Understanding the importance of Endpoint Security

Every 39 seconds, another attack takes place. That adds up to a staggering 2,244 attacks per day!

Every endpoint connected to a corporate network—whether it’s a laptop, smartphone, or tablet—creates a potential entry point for hackers. It takes only one compromised device for malware to slip through, and once it does, the consequences can be catastrophic.

With remote work becoming the norm the attack surface has expanded making traditional, centralized security measures insufficient. Endpoints are now prime targets for cybercriminals employing tactics like ransomware, phishing, and advanced persistent threats (APTs).

What is considered an endpoint ?

Any device connected to a corporate network is an endpoint examples include :

• Laptops
• Desktops
• Tablets
• Mobile devices
• Internet of things (IoT) devices
• Point-of-sale (POS) systems

Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPP) vs. Traditional Antivirus

Traditional Antivirus:

Focuses on detecting and removing known malware threats using signature-based detection. It is reactive and may not protect against sophisticated or new threads of malware.

Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPP):

Offers advanced security, including real-time monitoring, AI-driven threat detection, and proactive defense against zero-day attacks, ransomware, and phishing attempts. EPP integrates multiple security features beyond just malware detection.

Includes application control, device control, malware protection, mobile security, browser security.

How endpoint security solutions work

When it comes to securing business devices, you might hear terms like endpoint protection, endpoint protection platforms (EPP), and endpoint security thrown around now essentially, they all mean the same thing—security solutions designed to protect devices such as servers, workstations, mobile phones and other endpoints from cyber threats.

Endpoint protection solutions offer a centralized management console from which admins can connect to their enterprise network to monitor, protect, investigate, and respond to incidents.

Attack surface reduction

Think of ASR as tightening every possible entry point a cybercriminal could use. It’s all about limiting the number of ways an attacker can get in. This includes:

• Disabling or restricting unnecessary applications and services

Fewer apps and services running = fewer holes for attackers to exploit.

• Blocking untrusted or malicious scripts and macros

Keeps sneaky, hidden code from slipping through documents or websites.

• Enforcing strict access controls

Makes it harder for bad actors to move around or gain privileged access.

Why it matters:

When you lower the number of potential weaknesses, you make it much tougher for attackers to get through in the first place.

Threat detection and response

No matter how strong your defenses are, some threats may still slip in. TDR is your vigilant security guard—always on the lookout and ready to take action. Its key features include:

• Real-Time Monitoring

Constantly monitors all endpoints in the network

• Behavioral Analysis & AI

Uses machine learning to identify new or advanced threats that traditional defenses might miss.

• Automated Incident Response

Isolates infected systems and stops malicious activity fast, so it can’t spread.

Why it matters:

If a breach does occur, TDR ensures you can quickly detect and shut it down—keeping damage and downtime to a minimum.

Multi-layered endpoint security with Endpoint Central: Minimizing vulnerabilities, maximising protection

Key components of endpoint security

Vulnerability Management

• Improve your security posture with integrated threat and vulnerability management by instantly detecting and remediating vulnerabilities.
• Enhance security by deploying security policies and mitigating system misconfigurations.
• Leverage ManageEngine's exclusive partnership with the Centre for Internet Security (CIS) to ensure compliance with CIS benchmarks.
• Swiftly spot zero-day vulnerabilities and deploy mitigation scripts as workarounds before the patches arrive.
• Audit and eliminate high-risk software such as end of life software, remote desktop sharing software, and peer to peer software to stay safe from data breaches.
• Audit active ports to discover anomalies as a part of vulnerability management.

Endpoint Privilege Management

• Remove unnecessary admin rights and run business-critical applications with restricted privileges to prevent attacks based on privilege elevation or credential compromise.
• Maintain the least privilege model without compromising productivity by enabling application-specific privilege elevation.
• Handle interim user needs by enabling privileged temporary access to applications that are automatically revoked after a set period.

Device Control

• Effectively regulate and restrict the entry of more than 15 types of peripheral devices from a centralized console along with automatic detection of active ports.
• Role-based file access and transfer control with file transfer limit to secure your enterprise-critical data.
• Grant temporary access for peripheral devices to specific endpoints for a defined time frame.
• Be proactive by mirroring the data in a secure location when USB devices access your critical enterprise data, thus preventing data loss.
• Adhere to device compliance standards by preventing data loss through peripheral devices and get insights from comprehensive device audit reports.

Application Control

• Discover all installed applications and executables, and categorize them as enterprise approved or unapproved based on their digital signatures.
• Flexible regulation that provides multiple modes to efficiently establish a zero trust environment.
• Hassle-free application control that allows users to request access to applications.
• Adopt a Zero Trust approach by enabling Strict Mode to prohibit even unmanaged applications. automatically.

Browser Security

• Lockdown enterprise browsers and harden the browser settings to prevent browser-based attacks.
• Gain a comprehensive view of multiple browsers being used across the network.
• Establish and ensure compliance with the mandated security configurations.
• Implement a safe browsing experience by detecting and removing harmful plug-ins.
• Allow enterprise-approved websites and block unwanted web apps to increase productivity and security.

Anti-Ransomware

• Reactive protection for heightened endpoint security by gatekeeping ransomware.
• Multi-patented and machine learning-assisted behavior analysis instantly detects any ransomware attempting to intrude on your network.
• Quarantines the endpoint upon detection and kills the ransomware instantly.
• Provides detailed analysis of any intrusion attempts.
• Offers seamless rollback to ensure your data is recovered with one click.

BitLocker Management

• Secure your computer's data by automating encryption for select drives or the entire hard drive.
• Identify the TPM-installed computers for enhanced PIN security along with passphrase authentication.
• Retrieve your computer's data using the recovery key in case of faulty hardware and reset the password for the computers removed from the network.
• Employ data encryption policies and stay compliant with data protection guidelines like FISMA, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS.

Best practices for endpoint security

• Keeps Your Devices Safe – Protects your computers, phones, and other gadgets from viruses, hackers, and malware.
• Keeps Your Data Private – Stops sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands and helps meet security rules like GDPR and HIPAA.
• Blocks unwanted access to ensure only the correct individuals may access your company's network, therefore preventing intrusions.
• Simple security management lets IT professionals save time and effort by monitoring and regulating security across all devices from one central location.
• Stops Attacks Before They Happen: Uses clever technologies to identify and disable hazards before they do damage.