“It has become critical in today’s IT ecosystem to safeguard the endpoints of your clients, but what exactly is meant by endpoint security and what kinds of solutions are available? Endpoint protection has many components, and managed service providers (MSPs) can profit from them all.”

To put it another way: Endpoint protection, or “endpoint security,” is a system or procedure that secures and safeguards various endpoint devices (servers; computers; workstations; mobile devices), preventing infections from spreading throughout the network. As part of a comprehensive security strategy, endpoint protection safeguards sensitive data by keeping it safe on each endpoint that’s part of a particular network and preventing unwanted behaviour from taking place.

Typically, endpoint protection includes antivirus, anti-malware, encryption, firewall, and other security procedures, such as patching and configuration management, that are designed to safeguard the endpoint.

Definitions & Key Terms

Malware: An umbrella word covering malicious and/or intrusive software, such as executables, scripts, and active content, such as viruses, worms, Trojans, ransomware, spyware, adware, scareware, and more.

Anti-Malware: Protection, detection, and eradication software for computing devices and IT systems against harmful software.

Spyware: Installed without the user’s knowledge on a computer for the express purpose of intercepting and collecting personal data.

Adware: When a program is running, uninvited advertising banners or pop-ups are downloaded or shown. Using adware as a sort of malware means that it collects user data without their permission.

Phishing: In a digital environment, an attempt is made to obtain sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card numbers by seeming to be a trustworthy source.

Firewall: a means of preventing the diffusion of data across networks.

Denial of Services (DOS): As a result of this endeavour, network resources, servers, and websites may be unavailable or inaccessible.

Distributed Denial of Services (DDOS): A distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack.

Virus: When executed, a program or programming code duplicates itself, making it easy to infect and spread across systems, changing, or shutting down machines permanently.

Antivirus: Computer virus and other malicious software prevention, scanning, detection, and elimination software.

Companion Virus: Complicated computer infection that doesn’t alter any files like ordinary viruses. As an alternative, it produces a clone of the file and sets a new extension on it, which can infect the user’s machine when prompted, without the user’s knowledge.

Endpoint: An Internet-capable device or node that receives and transmits data back and forth across a network. While a modem, router, or hub was once considered an endpoint by some, it is more usually referred to as a desktop or laptop PC today.

Cybercrime: Any criminal conduct involving the use of a computer and/or a network, whether as the perpetrator or the victim, is considered a cybercrime.

Keylogger: Password credentials and other sensitive information are transmitted to an unidentified third party by means of a sort of surveillance software (also known as spyware).

Worm: The ability to transmit infection and move between computers is made possible by a virus that repeats itself without altering files and instead resides inactive memory.

Trojan Horse: Unwanted operations, such as data deletion, blocking, modification, or copying, slowing down performance, and so on, are carried out by this malicious but non-replicating application.

Webroot: A company that provides cybersecurity solutions and threat intelligence services for both individuals and companies.

How Endpoint Security Solutions Work

Using endpoint protection solutions, security flaws can be prevented by setting up and enforcing rules on endpoints that are specific to the needs of a given company. Before allowing access to a network, they usually check an endpoint to make sure it is up to date and fulfils the security standards set by the company.

If you have sensitive data on your computer, an endpoint protection solution can detect it and prevent it from being transferred or copied. A user’s computer or network can be protected by endpoint protection software, which monitors the user’s device for potential threats. As a rule, endpoint protection software uses signature or behaviour detection to identify and remove malware.

When a dangerous application is discovered, signature detection can be used to identify and remove it from a user’s computer. A dictionary of known malware is consulted, and any threats that fit one of the patterns specified are eliminated. It is necessary to update an endpoint protection program frequently since it can only protect against threats that it has identified as harmful. The problem here is that cybercriminals are creating new software at such a rapid pace that this strategy is no longer viable. If you’re going to keep your endpoints safe, you’ll need an approach that’s more proactive and up to date.

Instead of attempting to identify known malware, behaviour detection examines the behaviour of software installed on a user’s machine. Behaviour-based endpoint security software identifies unusual activity, such as a program trying to access a protected file or modify another program and warns the user about it. The software can either delete, quarantine, or attempt to repair the application or file if this type of behaviour is detected. New varieties of malware that aren’t listed in any dictionary can be protected by this method.

Generally, any endpoint protection solution is designed to keep your network secure and working smoothly. However, it is crucial to educate yourself about the characteristics of the endpoint protection vendor(s) you are considering before making a final decision.

What to Look for in Endpoint Security Solutions

Endpoint security is a critical component of any security strategy, and an effective antivirus or endpoint protection solution may help keep your customers’ computers safe from viruses and other malware before they can do any harm. Endpoint protection requirements may differ from company to company; however, the following aspects are essential for any good program:

• An endpoint application control that prohibits the execution of known dangerous programs on endpoints, which could lead to network vulnerabilities and illegal access.
• This includes significant threats like Crypto Locker, as well as minor weaknesses that could become major dangers if left unnoticed and unprotected for too long.
• Auto-update functionality that makes it possible for the application to download profiles and behaviours of new threats in real-time, allowing it to scan for and detect a new threat almost immediately after it is identified.
• Open files are scanned as soon as they are accessed using on-access scanning, which always runs in the background.
• End-user productivity is not disrupted by virus scans because of a tiny footprint on bandwidth, disk space, and processor performance.

An effective endpoint protection solution should also contain antivirus because it is “intended to prevent… the spread of dangerous software such as viruses, Trojan horse adware and more,” says Webroot. Scan and monitor the health of the computer for viruses and malware and remove any malicious code or activity that is found. This is antivirus software’s principal function. Antivirus (AV) software must constantly have the most recent virus definitions and signatures to be most effective, as the quantity and varieties of threats are increasing rapidly.

An ideal solution will provide complete security for your files and networks, as well as exceptional performance for your endpoints. Having the proper endpoint protection solution in place can help you better safeguard your clients and provide a more useful service as cybersecurity becomes a more important concern for small businesses.

Managed IT Services and Endpoint Protection

It is crucial for managed service providers (MSPs) to have a highly effective endpoint security plan in place to protect their clients and their data against crypto ransomware, which has been making headlines recently. Business activities can be disrupted with ease, and firms might lose tens of thousands of dollars due to cybersecurity threats. These days, managed service providers (MSPs) need to put in place quick, effective, and simply deployable solutions that both boost productivity and keep users safe.

For cybersecurity, it’s best to take a multi-layered approach that minimizes risk and provides a thorough defence plan. Endpoint security is a critical component of any security plan and should be prioritized at the top of the stack. Endpoint protection extends beyond simply avoiding malware attacks; it can include data protection, file encryption, data loss prevention, and device control. You should also think about network security, user access and identity management, and physical security while developing your security strategy.

Businesses also require a solid backup and disaster recovery (BDR) solution to ensure business continuity and limit the harm caused by viruses and cyber assaults. With the ever-changing nature of ransomware, it’s more crucial than ever that critical data and backups remain secure. The best method to guard against data breaches and loss is to pair a BDR solution with endpoint security. An IT security solution that includes anti-malware, antiviruses, and other software can help protect your clients’ endpoints and networks from cyberattacks by providing them with a multi-layered IT security solution and enhancing your RMM solution.