According to statistics, 1 out of 5 companies shut down due to malware attacks. And it only takes six months before a small business closes after it gets hacked. How can enterprises prevent this threatening circumstance?
What is Endpoint Security?
Endpoint security is an approach that provides comprehensive protection for IoT devices such as laptops, mobile phones, tablets, and desktops against malware. It is installed on the central server, allowing administrators to monitor their status.
How Does Endpoint Security Work?
Endpoint security is commonly mistaken for a consumer security solution. These two are completely different. Endpoint security is designed to protect small to large businesses from malware attacks, while consumer security protects a single IoT. Perhaps the central management console that allows the IT specialist to monitor multiple devices makes a huge difference.
Performs regular data backup. If worse comes to worst, you’ve got all your data backed up in secure cloud storage. Data is one of the cores of the company, so it needs extra security. ;
Monitors inbound and outbound threats. Tracking suspicious traffic becomes a lot easier, preventing potential attacks.
Keeps operating system up-to-date. An outdated operating system opens a portal for hackers through vulnerabilities, so keeping it updated is important.
Updates applications. Business applications are an essential part of the business. They get jobs done faster. Without regular updates, they may fall victim to malware attacks.
Provides proactive solutions. Involves advanced and intuitive technology to counter sophisticated attacks.
Install security patches. When the patch for software becomes available, an endpoint security solution notifies the user and automatically installs it on the IoT device.
Seven Key Features of an Endpoint Security
Antivirus
This is the first defense against known malware such as Trojans, viruses, worms, spyware, and adware. When a user downloads a file or an application, the antivirus scans it before running it on the computer to prevent malware infection.
Cloud Database
Each malware contains a unique signature that identifies them. And thousands of them are released every day. A cloud database serves as a library with a huge collection of these virus codes and signatures.
When the antivirus scans the application, it collects and sends the code to the cloud database. If found there, the cloud database returns to the antivirus with a verdict that the file is malicious and then removed from the computer.
Behavioral Monitoring/Heuristic
Before, Signature-Based Detection was enough to identify malware. But as they became more advanced and sophisticated, they evolved into signature-less versions. And that’s when the Heuristic analysis method was developed. Instead of relying on virus codes, this feature monitors the application’s behavior to determine if it’s safe or malicious. The heuristic has a specified set of rules that may include no direct access to the hard drive and no direct registry modification. When the application breaks those rules, it is contained.
Auto Containment
This serves as the shadow copy of the hard drive and where the suspicious file is locked up. It tricks the file that was running on the computer’s hard drive. If it continues to display malicious behavior, it is flagged as a threat and deleted from the computer. Through Auto Containment, permanent damage to important files can be prevented.
Host Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS)
Fileless malware is the most advanced and dangerous type of malware. These work differently from the others. By targeting computer memory and writing their script there, they can remain undetected for a long time. Before you know it, the hacker has already stolen all your sensitive personal and business information. Thus, HIPS was created. It’s designed to monitor the computer’s memory constantly to prevent malicious access. This is one of the most important features of an endpoint security solution.
Packet Filtering Firewall
The packet filtering firewall monitors the network and IoT device’s activities. By doing so, it prevents internal and external threats. Furthermore, it prevents DDoS. A type of attack that floods the server with unnecessary traffic until it shuts down.
Website Filtering
The main purpose of website filtering is to prevent users from accessing malicious websites. But employers can also make use of this feature to improve business productivity. When boredom strikes, employees tend to watch videos on social media. With website filtering, you can block specific websites to prevent users from accessing them. Sophisticated malware proliferates even amid the pandemic, so it’s important to protect your business. And investing in a reliable endpoint security solution is one of the keys.
