As cybercrime targets have expanded to include specific applications, data in transit, and data stored in the cloud, security technology has evolved to minimize these threats. It’s essential, however, not to focus all your efforts there. Even though solutions have developed to address threats beyond attacks on PCs, servers, and networked devices, endpoint security solutions remain a non-negotiable part of a comprehensive security strategy.
These four facts underscore the importance of endpoint protection in the total IT security strategies you implement for your clients:
1Most hackers target people using endpoints
Hackers are looking for the path of least resistance to get into a network, and, unfortunately, that’s often users. Phishing and other social engineering attacks are designed to entice people to provide login credentials, click a link or open an attachment, allowing hackers to access information or deploy malware. About 94 percent of malware is delivered via phishing emails.
Training employees on security best practices can minimize the risk of human error; however, hackers are launching increasingly sophisticated attacks. They research their targets on social media or other channels and use the details they find to craft believable phishing emails that users may be more likely to believe are legitimate. As a result, your clients need an endpoint security solution that can detect and stop threats that start with the wrong click.
2IT teams lack visibility into how breaches occur
IBM research found that, on average, it takes businesses and organizations 212 days to discover a data breach and 75 days to get it under control.
The fact that organizations aren’t catching threats suggests a lack of visibility into what’s happening on their networks, including endpoint security gaps. And without that visibility, they can’t build an effective defense and respond to intrusions quickly enough to mitigate data loss and network damage.
3BYOD and IoT create vulnerabilities
Business networks are expanding to include mobile, employee-owned, and IoT devices. However, a larger attack surface and decreased visibility into malicious activity come with the benefits of a connected enterprise. Check Point reports in 2020, 97% of organizations faced mobile threats, and 46% had at least one employee download a malicious mobile application. Additionally, the 2023 SonicWall Cyber Threat Report states IoT malware skyrocketed in 2022, totaling over 100 million, an 87% year-over-year increase. Attacks increased by 169% in the U.S. alone.
Organizations must identify and secure all network endpoints, whether hard-wired or connected via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi or transmitting data from a remote location or over a public network.
4Advanced threats need more than antivirus
Endpoint detection and response (EDR) technology goes beyond legacy antivirus (AV) or antimalware solutions by not simply stopping malware but providing visibility to analyze and respond to advanced threats across multiple endpoints. In addition, you can combine EDR with other endpoint protection solutions to address a broad range of threats and increase your client’s chances of stopping an attack before it leads to data loss and a negative impact on business.
Security solutions are evolving, but it doesn’t minimize the importance of endpoint security. Instead, build a comprehensive security strategy with your clients that goes beyond antivirus to provide a higher level of endpoint protection.
