Common types of endpoint security

Endpoint security: An Overview

It is a system-security concept that involves protecting the entry/access points of a device in a way that no unauthorized or unwanted personnel can break into the aimed device and steal crucial information or force the device to perform actions that are not permitted. 

To understand it better, think of the gatekeeper of a residential system. The gatekeeper can use various measures like checking visitors’ identity, confirming house owners about the visit of the visitors, using biometric scanning, and so on to make sure that no unauthorized person gets inside the building.

In the world of digitization, the crucial assets/data/resources of hackers’ interests can only be accessed via data-driven devices and tools. This is why cybercriminals try to find a way to gain access via entry points of these data-driven devices.

The prime aim, here, is to protect these entry/access points so hackers aren’t able to enter the system. It’s an approach to reducing cyber-attack and protecting the data saved. 

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What can be Called the endpoint?

The wide adoption of digital solutions has given birth to diverse endpoints, and it’s imperative to find out about the type of endpoints that exist.

Most commonly, ATMs, mobile phones, tablets, laptops, smart watches, printers, wearable devices, servers, and webcams - or any internet-enabled device  - can be considered as endpoints in your network. Safeguarding all these entry points is our main priority while deploying the end-point security/safety measures.

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The cruciality of endpoint security 

The higher the end-point count, the higher the risks of attacks as hackers will have many opportunities to exploit an organization’s digital assets. The outbreak of COVID-19 forced enterprises to allow remote work. This doubled up the access points and cybersecurity risks. 

Employees, working from home, will use private and unprotected Wi-Fi connections for connecting to the internet and carry out assigned jobs. 

Also, the main focus of employees is on completing the assigned task, not on improving the security or securing the end-point.

Because of the lack of knowledge, interest, and resources to protect the system endpoints, there has been a huge surge in cyber-attack incidents in the past. Practically, it’s impossible for an enterprise to keep tabs on several access points in a remote office/working environment’s scenario.

With an end-point safeguarding mechanism enabled for the network, such businesses have a chance to:

• Control the access to business-critical devices 
• Monitor the entries and entry attempts
• Prevent/Reject unauthorized users/requests
• Protect all sorts of access points in one go
• Promote safe and secure remote work

How does endpoint protection work? 

When a cyber-attack is taking place every 39 seconds, it’s not wise to ignore the system security that starts with protecting the entry points. End-point security is counted among the top preferred approaches to safeguard them and reduce the cyber-attack possibilities.

Its functioning begins with an endpoint protection platform or EPP that carefully monitors every data/file that is entering a network system. The accelerated adoption of the cloud provided an ideal solution for cutting-edge EPPs to have easy data monitoring. Accessing data/files over the cloud is easier than before.

With the help of EPP, it’s possible for administrators to keep tabs on the transmitted data from a centralized platform. EPP is deployed on a network or a server gateway to help admins monitor the data accessibility remotely. 

After successful EPP implementation, it starts identifying threats and malware instantly. 

Often, EPP is used in combination with EDR. This merger leads to improved security for the end-points. It’s because malware detection, polymorphic threats, zero-day exploits, and various other attacks can be prevented and controlled through it. These solutions are compatible with both the on-premise and cloud ecosystems. 

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Types of end-point security

Own remote devices that require constant attention to security/privacy? Try implementing endpoint security for your network/organization.

As we have a wide range of device endpoints, it’s unwise to have only one or two end-point security practices in place. This is why its multiple types exist. Have a look at them most popular ones below:

• ‍Anti-virus

It’s a very basic element in security endpoint protection strategy that works upon identifying the potential malware and viruses and blocking them at the access point. Its usage is high because not too much technical competency is required to bring it into action. It’s delivered in pre-made software and comes with a one-click installation. However, its reach is restricted.

• ‍Internet-of-Things (IoT) Security

The use of IoT devices has increased in the past decade. Hence, the need for IoT security arises. This type of end-point security intends to keep networks and IoT devices linked over the internet. It makes sure that the IoT solutions are easily available, utterly secure, and maintain data integrity while exchanging the information. 

By doing all this, one of the important types of cyber security endpoint protection ,IoT security makes commendable efforts to reduce the IoT-focused data theft, vulnerabilities, mismanagement, and malware attacks.

• ‍URL filtering

Mainly handling the website access points, URL filtering is the process of sifting the URL as per the pre-defined criteria and allowing access only to safe and secured URLs. This way, it’s easy for a website to be used by only legitimate users.

