Simple Guide to Follow for Better Endpoint Protection
Endpoints make up much of a company’s network and IT infrastructure. This is a collection of computers, mobile devices, servers, and smart gadgets. As well as other IoT devices that all connect to the company network.
The number of endpoints a company has will vary by business size. Companies with less than 50 employees have about 22 endpoints. Small businesses with 50-100 employees have roughly 114. Enterprise organizations with 1,000+ employees average 1,920 endpoints.
Each of those devices is a chance for a hacker to penetrate a company’s defenses. They could plant malware or gain access to sensitive company data. An endpoint security strategy addresses endpoint risk and puts focused tactics in place.
64% of organizations have experienced one or more compromising endpoint attacks.
In this guide, we’ll provide you with straightforward solutions. Solutions focused on protection of endpoint devices.
Address Password Vulnerabilities
Passwords are one of the biggest vulnerabilities when it comes to endpoints. The news reports large data breaches all the time related to leaked passwords. For example, there is the RockYou2021 breach. It exposed the largest number of passwords ever – 3.2 billion.
Poor password security and breaches make credential theft one of the biggest dangers to cybersecurity.
Address password vulnerabilities in your endpoints by:
- Training employees on proper password creation and handling
- Look for passwordless solutions, like biometrics
- Install multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all accounts
Update All Endpoint Security Solutions
You should regularly update your endpoint security solutions. It’s best to automate software updates if possible so they aren’t left to chance.
Firmware updates are often forgotten about. One reason is that they don’t usually pop up the same types of warnings as software updates. But they are just as important for ensuring your devices remain secure and protected.
It’s best to have an IT professional managing all your endpoint updates. They’ll make sure updates happen in a timely fashion. They will also ensure that devices and software update smoothly.
Use Modern Device & User Authentication
How are you authenticating users to access your network, business apps, and data? If you are using only a username and password, then your company is at high risk of a breach.
Use two modern methods for authentication:
- Contextual authentication
- Zero Trust approach
Contextual authentication takes MFA a step further. It looks at context-based cues for authentication and security policies. These include several things. Such as, what time of day someone is logging in, their geographic location, and the device they are using.
Zero Trust is an approach that continuously monitors your network. It ensures every entity in a network belongs there. Safelisting of devices is an example of this approach. You approve all devices for access to your network and block all others by default.