The Importance of Endpoint Security
Endpoint security has always been a vital part of a corporate security strategy. Endpoints store sensitive and valuable data, host an organization’s digital services, and enable employees to do their jobs. Cyberattacks against these endpoints can pose a significant threat to confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
With the rise of remote work, endpoint security is more important than ever. Remote users may not be protected by network security controls or may use personal devices for business purposes. As a result, endpoint security solutions are essential to secure the enterprise and its devices.
Types of Endpoint Devices
Corporate networks have diversified greatly in recent years. In addition to the traditional desktops and servers, corporate IT environments can include a wide range of networked systems, including:
- Network hardware (routers, switches, etc.)
- Cloud-based infrastructure
- Mobile devices
- Internet of Things (IoT) devices
- Operational Technology (OT) systems
All of these endpoints are potential targets of cyberattacks and have their own, unique security concerns and attack vectors. A comprehensive endpoint security strategy offers consistent protection to all systems connected to the corporate network.
Types of Endpoint Security
The importance of endpoint security and the diverse set of endpoints that companies must protect have resulted in various endpoint security solutions. Some of the most common endpoint security tools include:
- Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR): EDR solutions are designed to provide a comprehensive view of security threats to the endpoint. Continuous monitoring of multiple data sources combined with endpoint data analytics provides deep visibility and supports incident investigation, automated responses, and threat hunting activities.
- Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP): EPP solutions are designed to act as a first line of defense for an organization’s endpoints. They identify a wide range of potential cyber threats and block them from gaining access and posing a threat to an endpoint.
- Mobile Threat Defense (MTD): MTD solutions provide endpoint security capabilities targeted toward mobile devices and the unique threats that they face. MTD tools monitor for security misconfigurations and suspicious activities on mobile devices.
- Advanced Threat Protection (ATP): ATP solutions apply advanced security technologies built on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to identify and prevent sophisticated endpoint security threats. Their focus on prevention is intended to minimize the risk and potential impact of these cyberattacks on an organization.
- Extended Detection and Response (XDR): XDR solutions improve endpoint visibility and threat prevention by unifying endpoint security across the enterprise. Converging endpoint security monitoring and management within a single dashboard reduces analyst overload, improves visibility, and expedites threat detection and response.
- Unified Endpoint Management (UEM): UEM solutions are intended to address the rapid growth in remote devices connected to corporate networks. UEM solutions build on the functionality of mobile device management (MDM) solutions to provide comprehensive remote device monitoring and management, supporting remote desktops and laptops as well as mobile devices.
The diverse endpoints in an organization’s network may have different security needs. However, the variety of available endpoint security solutions makes it possible for organizations to implement strong security across their corporate networks.
Endpoint Security Components
Endpoint security solutions can include various functions that protect against cyber threats. Essential components of an endpoint security architecture include:
- Anti-Bot: Identifies and blocks botnet command-and-control traffic for infected machines and provides visibility into the botnet malware.
- Anti-Malware: Identifies and remediates malware infections using a combination of signature and anomaly detection.
- Anti-Ransomware: Detects ransomware via behavioral analysis and detection of known ransomware operations, such as modifications to registry values.
- Compliance Management: Enforces corporate compliance policies, such as ensuring that security tools are operational and restricting the software allowed to run on the system.
- Firewall: Inspects network traffic entering and leaving the endpoint and applies application-specific security policies.
- Full-Disk Encryption: Encrypts the entire device’s memory, preventing data access without knowledge of the user’s credentials.
- Removable Media Protection: Restricts use of USB ports and encrypts all data stored on removable media.
- Remote Access VPN: Provides secure, encrypted connectivity to corporate networks and resources.
- Threat Extraction: Uses content disarm and reconstruction (CDR) functionality to excise malicious content from documents and provide users with access to sanitized docs.
URL Filtering: Enables the organization to block browsing to sites that are malicious or non-compliant with corporate policies.
Endpoint Security with Check Point
Designing a strong endpoint security architecture is essential to corporate cybersecurity. Endpoints are a primary target of cyber threat actors and can be compromised in various ways. However, numerous endpoint security solutions exist, and different types may be better suited to different use cases. Learn more about selecting an endpoint security solution in this buyer’s guide to endpoint security.
Check Point Harmony Endpoint is the cornerstone of a corporate endpoint security strategy, offering comprehensive threat prevention, detection, and response. Learn more about how Harmony Endpoint can improve your organization’s endpoint security by requesting a free demo today.
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