The Benefits of Endpoint Security
No matter how big an organisation is, institutions of all sizes are at risk of security threats, including insider threats, nation-state hackers, and organised criminals. Endpoint security is a cyber security practice that helps organisations keep their network safe and secure.
Endpoint security involves securing the endpoints of end-user devices, like mobile devices, desktops, and laptops. This prevents malicious threat actors and campaigns from taking advantage of these devices.
Practically all modern businesses face a rising number of endpoints linked to their systems. These aren’t just user devices, like laptops and smartphones, as smart cities and factories take on more numbers of IoT-enabled devices.
According to IBM, studies estimate that up to 90% of successful cyber attacks and 70% of successful data breaches begin at endpoint devices. Endpoints exist on the extremities of a network, and much like the fingers and toes on a human body, it’s these extremities that are most sensitive in hostile environments, and most likely to succumb to an attack.
With the number of endpoint attacks rising, the need for endpoint security solutions has never been greater. Endpoint security solutions help to defend endpoints in the cloud or network from cyber security threats, preventing malicious threat actors and campaigns from taking advantage of these end-user devices.
How Does Endpoint Security Work?
Endpoint security solutions aim to defend workflows and data linked with devices on an organisation’s network. This involves monitoring files as they enter a network and analysing them against a growing database of threat intelligence, which is kept in the cloud.
The terms endpoint security, endpoint protection, and endpoint protection platforms are often used in place of each other, relating to centrally managed security solutions used to defend endpoints.
These solutions typically include features like firewalls or antivirus protection. Advanced endpoint security solutions may also incorporate AI & machine learning to identify and respond to threats.
Implementing endpoint security involves deploying agents on endpoint devices, which communicate with a central management server. This server monitors the endpoints in real-time, managing updates and enforcing security policies to respond to detected threats.
The Benefits of Endpoint Security
Effective endpoint security provides several critical benefits, protecting organisations from a range of threats. Here are the top four benefits of endpoint security.
1. Malware and Spyware Protection
One of the main benefits of endpoint security is its ability to protect against malware and spyware attacks, which are major contributors to security breaches.
Ransomware, in particular, is a significant threat, projected to cost its victims $265 billion each year by 2031. Such attacks can disrupt business operations, jeopardise important data, and cause lasting damage to an organisation’s reputation.
An effective endpoint security solution, such as an Endpoint Protection Platform, offers robust malware and ransomware protection. This includes features that can reverse changes made by malicious programs, effectively restoring the endpoint to its pre-infection state and minimising the impact of an attack.
Cloud Sandbox integration is another example of modern threat defence solutions. The sandbox assesses suspicious content downloaded at endpoints, collecting any noticeable malicious signatures as they occur.
Incorporating these advanced features means that endpoint security significantly reduces the risk of malware and spyware infections, helping to protect critical assets and maintain business continuity.
2. Preventing Insider Threats
An example of human error is when an employee or external contractor accidentally sends sensitive information to the wrong recipient, downloads a malicious attachment, or clicks on a phishing link. These seemingly small actions can lead to serious security breaches, exposing sensitive data and compromising an organisation’s network.
Research from Stanford University and security firm Tessian found that nine out of ten data breach incidents are the result of employee mistakes. Insider threats are a big issue for businesses, but Endpoint security solutions assist with insider threat prevention by monitoring user behaviour across all devices.
For instance, EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) assesses all user activity and uses methods, like behavioural analysis, to detect anomalies. Examples include access to restricted files or excessive data files, as these suggest risky behaviour.
EDR performs this in real-time, allowing security teams to react promptly to potential threats before they become unmanageable.
Other features, like Data Loss Prevention (DLP) automatically block sending sensitive information to unauthorised recipients, while features like encryption ensure that sensitive data remains protected, even if it is accidentally shared.
Endpoint security measures provide real-time visibility into user actions, allowing organisations to significantly reduce the risk of data breaches caused by human error.
3. Web Filtering
Endpoint protection improves detecting and enforcing web filtering policies on HTTPS websites with encrypted traffic.
This capability enables monitoring of browser activities and enforcing an organisation’s web security and acceptable use policies. Web filtering is supported across all approved operating systems and is compatible with Google SafeSearch, so only appropriate content is accessible.
IT administrators can adjust an endpoint web filtering profile to maintain consistent policy applications across a network. They can configure on-and-off network policies, manage block and allow lists, and import existing web filtering policies to preserve a uniform security posture.
This centralised management helps to effectively control internet usage, protect against web-based threats, and maintain a secure browsing environment for all users, all from a single location.
4. Central Security Logging and Reporting
Another one of the key benefits of endpoint security is the ability to provide centralised security logging and reporting.
Real-time alerting involves receiving alert messages incoming as SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) traps, from various devices managed through a central management solution. This ensures that security teams are immediately notified of any suspicious activity, so they can swiftly respond to potential threats.
Logging involves gathering all log entries from devices, which can be accessed locally or through the central management system as System Logging Protocol messages. These logs are invaluable for investigating cyber-breaches, providing detailed historical records that help in understanding the scope of an event and identifying the source of an attack.
Centralised logging and reporting streamline the monitoring process, which improves the ability to identify and respond to security breaches.
How We Can Help
As organisations and technology begin to grow, the number of endpoints also rises, creating new opportunities which cyber criminals can exploit. Effective endpoint security doesn’t just protect individual devices, it helps secure an organisation’s network from the inside out.
At Net Consulting, our Managed Endpoint Protection & Response service helps businesses improve their security without compromising performance. Our solutions use effective agents and data collection methods to safeguard your endpoints. These do their job in the background without influencing user productivity.
Contact us today to discuss your needs in more detail, or find out more about our services on our website.