• ‍Application control

This variety of endpoint security is useful for the early detection of incoming traffic from a wide range of networks/applications. With this, it’s easy for an enterprise to keep tabs on the traffic quality and route it as per the pre-defined laws. By doing this, it’s easy to prevent unwanted access. It also classifies the traffic as its type, security risk, productivity level, and resource usage.

• ‍Extended Detection and Response (XDR) security

This mechanism focuses upon preventing the misuse of data, as a response to cyberattacks, and unauthorized access. It achieves this aim by destroying the conventional security caveats and increasing the responses to a wide range of data. 

Its cloud-native approach is based on a big data ecosystem providing top-notch automation, scalability, and flexibility. Its upright implementation will lead to swift and goal-specific threat detection, reduce the risks of an attack, and improve the team’s productivity. 

• ‍Endpoint detection and response (EDR) security

This is a highly optimized and integrated method that brings effective data collection, regress monitoring, and real-time analysis together so that end-point access is protected. At a very basic level, an EDR security solution gathers the data coming from risk-bearing endpoints and makes sure that this data doesn’t reach other resources and end-points. 

• ‍Network access control

Viable in a situation where the proprietary network is at work, Network Access Control or NAV is here to ensure that such networks are managed and secured properly. It makes it happen by controlling the network access. It’s generally a combination of various endpoint security tools like anti-virus software, a firewall, and a vulnerability assessment solution. 

• ‍Browser Isolation

In this procedure, the focus is on preventing an end-user from accessing a corrupted website or app by controlling the browser activities. This is highly viable to protect the cyberattack as the spread of malware or virus doesn’t happen. In its activation phase, this solution eliminates the risky downloads, makes sure that corrupted scripts are not accessed by end-users, and avoids any zero-day vulnerabilities.

• ‍Cloud Perimeter Security

On a structural level, this form of endpoint security crafts a virtual boundary. At one end of the boundary remains the unsecured network asset and the other end is secured by a company-owned secured network; a firewall sits between these two resources. The firewall controls access to the unsecured network and leads to better cloud security.

• ‍Endpoint Encryption

Once you use endpoint encryption, it’s easy to keep the saved data/files protected on a device. It implements an encryption algorithm on all the endpoints and prevents data thefts. Its implementation leads to unmatched data security, regulatory compliance, malware defense, and other high-end security. 

• ‍Sandboxing

In a sandboxing-based environment, there is a highly active network protection layer to keep the potential threats at bay. Sandboxing solution releases suspicious codes in the host network without causing any harm to the system. It is useful for advanced malware detection.

• ‍Email gateway

Lastly, we have an email gateway. In this form of endpoint security, the use of protected email gateways is promoted. Email gateways are the servers that control the incoming and outgoing email traffic and don’t host any email inboxes on them. As the email transmission isn’t controlled by the enterprise, the odds of data thefts are less. 

Endpoint protection by Wallarm

Wallarm is a world-renowned API endpoint security platform offering a wide range of endpoint security solutions using which an enterprise can easily improve access point security. 

All of its endpoint security threat prevention solutions are expert-designed and are backed with advanced technology.

Its first offering in this row is an API security platform that allows end-users to monitor access, usage, and penetration of APIs of all sorts across the ecosystem. 

Along with APIs, this solution can manage and protect the API access endpoints for microservices, web applications, and serverless services as well. It’s so potent to protect the API access points regardless of the cloud environment. It works with equal ease and perfection to protect the APIs in AWS. Azure, IBM Cloud, and private/hybrid cloud.

Cloud WAF is another solution by Wallarm. This cloud-native web application firewall can protect the APIs and access points from OWASP Top 10 Threats, account takeover, API abuse, and various other sorts of threats. It is one of the best WAF solutions in the industry as it features robust bypass resistance and libDetection. It is highly useful to carry out active scans and black-box scans that are highly viable to reduce entry point threats.

Lastly, you have the assistance of GoTestWAF which allows one to test the efficacy of the WAF in place. WAF implementation isn’t the guarantee of security. It’s very important to check the efficacy of the solution implemented. One has to check the efficacy of the WAF and find out whether it can deal with the issues. With GoTestWAF, it’s easy to test the viability of the WAF solution.

Using all the above-mentioned end-point safety aids, your systems/devices will be securer. It will enable you to win over many expected cyber-risks throughout your organizational network.