Businesses are increasingly dependent on technology. And data is essential to the efficiency of that technology as well as future business decisions. With its increased use in business operations comes a larger attack surface. So, shouldn’t companies that prioritize technology also prioritize security?

Yes, especially when you consider the frequency that malware is released. The  AV-TEST Institute registers over 450,000 new malicious programs and potentially unwanted applications every day. On top of that, remote work has exploded since the beginning of the pandemic. The sheer volume of malware and growing endpoints, especially unknown endpoints from BYOD, has put a spotlight on security concerns.

This new environment has pushed companies to look for advanced security solutions that can protect against more intelligent and widespread malware. Endpoint security is designed to be that advanced solution.

What is endpoint security?

Endpoints are devices connected to your company’s network. These can range from servers, personal computers, mobile devices, and even IoT devices like smartwatches. When you consider the range of devices, it’s easy to see why there are security concerns. But to fully protect enterprise infrastructure, a new layer is needed.

Traditional antivirus software methods take a preventative approach to security, intercepting known threats before they enter the system. While this is an important security component, the sheer quantity of malware created daily means that databases will always have gaps in knowledge. Additionally, antivirus software is typically installed and managed at the user level, restricting the control and access capabilities of security admins.

Endpoint security improves on traditional antivirus technologies in several key ways:

• Continuous detection capabilities. With large amounts of malware created every day, it’s unlikely that your preventative defenses will recognize every threat and be able to defend against them. Endpoint security continuously monitors devices on the network to detect abnormal file behavior, leveraging AI and machine learning. It can then add new malware entries to the cloud for preventative detection.
• Cloud-based malware registry. Antivirus software used to rely on downloadable databases to ensure your software was updated on the latest malware. However, this process depends on user updates which are slower and unreliable. Cloud-based solutions allow endpoints to share a single database that’s always updated with known threats — eliminating security holes from endpoints that are slow to update.
• Unified admin controls. Managing an organization full of devices is hard enough, but the challenge is multiplied when using varied software solutions and processes. Endpoint security provides a single dashboard for all users and devices. Additionally, security admins have the needed controls to act when threats arise.

By combining preventative security with continuous detection and response capabilities, endpoint security helps companies defend against a growing number of threats.

Secure Your Network with OneNeck and Cisco

Data is one of your business’s most valuable assets and is also one of the most vulnerable. Security admins must protect devices that vary widely and are located in different regions, even more so since COVID has pushed many companies to leverage remote work in their operations. OneNeck partners with best-in-breed partners like Cisco to provide modern endpoint security that helps keep your data safe.

Endpoint protection is designed to prevent known threats, detect new ones, and respond to eliminate them promptly. Cisco Secure Endpoint uses the cloud to provide the latest threat intelligence, as well as advanced algorithms to detect new threats and rapidly respond to them — isolating the endpoint to mitigate damage and remediating malware across all devices.

Cisco Secure Endpoint brings together endpoint protection platform (EPP) and endpoint detection and response (EDR) capabilities in a unified solution, and it eliminates the need to manage separate solutions for complete coverage while simplifying deployment and management tasks.

OneNeck Simplifies the Integration of Your Security Solution

Security is essential, but we realize it’s only one piece of your network. Time is limited, and you need solutions that work reliably and reduce the complexity. OneNeck can advise you on the strategies and solutions you need to keep your endpoints safe and protect your data. Contact us to learn how you can protect against threats in real-time.