Endpoint security

Maintaining effective endpoint security

5 min. read
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Today’s enterprises are faced with unique, modern-day issues. Many are focused on adopting more cloud-based services and reducing infrastructure footprint, all while the number of devices accessing the environment grows. This, in turn, requires security teams to create different levels of access, policies, and controls for users. Plus, as these businesses expand some unexpected security issues may arise, such as alert volume, lack of visibility, complicated management, and longer threat dwell times.

To strike a balance between business objectives and a healthy security posture, IT teams can implement some of the tactics we recommended in our Effective Endpoint Security Strategy 101 blog, such as virtual private networks (VPNs), proper employee security training, and machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) technology for predictive analysis. But with the threat landscape evolving every day, is there more these organisations can do to sustain an effective endpoint strategy while supporting enterprise expansion? Let’s take a look at how teams can bolster endpoint security strategy.

Managing the many vulnerabilities

As enterprises try to keep pace with the number of endpoints, as well as the threats and vulnerabilities that come with these devices, multiple levels of security need to be implemented to maintain and expand a sustainable security posture. One way for enterprise security teams to keep track of these vulnerabilities and threats is through the use of vulnerability management. This process involves the identification, classification, and prioritisation of vulnerabilities when flaws arise within a system.

For vulnerability management to be successful, security teams must have full visibility into an endpoint environment. This awareness will help teams proactively mitigate and prevent the future exploitation of vulnerabilities. Plus, with endpoints always evolving and being added, a vulnerability management system is a necessity for expanding effective endpoint security.

Beware of privilege escalation

Due to the sheer number of endpoints being introduced to the enterprise environment, the possibility of a vulnerable endpoint increases. And with vulnerable endpoints creating gateways to important enterprise data, cybercriminals often attempt to exploit a bug or flaw in an endpoint system to gain elevated access to sensitive resources. This tactic is known as privilege escalation.

To thwart cybercriminals in their tracks and subvert privilege escalation attacks, security teams can employ the practice of least privilege. In other words, users are granted the least amount of privilege required to complete their job. That way, if hackers manage to get their hands on an exposed endpoint, they won’t be able to gain access to troves of corporate data. The threat of privilege escalation can also be solved through patches and added layers of security solutions at different stages of the endpoint.

Administering enterprise access

Who can access specific assets and resources within an enterprise is an important discussion to be had for any endpoint security strategy. Not all users should have access to all resources across the network and if some users are given too much access it can lead to increased exposure. This is where access management comes into play.

Maintaining a secure endpoint environment requires security teams to identify, track, and manage specific, authorised users’ access to a network or application. By creating differentiated levels of access across the board, teams can ensure they are prioritising key stakeholders while still controlling the number of potential exposure points. Beyond monitoring accessibility, its critical security teams know where data is headed and are able to control the flow of information. The good news? Teams can rely on a solution such as McAfee Data Loss Prevention (DLP) to assist with this, as it can help security staff protect sensitive data on-premises, in the cloud, or at the endpoints.

Coaching users on passwords and identity management

Passwords are the first defence against cybercriminals. If a cybercriminal guesses a password, they have access to everything on that device – so the more complex and personalized a password is the better. Beyond encouraging complex password creation, it’s crucial security teams make single sign-on (SSO) or multifactor authentication a standard aspect of the user login process. These are easy-to-use tools that users can take advantage of, which help add more protective layers to a device.

Assessing the risks

As a security team, assessing the overall risk present in your organisation’s current environment is a top priority. From checking for potential cyberthreats to monitoring and evaluating endpoints to ensure there are no exposures – it's important teams do their due diligence and conduct a comprehensive risk assessment. Teams need to make risk assessments a routine aspect of their overall security strategy, as new risks are always popping up. To do so in a proper and timely manner, better visibility is required, and teams should get into a habit of red teaming and leveraging automation for response and remediation. McAfee MVISION Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) can also help teams get ahead of modern threats with AI-guided investigations that surface relevant risks, as well as automate and remove the manual labour of gathering and analysing evidence.

Once a risk assessment has been done, security teams must take immediate action on the results. After potential threats are identified and analysed with the help of McAfee MVISION EDR, teams must work to correct any potential negative impact these risks may have on an enterprise, resources, individuals, or the endpoint environment. By leveraging a centralised management tool, enterprise teams can do just that — reducing alert noise, elevating critical events, and speeding up the ability to respond and harden endpoints when risks or areas of exposure are identified.

Utilising advanced security solutions

To cover all the bases, it is vital teams leverage multiple endpoint security solutions that have proactive technology built-in and are collaborative and integrative. Take McAfee MVISION Endpoint and MVISION Mobile for example, which both have machine learning algorithms and analysis built into their architecture to help monitor and identify malicious behaviour. Additionally, McAfee Endpoint Security delivers centrally managed defences, like machine learning analysis and endpoint detection, to protect systems with multiple, collaborative defence and automated responses.

Advanced security solutions bring an endpoint security strategy full circle. Take the time to research and then invest in technology that is suitable for your enterprise’s needs. Growth does not have to be hindered by security, in fact having the two work in tandem will ensure longevity and stability.

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