Why is Endpoint Security Important?
Our workplaces are vastly different from what they once were. Today, we require multiple devices which we use around the clock, from server stacks and desktops to tablets and mobile devices. Flexible and remote working has become fully integrated into our working culture, with employees regularly turning to personal devices. Arming our workforces with communication, networking, and collaboration tools is fundamental to remain competitive. The problem is that each one of these devices represents an endpoint that is vulnerable to attack, which means the opportunities for our adversaries have increased exponentially.
With the volume and sophistication of threats continually rising, security is vital at all points within a network. Comprehensive endpoint security has become critical to modern businesses and is the only way to quickly detect, analyse, block, and contain attacks.
What is Endpoint Security?
Endpoint security is a method used to prevent malicious actors from targeting endpoints or end-user devices such as desktops, laptops, and mobile devices. It can guard against threats to these endpoints both on a network and in the cloud. Endpoint security is essentially a security solution that antivirus software is a part of. Developed to deliver the advanced protection needed to combat malware and emerging threats wherever they strike.
Endpoint security is the frontline in cybersecurity and one of the first ports of call for protecting networks. Today’s endpoint security systems have been developed to detect, evaluate, block, and contain attacks quickly and effectively. They work collaboratively with other security technologies, providing visibility into advanced threats when it's needed most.
Why is Endpoint Security Important?
The risk of any business or individual being a victim of a cyber attack is greater than ever. The average computer faces several attacks every month. If you extrapolate this across hundreds of endpoints within any given business, this could mean several attacks daily. And with employees potentially working in public places and logging onto business networks using multiple devices, the volume of access points and the likelihood of attack rises further. It has become increasingly easy for cybercriminals to gain access to sensitive data or even a company’s network through an employee’s use of public Wi-Fi.
Even with all the preventative measures in the world, there is still a risk of a data breach as cybercriminals work to evade all defences which is why endpoint security is so important. It does not only work to block attacks but contains them and minimises damage in the event of a breach. It stands to reason that every organisation, large or small, requires endpoint security to protect against the threat of data breaches.
How to Better Secure Your Endpoints?
The big question, of course, is how to go about securing the many endpoints within your organisation. After all, even the most successful cybersecurity measures are prone to vulnerabilities. And, you guessed it, cybercriminals are always on the lookout for these loopholes and will waste no time in taking advantage.
By deploying an endpoint security system, you can take control over all entry points within your business, block malicious attempts and remove cyber threats. Some key measures should be implemented as part of your endpoint security system:
- Security Awareness Training - with employees working remotely around the clock, you need them to be aware of the risks. Cybersecurity awareness plays a key part in protecting your network and the security of your endpoints.
- Next-Generation Antivirus - traditional antivirus solutions miss up to 57% of modern file-less attacks. Next-Generation technology, however, uses machine learning and forensics to provide a more proactive approach.
- Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) - if an attacker does gain access to your systems or networks, you need to know about it. EDR solutions use machine learning to enable you to detect threats and respond quickly.
- Vulnerability Management - to secure your endpoints, you need to know where they all are. Next-Generation vulnerability management systems can analyse your network, the cloud, and all endpoints to spot any security gaps in real-time.
- Incident Response - even with all these other measures, there is still a chance of a data breach. Having an incident response plan in place will enable you to quickly respond, limit damage and get your business back on track.
Is Your Business Protected?
As a modern business, you have probably embraced activities such as remote working or a bring-your-own-device policy. While these steps are vital to business success, they can also create significant security threats. Ultimately the combination of personal devices and unsafe public and home networks make your business more vulnerable to attack.
Comprehensive endpoint security is critical in today’s world. It provides your business with a frontline defence that can detect, investigate, block, and contain cyber attacks. Don’t waste any time; reach out to InfoTrust to secure your endpoints today.
see our
Related resources
In today’s digital age, we all use a vast amount of information to conduct our business activities, sharing, and interacting with data across multiple devices and networks. As such confidentiality, integrity and availability are key. You only have to look at recent news headlines to realise that even organisations with comprehensive security strategies are still vulnerable to cybersecurity breaches. Vulnerabilities can lie within the technology being used, the cyber-awareness of its employees, and the sophistication of attacks.
During the great cloud rush, many organisations moved to various cloud environments, for the productivity advantages, improved reliability and security compared with running on premise environments. But the naysayers conveyed the risks associated of security concerns and outages, having the potential to bring down a company or even an economy if a there was a massive outage.
Based on InfoTrust analysis at the start of 2019 of over 9000 Australian company domain MX and SPF records, over a third of these organisations rely on Microsoft O365 Productivity suite.
This includes some of Australia’s largest organisations that would undoubtedly disrupt an economy if they were without email for a sustained period of time.
As you may be aware, from July 1 2019, all APRA regulated entities will be required to adhere to a new prudential standard, CPS 234. According to APRA, “this Prudential Standard aims to ensure that an APRA-regulated entity takes measures to be resilient against information security incidents (including cyber-attacks) by maintaining an information security capability commensurate with information security vulnerabilities and threats.”
Mimecast recently released its State of Email Security Report for 2021. The fifth edition of its annual report used interviews with over twelve hundred of information technology and cybersecurity professionals across the globe to gather vital cybersecurity insights. The report offers an insight into the latest email threats along with advice on how to build cyber resilience and mitigate the risks of email-borne attacks.
Last month CrowdStrike released its 2020 Global Threat Report, reflecting on the past year’s cybercrime and the types of attacks and techniques criminals have been utilising. In this blog post, we take a look at the key trends from the report and what they mean to Australian businesses.
Earlier this month the CrowdStrike® Falcon® Overwatch™ team released their 2018 mid-year review, “Observations from the Front-Lines of Threat Hunting”. InfoTrust discusses the front-line and why security is everyone’s business. A brief precis, some thought provocation, and insight (hopefully) are below.
We're Here To Help