What Is Endpoint Security? How It Shields Your Devices From Modern Cyber Threats

I feel for business owners and decision-makers who have to deal with online security. Keeping assets safe is getting more complicated each year, from the frequency of attacks to their increasing sophistication.

However, the cybersecurity industry still has a few tricks up its sleeves when it comes to securing endpoints and critical IT infrastructure.

Endpoint security is the general practice of protecting devices that connect to a network ( endpoints) against malicious activity. Through continuous monitoring and analysis of all incoming data and applications, it detects and prevents security threats, as well as offers incident remediation.

Looking at the big picture, endpoint security is a massively important cog in the cybersecurity machine, as it acts as the first line of defense.

It more than warrants a closer look, from common threats and challenges to implementation methods — which is exactly what you’ll find below if you keep on scrolling.

Because there are too many potential gaps in defense that cybercriminals can take advantage of, every endpoint inherently represents a vulnerability, and as such, a possible entry point for the bad guys.

Each time you or your employees connect to your company’s system or resources, there’s a high risk of opening the doors for malware and other nasty stuff to steal sensitive data.

Remote work and ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD) policies only exacerbated the situation. Slowly but surely, they shifted endpoints away from the corporate network and its perimeter-based safeguards, adding more complexity to protecting crucial assets.

At some point, users were left to their own devices (pun not intended) to implement security measures, ultimately increasing the chances of human error.

And the risk is very much there. Only 17% of organizations reported no insider attacks this year, a significant decrease from 40% in 2023. What’s more, almost half of them reported an increased frequency of insider attacks over the past 12 months, with 51% experiencing six or more attacks in the past year. Talk about the situation getting worse.

Endpoint security greatly mitigates and manages the risk such a broad attack surface inevitably creates. Through robust solutions, it can proactively identify, pinpoint, stop, and contain cyberattacks before they do real damage to the company. It’s safe to say that in today’s decentralized work environments, where traditional perimeter defense is almost gone, endpoint protection has become more important than ever.

Endpoints are all sorts of physical devices and applications that connect to a network beyond its firewall.

By interacting with servers, cloud services, and various devices, they act as the key connection points between your network and the wider digital world.

Types of Endpoints

Almost every device you can think of that enables a connection to a corporate network falls under the endpoint category:

• Personal devices such as laptops, tablets, smartphones, and wearables
• Office equipment like desktops, workstations, and servers
• IoT devices such as smart speakers, surveillance cameras, and connected appliances
• POS systems
• Digital printers and other devices connecting with the central network

It’s not just hardware, since virtual environments and services count as endpoints too. These include virtual machines, containers, and SaaS apps, to name a few.

Endpoint Access

Devices connect via wired Ethernet cables or wireless technologies like Wi-Fi or cellular networks. Each device on the network has a unique IP address assigned to it, allowing for identification and communication.

Once connected and authenticated, it uses network protocols to communicate and share data.

Data is broken down into packets, which are then routed through the network to their destination. The most fundamental protocol suite is TCP/IP, which handles data transmission, routing, and addressing.

Other protocols, such as HTTP, FTP, SMTP, POP3, and IMAP facilitate specific tasks like web browsing, file transfer, and email.

Endpoint attacks come in different forms and levels of sophistication. Let’s take a look at the most pressing threats.

Malware and Ransomware

A malicious software designed to wreak havoc on computer systems, malware is an umbrella term (and a fine example of a portmanteau) for a wide range of threats, including:

• Ransomware
• Viruses
• Trojans
• Fileless malware
• Spyware
• Adware
• Bots

These digital menaces infiltrate networks and devices intending to stealing confidential information, degrading operations, and causing damage.

Among these, ransomware stands out (which is quite a feat) as the most prominent type. After it gets past the defenses (e.g., via phishing emails), it can lurk undetected within a system for days, weeks, or even months.

Once activated, ransomware uses encryption to deny access to a target’s critical systems or data files until a ransom is paid (hence the name).

Unfortunately, there is no shortage of examples showing the destructive power of malware.

From 2014 to 2021, a banking Trojan called Emotet was one of the world’s most dangerous malware, evolving to a modular delivery platform (AKA polymorphic malware) that changed its code slightly every time it was accessed.

In 2017, the WannaCry ransomware worm spread to more than 200,000 computers in over 150 countries, causing roughly $4 billion in losses.

