Endpoints are an integral part of your IT environment, making effective endpoint security one of the most important components of your business. But, what are endpoints, exactly?
Well, an endpoint is defined as an internet-capable, computer hardware device, which can be connected to a TCP/IP network. It might sound complex, but you’re more familiar with them than you probably realize.
Most commonly, examples of endpoints include laptops, desktop computers, smartphones, tablets, wearable mobile devices, printers, and point-of-sale terminals. If it’s a device your team uses, and it’s connected to the internet, then it’s an endpoint – and it needs effective endpoint security.
That’s because, while important to your business, each endpoint represents a possible security vulnerability, offering the bad guys a gateway into your company’s network. Once inside, hackers can perform many malicious activities, like planting ransomware or stealing sensitive information, among others.
Further, endpoints can be located either inside or outside of your company’s offices and data centers.
The adoption of a mobile workforce has resulted in more company endpoints being used to remotely access business resources over public networks.
And, while remote workforces remain critical, it can complicate your security, and without precautions, enable unauthorized access to your network.
Let’s dive in a little further to see how, and what you can do to prevent it.
The Challenges of Effective Endpoint Security
Endpoints pose significant challenges to the IT professionals responsible for your company’s security.
The failure to address these challenges puts your whole infrastructure at risk, by leaving an open door through which your network can be compromised.
Let’s examine some of the top challenges in providing effective endpoint security.
- The growing number and variety of endpoints – The number of endpoints has grown significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic, along with an increased acceptance of remote work.
Unfortunately, finding tools compatible with all the types of endpoints used throughout most organizations remains virtually impossible. This results in the need to manage multiple tools, complicating the implementation of robust, effective, endpoint security.
- Lack of visibility into endpoint resources – Endpoints are notoriously hard to track, especially in the era of remote work. That’s because in addition to company-owned equipment, your team may use personal devices to access work resources.
- Malware and viruses – It can be difficult to adequately protect all endpoints from infection via malware and viruses. Often, endpoints outside your network cannot be protected by corporate firewalls or antivirus tools.
- Elevated privileges – In an attempt to streamline remote work, many users may wind up with elevated privileges unnecessary to do their job. When that happens, a compromised endpoint with elevated privileges offers a threat actor a superhighway into company resources.
- Operating system and application vulnerabilities – For the most part, when flaws are discovered in software or hardware, companies race to fix it, issuing regular patches and updates to correct the problem. And, as long as you ensure you update to the latest versions, you ensure the latest protection against attacks.
However, that’s often easier said than done. When you’re faced with a huge number of devices – some of which don’t even belong to your company (like personal computers used by your remote staff) – the job can become overwhelming, at best.
Unfortunately, these outdated versions expose the device, and therefore, your network, to unnecessary risk.
- Insecure remote access methods – Remote users often connect to company systems using public networks, like their local coffee shop, or library. Unfortunately, these rarely provide an adequate level of security, allowing cybercriminals to compromise users’ credentials and data.
A Reliable Endpoint Security Solution
So, with all the challenges involved with effective endpoint security, how are your supposed to keep your business safe?
Well, fortunately, it’s not a challenge you need to take on by yourself.
Blue Bastion, along with the support of our networking division Ideal Integrations, can help.
We offer customers a comprehensive and reliable managed endpoint security service that increases visibility of issues, while reducing the complexity of protecting your IT environment. And, if an incident does occur, we can help significantly reduce the time between detection and remediation, to limit the extent of any damage.
We employ threat intelligence feeds, an endpoint detection and recovery solution, and a 24/7 security operations center, dedicated to protecting your most vulnerable assets.
Ready to get started? Simply contact our team at 412-349-6680, or fill out the form below, and our team of cybersecurity experts will create and execute the ultimate security plan to protect your organization.
And, as always, stay vigilant.
