Endpoint security management is a policy-based approach to network security that requires endpoint devices to comply with specific criteria before they are granted access to network resources. Endpoints can include PCs, laptops, smart phones, tablets and specialized equipment such as bar code readers or point of sale (POS) terminals.
To ensure that your infrastructure is protected against external threats, it’s critical to not only secure the infrastructure at the perimeter, but also at the endpoint. Most organizations already have some endpoint security controls implemented such as firewall, antivirus and patch management, but the endpoint security market has massively evolved and new products have made it much more complex than these three basic technologies.
The landscapes of today’s enterprise networks are radically different than they were 10 years ago. IT staffs no longer have control over every endpoint connecting to the network, leading to a host of problems where access control is weak or nonexistent, and the endpoints are not properly secured. Hence, insecure endpoints can act as an open door to malicious users or hackers looking to cause harm to your network. Therefore considering, endpoint security should be an essential component of every organization’s network access control strategy.
Antimalware protection has evolved to include the use of complex endpoint security suites with multiple malware detection techniques and features, such as host-based intrusion prevention (HIPS) and full-disk encryption. Endpoint security suites offer multiple malware detection techniques and data protection features, which are especially appealing to midmarket IT organizations.