control security for each device remotely. It also provides client software delivered as a SaaS, installed directly on each machine or via the cloud, authenticates login attempts, and administers corporate policies.
Unlike consumer solutions, which typically include anti-malware software and firewalls, an enterprise-grade endpoint security solution can protect against multiple threats by combining different security measures. These include file scanning, firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, application control, and endpoint encryption.
Data Backup
Endpoint security is a crucial component of any cyber defense strategy. It protects devices that connect to a network, such as desktop computers, laptops, smartphones, and tablets used by employees working remotely or traveling for business, and even servers that run essential applications. Endpoint security prevents hackers from accessing sensitive information by securing these entry points.
Viruses, malware, and hacking attacks are getting more sophisticated and agile. As a result, traditional endpoint protection systems are often hobbled because they can’t detect threats that don’t have specific characteristics. New solutions are based on Big Data and predictive analytics to identify vulnerabilities and threats.
SentinelOne’s Continuous Endpoint Management (CEM) is an example of an advanced endpoint security solution. This solution taps the running processes of every endpoint it touches to find out what they’re doing, then tries to shut them down or limit their functionality. This enables CEM to spot polymorphic threats and zero-day exploits that traditional antivirus software cannot detect.
Other features of a modern endpoint security solution include URL filtering. This process identifies malicious websites and blocks them from being accessed by users. It also helps reduce the risk of zero-day exploits by preventing the download of malicious code. Additionally, it prevents malware and viruses from spreading across the network through unsecured endpoints. Further, an organization can implement a remote monitoring system to ensure their network and endpoints are secure continuously.
