What Is Endpoint Protection?

The benefits of living in a hyper-connected world are many. Unfortunately, the same connectivity that gives your employees remote access to the network can also be the biggest security risk your company faces.

With more employees using different devices to access secure networks, the need for endpoint protection is even more critical. Endpoint security protects those devices — desktops, laptops, and mobile devices — from being exploited or used for malicious attacks.

Endpoints are often the weakest links in the network, providing the attack surface through which hackers can launch malware attacks, steal data, take control of network resources, or interrupt basic business processes.

Over the years, malware and attack methods have become increasingly sophisticated. Attackers are masterful in detecting vulnerabilities in corporate networks and offer zero at the endpoints. Thus, endpoint protection plays a key role in effectively enhancing the entire network’s security and ensuring more efficient IT data security. But how exactly should we define network-integrated network protection in today’s increasingly mobile, digital world?

Endpoint security refers to the end-to-end business network security access when access is from remote devices such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, or other wireless devices. Includes tracking status, software, and activities.

Endpoint protection software is installed on all network servers and all endpoint devices.

With the spread of mobile devices such as laptops, smartphones, tablets, notebooks, etc., there is a sharp increase in the number of lost or stolen devices. These incidents potentially translate into a huge loss of enterprise-sensitive data that allows their employees to bring these mobile devices (provided by an enterprise or otherwise) into their enterprise.

To solve this problem, companies need to provide company data available on these mobile devices to their employees in such a way that even if the device falls into the wrong hands, the data should remain protected. This process of securing the endpoints of the enterprise is known as endpoint security.

It also helps companies successfully prevent any misuse of their data that they have made available on employee mobile devices. (Example: a dissatisfied employee trying to cause inconvenience to the company or someone who may be a friend of the employee trying to misuse company data available on the device)

How Endpoint Protection Works

Endpoint Protection works to protect each entry point and each file on each device. The protection of the company’s endpoints includes several factors:

• Multi-factor authentication
• Network access control
• Software update and patch
• Using anti-malware software

Endpoint protection systems run on a client-server model, with a centrally managed network security system and software installed at each endpoint used to access the network. The network administrator restricts access to specific users through endpoint authentication unless specific security standards are established.

Some endpoint security solutions also work on the SaaS model, in which security and the central and endpoints are hosted remotely.

How does Endpoint Protection differ from any other antivirus software?

Traditional antivirus software has been developed to prevent and detect known malware attacks. That’s one aspect of the overall security strategy at the endpoint. Today, that is not enough, even when there are several different solutions.

Endpoint security encompasses the entire strategy and technology repository to protect endpoints from threats and attacks, while antivirus software protects your computer or device from malware. Endpoint security is not only prevention but also detection and response. It is not reactive; it is predictable.

Modern endpoint security requires next-generation antivirus (NGAV) protection delivered on an integrated endpoint security platform with other advanced security technologies and services, such as endpoint detection and response, reporting for incidents, to combat advanced threats today, threat hunting, and forecasting analytics.

What is the best solution for Endpoint protection?

Endpoint backup during hard times is something one needs to take into account. More and more workers are working from home, using corporate virtual desktops. Those desktops need to be backed up because they contain users’ data, which can get lost due to malware/spam or other corruption or unavailability. In this regard, Altaro Endpoint Backup for Managed Service Providers is what you need.

Altaro has a new solution that simplifies end-to-end backup of desktops and Windows laptops in the room. This product is intended for use by Managed Service Providers (MSPs) as a solution that they will sell to their customers and centrally manage through the Altaro cloud management console. This is a common business model today that allows you to generate periodic revenue.

You can try the new Altaro Endpoint Managed Service Provider (MSP) backup and try the subscription-based product. (has 30 days trial).

You can back up your clients’ files to their Windows-based endpoints (desktops and laptops) and manage them through a multi-tenant console through a monthly subscription program. Not an image-level backup solution.

Backup destination

One of the first things an MPS needs to do is back up their destination. MSP uses its own Azure Cloud Storage account and configures and manages its customers’ storage backup location.

Configuration via endpoint backup policy. Each policy can target different service offerings. There are various possibilities where each plan allows you to define which user directories and file types you should include (or exclude) in the backup.

You can specify which Azure Cloud storage account to use and the backup frequency (1 to 42 hours).

Once the first full backup is complete, only additional backups are made.

The backup files are restored via the Altaro Cloud Management Console. Select the restore point> Select the file (s) to restore and click the Restore Selected Items button.

Conclusion

As security technology becomes more sophisticated, so do attack tools, tactics, and methods. Attackers today are adept at uncovering weaknesses in their corporate security strategy — and right now, they are raising zero points.

The traditional network perimeter has now been extended to the endpoints — yet for most companies, the actual security protocols for endpoint devices are not set. The attackers are also aware of this.

Altaro Endpoint Backup Solution is free for MPs to use up to 10 EndPoints per month, so check it out!