What is Endpoint Security?


Endpoint Security is a technique for preventing hostile actors and campaigns from obtaining access to endpoints or entry points on enduser devices, including PCs, laptops, and smartphones. Endpoint security solutions protect cybersecurity risks on a network or in the cloud. Endpoint security has progressed beyond antivirus software to complete protection against sophisticated malware and emerging zero-day threats.

Endpoint Security is commonly referred to as the "frontline" of cybersecurity, as it is one of the first places where businesses attempt to secure their networks.

How Does "Endpoint Security" Work?

An Endpoint Security software searches for suspicious or harmful indicators in files, processes, and system activity. Endpoint protection solutions provide a single management console from which administrators can monitor, protect, investigate, and respond to issues on their company network. This can be performed via an on-premise, hybrid, or cloud-based method.

The term "traditional or legacy" is frequently used to characterize an on-premise security posture that relies on a locally hosted data center to deliver security. The data center serves as a hub for the management console to communicate with endpoints via an agent to provide security. Because administrators can often only manage endpoints within their perimeter, the hub and spoke paradigm can create security silos.

Endpoint Security is Increasingly Important

The demand for robust endpoint security solutions has skyrocketed, especially in light of the development of mobile threats. For today's ever-shifting and undefinable security perimeter, a centralized security solution is no longer enough. Employees rely on mobile devices, home computers, and laptops to access company networks and do business. Endpoint security adds to centralized security measures by providing additional protection at the point of entry for many threats and at the point of exit for sensitive data.

Enterprises can keep more control over the ever-growing number of access points and more effectively block threats and access attempts by requiring endpoint devices to meet security criteria before being granted network access. Endpoint security systems do more than just regulate the access; they also monitor and stop potentially harmful or malicious behaviors.

Antivirus Software vs. Endpoint Protection Software

Endpoint security software protects endpoints in data centers and the cloud, whether they're real or virtual, on-premise or off-premise. On laptops, desktops, servers, virtual devices, and even remote endpoints, it may be discovered.

Antivirus is one of the most basic types of endpoint protection, and it's usually included as part of a security solution. Antivirus discovers and removes known viruses and other types of malware rather than employing advanced techniques and processes such as threat hunting and Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR).

Traditional antivirus works in the background, regularly checking a device's content for patterns that match a virus signature database. Antivirus software is put on within and outside the firewall on individual devices.

Endpoint Security Components

Endpoint Security software often includes the following important components −

  • Machine-learning classification for near-real-time detection of zero-day threats

  • Security, detection, and correction of malware across numerous endpoint devices and OS systems using advanced antimalware and antivirus protection.

  • Web security that is proactive to ensure safe web browsing

  • Data classification and loss prevention are used to prevent data loss and exfiltration.

  • Block hostile network attacks with an integrated firewall.

Detection, prevention, and response must be quick and ongoing. This necessitates complete visibility across all endpoints, the capacity to detect and prevent complex assaults in real-time, and the ability to prevent persistent attackers from compromising their environments and stealing data.

CrowdStrike takes a fresh look at endpoint security. Unlike traditional security or network security solutions, CrowdStrike's endpoint security solution unifies the technologies needed to successfully stop breaches, such as true next-generation antivirus and endpoint detection and response (EDR), managed threat hunting, and threat intelligence automation, all delivered through a single lightweight agent.

Updated on: 09-Jun-2022

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