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What Is Endpoint Security?
Endpoint security is the protection and monitoring of end-user devices, such as smartphones, laptops, desktop PCs and POS devices, and network access paths, such as open ports or website logins. It goes beyond antivirus tools and includes the use of security software, like Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) tools, on central servers as well as tools on the device itself, such as ad blockers.
Tools used for endpoint protection typically include features for the detection of intrusions, such as bypassed firewalls, and behavior analysis, such as login attempts by multiple users from the same IP address. EDR security is vital to the protection of a company’s data as it secures the entry points that attackers might exploit to gain access to valuable information.
Types of Endpoint Threats
Endpoints are subject to many of the same threats that systems on a whole are because they act as an entry point for those threats.
Data Loss
Loss or leakage of data is the biggest threat that a business can face, as data is the most valuable resource in the modern business world. Endpoints are typically used as gateways to access larger stores of data kept on central servers but they can contain valuable information on their own in the form of data caches or locally stored files.
Through an endpoint, an attacker can log in to remote systems and transfer data over the Internet or onto removable drives, such as a USB drive. If your endpoints are not properly secured with strict login requirements or data encryption protocols, thieves can have an easy time stealing your data without you being aware of it.
Phishing
Phishing is a common way for criminals to obtain sensitive data, from credit card numbers to birthdays, or credentials. It is common for phishing emails to contain redirect links or links to dummy sites meant to replicate legitimate login screens or data entry forms from which they can gather information.
While these emails used to be fairly transparent, advances in social engineering and AI have made them more similar to the emails users receive from friends and official businesses and therefore more difficult to spot.
Unpatched Vulnerabilities
Out of date software and unpatched vulnerabilities are the equivalents of hanging a please enter sign. While you may not be able to eliminate all vulnerabilities through software updates, there is no reason to allow access through vulnerabilities that have already been discovered and addressed.
If you are not monitoring or managing your devices, it is highly likely that at least some of them will be out of date, particularly if you have a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy, through which attackers can gain access to the rest of your infrastructure.
Malware
When malware infects a system it enters from an endpoint, typically without the user’s knowledge. Spam emails, third-party plugins, and redirected sites are just some of the ways that malware can enter a system, not all of which can be automatically blocked.
If you are not filtering your users’ website access or using administrator permissions to block the download of programs or files, you are risking infection by programs that create pop-up advertising which reduces productivity to ransomware that holds your data hostage.
If your system is not periodically scanned for illicit operations or your data access and transfer not monitored it is possible for malware to silently mine data for long periods before it is uncovered.
Endpoint Security Tips
It is impossible to make your system 100% secure without losing functionality but the following strategies can help you get as close as possible.
#1. Use Proper Tools
There are numerous tools available to help you secure your endpoints, some of which you may already be using. Remote Browser Isolation (RBI) tools can help contain risks and prevent malware from spreading even if an endpoint is infected. Device management tools will help you make sure that endpoints are running the latest software versions and have the appropriate patches.
Use of EDR security tools in addition to Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems can help you ensure that if issues make it past an endpoint they are contained. These tools should include encryption of your data at rest and in-transit. They must not only offer signature-based protection, where known threats are scanned for, but behavior-based, in which the number of login attempts or resources accessed are analyzed and correlated to expected behavior.
Regardless of your setup, whether on-premise or in the cloud, it is a good idea to use firewalls to restrict the traffic entering your network. A good firewall solution can help you filter traffic based on endpoint type as well as according to factors like origin location and time.
#2. Minimize Access Points
The fewer endpoints you use, the less you have to monitor and secure. Likewise, there are fewer available options through which criminals can access your data. You should be disabling endpoints that are no longer in use, removing network access information as well as any saved data, as well as endpoints that you aren’t using in the first place, such as ports that are open by default. If an access path can be disabled when not in use, such as Bluetooth or infrared receivers, it is a good idea to do so as they are easy to re-enable when needed.
Make use of least-privilege practices when granting access to endpoints. Credentials should be restricted to the minimum permissions needed for productivity and services should be isolated from each other if they don’t require shared data.
If you prioritize your data according to security level and use this to inform your permissions or access routes, such as by requiring multiple credentials for high priority data, you will be able to further secure your system.
#3. Enforce Security Policies
Many of the risks that come from endpoints originate with users. No matter how many tools you use, or how much you monitor, if your users do not understand or follow your security guidelines you will have a very hard time maintaining a secure system.
For this reason, it is essential to create clear and comprehensive security policies and to thoroughly train users to uphold them. Simulation tools can be helpful in teaching employees how to identify suspicious emails or websites and simple UIs and issue submission methods will encourage the reporting of issues when they arise.
Wrap Up
Endpoints are necessary to interact with your systems and operate a business, but they are also the easiest way for attackers to access your and your customers’ data. In order to protect that data and your operations, you need to ensure that your endpoints are sufficiently protected and monitored.
It is important to be aware of the threats mentioned above so you can establish an effective endpoint security policy. Implementing the tips I’ve suggested will get you on the right track but it is up to you to keep up-to-date as risks evolve and technologies change.
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