As for this decade, the Darkside ransomware was responsible for the attack on Colonial Pipeline in May 2021, leading to fuel shortages across the southeastern United States. The company agreed to pay 75 bitcoin (around $4.4 million at the time) in return for a decryption key.

Just this year, Columbus, Ohio, had been hit by ransomware in July, resulting in about 500,000 residents having their personal data compromised.

Phishing Attacks

A form of manipulative attack, phishing tries to trick people into revealing sensitive information, such as login credentials, financial details, or other important information.

Typically, cybercriminals disguise themselves as trusted entities (a boss, coworker, or well-known organization), sending deceptive emails, texts, or phone calls to lure unsuspecting victims into performing a specific action.

These messages, usually driven by a sense of urgency, contain fake invoices, malicious links or files, developed to infect devices or steal personal data that can later be used or sold.

Tracing all the way back to the 1990s, phishing is a prevailing cyberthreat to this day for the simple fact it works time and time again. It preys on our nature with psychological manipulation and deception, exploiting humans rather than technology.

The resulting human error can inadvertently lead to a compromised endpoint, harming the user or the company they work for.

Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attacks

As the name suggests, MitM attacks happen when a scammer inserts themselves between two sides (e.g., user and another user; user and app) in a communication channel, generally with the intent to steal data.

They do so in many ways, some of which are:

• WiFi eavesdropping: One of the easiest (and, by proxy, most common) methods where hackers create a legitimate-sounding but malicious public WiFi hotspot. Once a victim connects to it, the hacker gains full visibility to any online data exchange.

• IP spoofing: An attacker alters their IP addresses so it appears a user is communicating with a genuine host when they are, in fact, connected to a malicious source.
• DNS spoofing: Similarly, an attacker can route users away from a real site to a fraudulent one by modifying a domain name in the DNS records.
• Email hijacking: Here, a hacker gains control of an organization’s email account, monitoring communications and gathering confidential details. In some cases, they even impersonate trusted entities through email spoofing to trick victims into transferring funds to fraudulent accounts.
• Session hijacking: Using the same principle, hackers intercept a user’s online session and wait for them to log into an app or service, then steal their session cookie. In doing so, they can gain unauthorized access to their accounts, such as email or banking.

These stealthy attacks can have devastating consequences for a business, from sizable financial losses to having its reputation take a massive blow.

Endpoints like laptops and smartphones are particularly vulnerable as they sometimes rely on unencrypted or insecure connections, providing entry inside a secured perimeter. Heck, you can even steal a Tesla this way, it seems.

Data Breaches

While often used synonymously under the general cyberattack moniker, data breaches differ slightly in that they exclusively involve theft or exposure of highly private information. They focus solely on compromising personal information, financial records, or intellectual property.

Sadly, numerous endpoints — especially those of personal variety — lack half-decent security measures, making them easy pickings for attackers. That’s why they are always on the hunt (besides using aforementioned threats and attacks) for outliers such as unpatched devices or services with security misconfigurations for access.

Outdated software with known vulnerabilities, as well as improperly implemented security settings found in these devices and applications, creates many possibilities for malicious actors to exploit the gaps and steal data. What’s worse, they can occur at any level in the application stack, making defending against such activity all the more difficult.

Insider Threats

By default, a company’s workforce, contractors, and authorized users carry a certain level of risk with them, which makes them insider threats.

In the context of endpoint protection, this danger largely originates through human error. It’s far and away the primary cause of internal-born data breaches, whether through negligence or accident.

One of those is device loss, where a misplaced company laptop or some other device can result in a serious data security incident.

Weak passwords are another issue since, through brute force attacks, opportunistic hackers can “crack the code” and obtain easy access to devices and networks. And let’s be honest — you don’t have to be a great hacker to guess a password as easy as ‘123456’.

Then, there’s the matter of access permissions. Some businesses are no strangers to lax access control within their network, granting excessive privileges to individuals or leaving them outdated — both increasing the risk of insider threats.

In some instances, poor communication regarding necessary authorizations may lead to a contractor, say, sending an important document to someone who isn’t authorized to view it.

Bolstering your company’s defenses begins by understanding all the layers that make endpoint security such a comprehensive protection package.

Antivirus and Anti-Malware Software

These two roughly do the same job of safeguarding you from malware attacks and removing harmful files from your devices, albeit with slight differences.

