In today’s era of remote work and mobile devices, endpoint security management has become an essential component in protecting network resources from security breaches. Endpoint security management is a policy-driven approach that secures endpoints, including laptops, mobile devices, and computers. This comprehensive security approach provides network administrators with the capability to manage, limit, and enforce end-user access to network resources.
Endpoint security management has become a critical necessity for businesses as cyber attacks continue to rise. In this article, we will discuss the benefits of endpoint security management, explain how it works, and provide valuable tips for selecting the right endpoint security management software.
Benefits of Endpoint Security Management
Endpoint security management offers numerous benefits, including:
- Strengthening Endpoint Security Measures: Endpoint security management helps to prevent and mitigate the risk of breaches, malware threats, and phishing attacks on endpoints.
- Improved Visibility Into IT Systems: Endpoint security management provides network administrators with comprehensive visibility and control over all endpoints, helping to identify and address vulnerabilities, intrusions, and security loopholes.
- Better Insight Into Endpoints’ Status and Utilization: Administrators can use endpoint security management solutions to monitor endpoints’ activities, the types of devices connected to the network, and how they are being used.
- Enhanced Device Compliance: Endpoint security management ensures that all endpoints comply with the organization’s security policies, resulting in a more secure and compliant IT environment.
- Efficient Patch Management: Endpoint security management provides policy-based controls for patch delivery, patch management, and compliance reporting for OS and third-party applications.
- Protection Against Data Loss: Endpoint security management helps to protect data by applying data encryption, folder and USB encryption, and data loss prevention policies.
- Application Management: Administrators can manage applications and the access permissions of users, devices, and OS types.
- Remote Work: Endpoint security management simplifies monitoring and prevention of cybersecurity threats on devices used for remote work.
Overall, organizations that implement endpoint security management can benefit from a more secure network infrastructure with lower cybersecurity risks and better policy-driven control over endpoint devices.
In the next section, we will further discuss how endpoint security management works.##How Endpoint Security Management Works
Endpoint security management systems empower administrators with the ability to control policy settings for corporate endpoints. This allows them to control security and manage compliance to corporate security policies for devices attempting to connect to network resources. Endpoint protection platforms consider compliance status before granting access, ensuring that every device accessing corporate resources complies with the necessary security policy settings.
Endpoint security management platforms offer features like access control, device compliance, patch management, application control, and configurations for different types of devices. Integrated security solutions such as Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPPs) and Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions ensure comprehensive endpoint protection from new and existing endpoint attacks.
Here are some of the key features offered by endpoint security management platforms:
Access Control
Endpoint security management platforms enable access control of all devices attempting to connect to the corporate network. Role-based access control facilitates increased system security since only authenticated users with the appropriate privileges can access resources.
Device Compliance
Endpoint security management platforms monitor endpoint devices for compliance to the organization’s security policies. The solution then automatically applies any necessary updates to ensure that every device is compliant.
Patch Management
Endpoint security management platforms offer patch management capabilities for operating systems and third-party applications. Administrators can set policy-driven patch delivery and compliance reporting, reducing the threat of newly discovered vulnerabilities.
Application Control
Endpoint security management platforms offer administrators the ability to control each application’s behavior on endpoints and block applications posing a risk to corporate resources.
Endpoint security management platforms enable intrusion prevention and detection by scanning files in realtime, detecting potential threats that might present security risks, and containing the threats before they can cause damage to the network.
Choosing the Right Endpoint Security Management Software
When selecting endpoint security management software, it’s crucial to consider your organization’s unique needs, including your IT assets, business locations, device types, and current security infrastructure, among others. Here are some key factors to consider when choosing endpoint security management software:
Monitoring and Alerting
The software should have monitoring and reporting capabilities, allowing administrators to monitor and track the status of endpoints using a centralized dashboard.
Automated Software Management
The software should have automated software management capabilities for both third-party applications and operating system updates, saving administrators time and reducing the risk of new vulnerabilities.
Policy-Based Patch Delivery
Endpoint security management platforms should provide policy-driven patch delivery, making sure devices are up-to-date with the latest security patches.
Browser Security
The software should provide protection from browser-based security threats to ensure the devices are protected from any browser-based vulnerabilities.
Personal Device and BYOD Control
Endpoint security management software should enable administrators to manage personal devices and provide access permissions to corporate resources.
Customizable Reporting
Endpoint security management platforms should give administrators the ability to create customizable reports that detail security status, patch management, and endpoint compliance.
Compatibility with Existing Software
It is crucial to ensure the endpoint security management software is compatible with the existing software’s security policies and infrastructure in the organization.
Several endpoint security management software solutions are available, such as Webroot Endpoint Management, NinjaOne, Microsoft Intune, Opentext Zenworks, and Endpoint Central, among others.
Choosing the right endpoint security management software can be a daunting task. The software’s ease of use, compatibility with already used software, the capability to provide a complete range of endpoint security features, the cost, and support and services are some of the factors considered when selecting the right software.
In conclusion, Endpoint Security Management empowers administrators with the necessary tools to control and manage endpoint devices, including mobile devices, laptops, and computers. Endpoint security management ensures compliance with corporate policies, reduces the risk of security breaches, and secures endpoint devices. By implementing endpoint security management solutions, businesses can benefit from a more secure network infrastructure, lower cybersecurity risks, and better policy-driven control over the endpoint devices accessing corporate resources.