As we keep going along with the large shift that COVID-19 oblige companies to bear, things aren’t getting any easier on the cybersecurity spectrum. Today, more than ever, most companies demand to strengthen their endpoint security strategy.Besides what most famous security agencies in the world have said regarding the cyberattacks increase since the pandemic began, an IDC and HP study shows that 70% of successful breaches started at the endpoint spectrum.These kinds of threats can take the form of both internal and external attacks. Truth is an attacker can get access to valuable data either way.Once a cyber-attack compromises an endpoint, statistics say things can just get worse from that point on… Unless that company adopts a strong endpoint security posture to clear the path and protect the environment from future threats.

"350.000 pieces of malware are found every day." —AV-TEST

What are the challenges that most organizations face with traditional Endpoint Security?

Although Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions are useful security resources,  they rely on untrusted statistical analysis and machine models. These systems may no longer recognize the difference between threats and acceptable behavior.That’s why some users’ actions could result in malware, ransomware, and phishing. Research performed by AV-TEST found that 350.000 pieces of malware are found every day.Evolving cyber threats, increasingly complex and diverse endpoint environments, corporate misalignment of security technologies, and ever-more stretched IT and InfoSec teams are also part of those threats.

Why is it important to implement a strong Endpoint Security Strategy to protect a company’s IT infrastructure?

Here’s exactly the point where an Endpoint Security Strategy can play a better role than the now out-of-context EDR solutions. It doesn’t just fight internal and external malware, but also accommodates an evolving IT and threat environment.

Drives down the risk of security incidents and data breaches

This consequence comes mostly from improving security actions. Some of them might be removing admin rights, enforcing least privilege, applying “Just-In-Time (JIT)” access control. All of them help to prevent threat actors from targeting and performing on endpoints.

Reduces issues that may cause disruption, and protects against endpoint instability

Applying enhanced endpoint performance means eliminating superfluous privileges and hardening devices. At the same time, it also helps to avoid fewer misconfigurations, incompatibilities, and security incidents.

Improves visibility across the entire enterprise

Tight endpoint systems integrations, management, and control lead to a more straightforward path to regulatory compliance.Such actions are part of simplified compliance and audits, which improves the visibility of every IT asset.

Allows IT to support more types of endpoints and confidently pursue business-enabling changes to the environment

Operational excellence is part of a top-performing process highly needed nowadays. This procedure involves the roll-out of new technologies and ensuring standardization for monitoring and change control.

How can an organization shift to a more preventative approach to Endpoint Security?

Firstly, companies need to meet the growing diversity of devices used by their employees, vendors, and third parties. One of the most promising ways to do that is by executing a modern management approach to endpoint security.

“Removing admin rights is not just about security— it will also allow your computers to run faster, better, and longer.” —SAMI LAIHO, Microsoft MVP & Ethical Hacker.

This way, they’ll be able to be timely leveled with the evolving threat environments. Also, they shall be relying on a complete and preventing ecosystem that not only reacts through remediation.

How to modernize a company’s Endpoint Security Strategy?

Although statistics can look challenging, there are ways to apply and perform secured endpoint tactics. Here we leave you five simple steps to enabling a comprehensive approach to protecting all of the endpoints in your organization.

1. Apply a combination of Least Privilege and Application Control tactics

• Antivirus software misses more than 60% of the attacks, according to Ponemon Institute.
• Antivirus is the first endpoint security tool deployed when it comes to defending against common and known threats.
• Apply much more effective measures to complement AV performance and improve the effectiveness of endpoint security.

2. Prioritize and implement privilege management solutions

• Remove excessive privileges for end-users to stop zero-day attacks.
• Least privilege management, users can perform admin tasks without using root or administrator credentials.
• Microsoft did so. As a result, they mitigated 77% of their vulnerabilities.

3. Execute Pragmatic Application Control

• In 2019, one or more endpoint attacks hit 68% of organizations.
• Application controls stop users, threat actors, and other applications from executing any inappropriate commands or applications on an endpoint.
• Adversaries will typically target and exploit trusted applications to allow long-term access to a system.

4. (Now you can) involve Endpoint Detection & Response

• EDR solutions alone don’t give your organization complete monitoring capabilities.
• Your company may need well-trained security professionals and sound processes.
• Use an Endpoint Privilege Management solution as the second and third layer of endpoint security.

5. Rely on other Endpoint Security Tools (based on End User Lockdown)

• Endpoint Privilege Management makes all other Endpoint Security tools more effective by reducing the noise and minimizing the attack surface.
• Besides, organizations like yours could also consider different types of Endpoint Security prevention tools.
• Data Loss Prevention, Encryption (endpoint and data security), Endpoint Hardening, Patch Management, Secure Configuration, Remote Access, and Web Proxy are some of them.

How BeyondTrust Endpoint Privilege Management equips a company with Preventative Risk Reduction

"We’ve got a team of six engineers who manage the entire desktop and mobile estate, so we needed something that was going to empower them to get the job done in an as quick and efficient way as we can, and using Endpoint Privilege Management has allowed them to do that." —RYAN POWELL, Operations and Response Centre Manager

BeyondTrust’s EPM is a preventative Endpoint Security solution that focuses on reducing administrative rights and gives users just the privileges they need to do their jobs. It also helps them be productive and delivers fast, unmatched risk-reduction potential.

Some of Endpoint Privilege Management’s main features

• Least Privilege Enablement to restrict admin rights for users, accounts, applications
• Passwordless Administration to perform administrative functions on an endpoint without the need for privileged or administrator credentials.
• Application Control, which allows you to gain total control over what users can install
• or run in their endpoints.
• QuickStart Templates that let you implement least privilege policies which work effectively for every role and across multiple operations.
• Trusted Application Protection to stop attacks involving trusted applications.
• Power Rules to automate workflows, create custom behaviors, or build integrations with ITSM.
• Enterprise Auditing & Reporting Provide a single audit trail of all user activity to streamline forensics and simplify compliance.

So, as you see, the benefits that BeyondTrust’s EPM offers you are adaptable and achievable to your company’s endpoint security.In case you’re still wondering how to implement a successful Endpoint Security Strategy using Endpoint Privilege Management features, feel free to reach out to our team of specialists so we can help you strengthen the security of your endpoints.