Endpoint security is one of the vital cybersecurity points everyone should be taking into account as they establish their security posture. It is not just some cybersecurity fad. All organizations have endpoints that need to be properly secured. It is not optional. It is one of the basic requirements for good cybersecurity
Together with edge security, it is one of the crucial factors in implementing zero-trust defense. Endpoints are among the top targets of cybercriminals, regardless of the size of an organization and the industry it is in. Even personal devices are themselves endpoints that need proper cyber protection.
Many unfortunately do not realize how bad their endpoint security problem already is. This needs to change, and a good starting point is to identify the telltale signs of the need for better endpoint security.
Lack of continuous threat monitoring
With the growing frequency of cyber-attacks and their evolving sophistication, periodic checking no longer cuts it. Any lull in threat monitoring is an opportunity for bad actors to exploit vulnerabilities and possibly defeat cyber defenses. ISACA, an international IT governance professional association, considers continuous monitoring an essential cybersecurity component.
What’s good about the cybersecurity industry now is that continuous and even real-time threat tracking solutions are already available. There are EDR security solutions designed to provide an integrated and multifaceted approach to ensuring endpoint protection. These solutions can offer continuous monitoring together with sensible endpoint analytics and rules-driven automation for a more efficient response to security incidents.
Continuous threat monitoring is particularly important as organizations go online, and the remote work setup is already becoming the norm. Constant internet connection indubitably makes organizations more prone to cyber risks. Also, the complex software supply chain in most organizations nowadays is creating more chances for threat actors.
Siloing of security controls
It is not unusual for most organizations to employ different security tools from various vendors. However, this can become problematic when the different solutions used are disconnected. This results in siloing, which does not maximize the functions of the security tools at the very least or results in vulnerability-inducing complexity in managing multiple security controls at worst. The complexities can lead to poor security visibility, which can allow attacks especially advanced persistent to penetrate.
Siloing is quite common among organizations. It happens when cyber threat intelligence is not shared between SOCs, incident response teams, and threat intelligence groups. Around 60 percent of organizations say that they experienced slow threat response because of security data siloing while some 57 percent report that they could have avoided data breaches if they managed to eliminate siloing. There is consensus among security teams that siloed security data prevent them from attaining collective cybersecurity.
This problem is not without an effective solution, though. There are unified security platforms that can bring different security solutions together. They can consolidate multiple tools to maximize their functions and features as they work cohesively together. The security data they generate can also be put to better use under a unified platform with an intuitive interface that makes it easy to keep track of threats and promptly address the most urgent concerns.
Inability to keep up with security alerts
The use of multiple security controls inevitably results in huge volumes of security data. This is particularly true for organizations that operate many workstations, servers, and other devices including IoT gadgets as part of their regular operations. Cybersecurity software tools routinely monitor these endpoints and generate security information accordingly. If an organization does not have a good system for endpoint security, it is easy to get overwhelmed by all the information and fail to address urgent notifications.
To address this problem, it helps to turn to automated endpoint detection, response, and mitigation solutions. Advanced EDR, especially those backed by machine learning, makes it possible to address most of the security alerts automatically. There is no need to manually classify threats and delegate the actions on what to do with them to security administrators or device operators. With the right endpoint security solution, threats can be monitored and responded to in a highly efficient manner.
Poor attack surface reduction
Endpoints are attack surfaces commonly targeted because their security often depends on the people behind such endpoints. As the cliché goes, humans are the weakest link in the cybersecurity chain. With ingenious social engineering attacks and other schemes, cybercriminals manage to introduce malware into different endpoints or take advantage of weaknesses to steal data or commit other serious attacks.
Attack surface reduction is understandably challenging. Even if workstations, servers, laptops, and other endpoint devices have a physical presence, it is difficult to secure them one by one, especially when there are too many of them. Also, the lack of clear policies regarding their access to the organization’s network and IT assets makes it harder to manage the risks.
It is advisable to put in place a dependable endpoint security solution to have a more competent way of dealing with growing endpoint threats. Many in an organization may be knowledgeable in using various devices, but the knowledge of using them securely is a different story. They likely have no idea that they should be using anti-exploit tools for the operating systems and third-party apps used in their devices. They are also unaware of the need for contextual detection functions to help protect the endpoints they are using.
Using incompatible architectures and legacy systems
It is not easy to completely ditch the use of legacy software and hardware, especially for businesses with limited resources and relying on old systems for many aspects of their operations. In fact, many agencies of the US government are still using old versions of Windows. Some in the United States Department of Defense are still using Windows 95 and Windows XP. Both of them have already been discontinued by Microsoft, and support for them has also been discontinued.
Ideally, everything in an organization should be compatible with each other to ensure security visibility. However, what is ideal is virtually impossible to achieve. There are many instances when organizations have to continue using old devices and software. Organizations in these circumstances need to realize how important it is for them to improve their endpoint security.
The best solution for this problem is to leave incompatible legacy systems and architectures behind. In the long run, organizations will eventually have to upgrade their systems, which would also mean upgrading their security. Some may not be able to move ahead with the necessary upgrades, though. For them, the next best solution is to use a better endpoint security solution.
Optimum endpoint security is a must
Many are likely to see a couple or more of the signs listed above in their organizations. Finding these signs may not be as alarming as detecting a cyber attack, but it also requires an urgent response. The need for enhanced endpoint security, especially in the midst of more aggressive and sophisticated threats, should not be downplayed. There are many solutions readily available, so there are no justifiable excuses not to improve endpoint security.
