Endpoint Protection Best Practices for Implementation and Management in 2021

Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses began embracing remote work on a massive scale. As a result, an increasing number of people are working outside of typical office settings. This type of working environment is exposing an increasing number of endpoint devices, which are currently the primary source of vulnerability in secure networks. According to a 2020 analysis published by the Ponemon Institute, over 68 percent of businesses had experienced multiple endpoint attacks in the last 12 months. Endpoint devices operate as a backdoor for other parties to get illegal access. As a result, the system is critical for enterprises who wish to protect their networks from potential security breaches. The following are the five best practises that businesses must follow while implementing endpoint protection or endpoint security

1. Securing each system endpoint security

Endpoint devices serve as a point of connection to your network. As a result, securing and tracking each device that connects to your system might benefit your enterprise significantly. Organizations can keep track of all endpoints on a network and update the inventory when new devices connect. Additionally, they must ensure that each endpoint device is equip with the necessary safeguards to protect it from security risks and apply the necessary fixes.

2. Strengthen password policies and endpoint encryption

Once endpoint devices are secure using endpoint security methods, businesses must urge their users to employ strong password habits. Businesses can require all users to use lengthy and difficult passwords. Additionally, they can promote the practise of changing passwords on a regular basis. Additionally, businesses should prohibit the practise of reusing outdated passwords. Apart from passwords, businesses may need to add an additional layer of security via encryption. Encrypting the endpoint’s disc or memory is one of the best practises. This ensures that the data on the device stays unreadable or inaccessible when transferred to another device and that it remains secure even if the device is stolen or lost.

3. Ensure that access is granted with the least amount of privilege possible.

Limiting access and device privileges is a prudent approach for ensuring the endpoints’ security. Regular users should not be award administrator rights. Unauthorized users cannot load executable code onto endpoints with this type of access policy.

4. Make use of SIEM tools and do routine endpoint scans

Endpoint security solutions should easily integrate with security information and event management (SIEM) systems to allow for real-time network monitoring. With the increasing number of endpoint devices, SIEM systems have become an integral aspect of organisational requirements for enforcing comprehensive security. All network events should be log by a robust SIEM system. Additionally, it should have rules in place that enable it to identify possible problems and take fast action against them. Additionally, routine endpoint scans enable enterprises to maintain real-time visibility into all devices connected to the network. This can be strengthened further by implementing continuous location awareness procedures for endpoint devices susceptible to loss or theft, such as smartphones and tablets.

5. Automate patching Endpoint security is effective when patching is automated.

These enable dynamic patch updates to be push during downtimes. Organizations must ensure that these automatic processes apply to third-party fixes as well. According to a Ponemon Institute report, 60% of breaches discovered in 2019 were caused by unpatched software. The vulnerabilities were identified, however the necessary patches were not applied.

6. Implement a tight VPN access policy in conjunction with MFA.

Today, as the task force transitions to a remote work style, VPNs are widely use by the majority of business organisations. VPNs, on the other hand, continue to be vulnerable to spoofing, sniffing, DDoS, and other external threats. As a result, it is more acceptable to restrict VPN usage, enabling access to the VPN only at the application layer. This significantly reduces the network-level security risk. Additionally, utilising multi-factor authentication (MFA) can help prevent account theft from a variety of sources. Additionally, when the system detects a log-in from an unfamiliar or unknown location, adding a supplementary step of verification can improve overall security.

Endpoint security refers to the tactics and technological solutions that aid in the protection of endpoint devices against digital threats and illegal access. Endpoint security solutions are ultimately design to aid in the protection of devices, users, and companies against lost productivity, cost, and reputation.

How Is Endpoint Security Defined?

Endpoint security is the activity of defending endpoints against unauthorised access and digital attacks that could disclose sensitive data or jeopardise the endpoint device’s performance. Any device that receives a signal is refer to as an endpoint. Endpoints are use primarily in the context of corporate PC management to refer to the devices that employees use on a daily basis to be productive, ranging from desktops to laptops to tablets and smartphones. Endpoints can also refer to any device connected to the Internet of Things (IoT), such as sensors and digital signs. Nevertheless, this paper will concentrate on the business PC use case. A comprehensive endpoint security plan will incorporate hardware-based defences and remote management capabilities to aid in the protection of endpoints connected to the corporate network.

Endpoint security is becoming an even greater importance as global disruptions compel firms to rapidly deploy a remote workforce.

What Is the Importance of Endpoint Security?

Endpoint protection is critical for maximising the productivity benefits of endpoint devices, particularly when connecting to digital resources located outside the corporate network. Additionally, endpoint security solutions assist protect against malware and a plethora of other digital threats that can result in lost productivity, extended outages, data breaches, and reputational damage.

Endpoint security is becoming an even greater importance as global disruptions compel firms to rapidly deploy a remote workforce. More employees are connecting to the corporate network via the cloud via endpoints and personal devices located outside the firewall, a practise known as Bring Your Own Device (BYOD). While this strategy may reduce some of the business’s technological requirements, it may also raise the threat posed by insecure consumer devices. A sound endpoint security plan may help firms protect their data, devices, and reputation while also increasing their productivity.

Threats to Endpoint Security

While this is not an entire list of digital hazards, it serves as a primer for the most prevalent risks that endpoint security is design to assist protect against.

Malware is a broad term that encompasses a variety of typical digital dangers such as viruses, Trojan horses, and worms. While new malware is being create on a daily basis, solutions such as antivirus software and firewalls help protect against these threats and are back by global technology suppliers such as Microsoft and Intel, which are continually upgrading their threat definition databases.

Cryptojacking is the act of illegal cryptomining code being perform on an endpoint device. Cryptomining is the process of verifying cryptocurrency transactions in exchange for a modest reward in the form of cryptocurrency. On a vulnerable endpoint device, hackers may install malware that performs cryptomining code in the background, significantly degrading performance.

Ransomware encrypts an endpoint device and instructs users to pay a ransom to regain access, with the threat of wiping all data on the device if no payment is make. .Privilege escalation happens when malware exploits a system vulnerability to get elevate permission levels on an endpoint device, allowing hackers to access data and apps or launch executables with administrator privileges.

Phishing occurs when hackers send bogus emails or messages to unsuspecting employees in an attempt to get them to click on links to hacked websites, download malware, or grant unauthorised users device access. Because these attacks frequently circumvent numerous endpoint security countermeasures, it is up to the user to take caution in identifying, avoiding, and reporting phishing attempts.
Zero-day attacks are previously unknown exploits for which no known protection or mitigation exists. When a zero-day attack happens, organisations and technology providers must act fast to identify a solution and contain the extent of harm or loss.