Antivirus software scans your system for known viruses such as Trojans, macro viruses, browser hijackers, and others. By monitoring suspicious activity and cross-referencing files against known databases, it can recognize and neutralize potential threats before they cause harm.

On the other hand, anti-malware software has a broader scope of operation, designed to identify and remove all malicious software, including viruses, ransomware, spyware, and the rest of the menacing -ware family.

Plus, it often sports more detection methods and specialized features like advanced content filtering for phishing protection and additional firewalls, making it a more comprehensive solution.

Encryption

The go-to technology to shield the most sensitive information a business has, encryption scrambles data so that it can’t be deciphered without the right decryption key (a string of characters used within an encryption algorithm).

Encrypting an endpoint’s contents keeps it locked in the event it is compromised in some way, making certain your data isn’t exposed.

As a foundational element of any data protection strategy worth its salt, you’ll likely encounter full-disk encryption (FDE) in an endpoint security solution, which encrypts all data on a hardware level, from the operating system files to personal documents. It’s particularly beneficial for portable devices that tend to be misplaced, discarded, or stolen.

Some solutions can encrypt removable media, like external hard drives and USBs, when inserted into a protected system.

This makes sure that the data stored on these “new” devices is shielded against physical threats. Also, there is the per-file encryption option that enables you to specify the exact files to encrypt.

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)

Specializing in addressing emerging threats, EDR tools provide real-time visibility and full control over your endpoints.

The process goes like this:

• EDR uses behavioral monitoring for activities and events taking place on all endpoints
• It analyzes every interaction in real time to uncover suspicious behavior
• Sends an alert to the SOC team when a threat is recognized

Perhaps more importantly, EDR can automatically isolate impacted systems and initiate remediation steps on its own.

So, not only do you get a continuous and comprehensive view of endpoint activity, but also automatic prevention of further damage and minimized downtime.

Firewall Protection

Unlike traditional firewalls, endpoint firewall protection operates beyond the customary network level thanks to software-based firewalls that can be installed on individual devices.

From there on, they can regulate incoming and outgoing network traffic by filtering data packets based on predefined rules.

In case the firewall identifies a pattern that has all the hallmarks of a malicious attack, it can alert the security admin or initiate specific responses.

Because they are installed on individual devices, endpoint firewalls allow for customized protection that best suits each device’s usage and security requirements.

Patch Management

An oft underreported aspect of endpoint security, patch management, refers to identifying and updating endpoint devices and systems to ensure they are protected from the latest threats.

These updates generally include fixes for critical bugs, security flaws, and performance enhancements.

The process usually consists of sorting patching priorities based on the severity of the vulnerability, and then testing patch compatibility before rolling it out across all affected endpoints.

It can be done either via an automated tool or manual deployment — you get to both plug security vulnerabilities and improve the overall performance of your endpoints and systems.

Multifactor Authentication (MFA)

As one of the strongest authentication solutions available, MFA demands users to verify their credentials in two or more ways when logging in to a workstation, company server, remote device, and so on. Otherwise, they won’t be granted access.

Multiple forms of identification normally fall into three categories:

• Something the user knows, like a password, PIN, or an answer to one of those “what was your first car” security questions
• Something the user possesses, such as a smartphone where they can receive a verification code via text message/push notification, or a physical security token
• Something unique to the user, which is typically a biometric identifier like a fingerprint scan, facial recognition, or voice identification

Even if one of these gets circumvented, the additional layers of endpoint MFA make it considerably harder for breaches to happen due to unauthorized individuals gaining entry.

There are always things you can do to shore up your defenses or at the very least, keep them as sturdy as possible. If you have remote workers in your midst, the following are all the more important.

Employee Training and Awareness

It all starts and ends with your employees. They are at the front lines, so any knowledge you can instill will go a long way toward strengthening your company’s overall security posture. And there’s plenty you can do:

• Frequently conduct educational sessions to have your employees informed about the latest cybersecurity trends and threats
• Special focus should be on social engineering as the arguably biggest peril, so you should train your employees to identify and report phishing attempts, coworker fraud, and other related tactics
• Emphasize the importance of strong password hygiene, along with the dangers of sharing their credentials with others
• Encourage employees to report any new devices they bring into the workplace to your IT or security team for proper inventory and security assessment

Every bit helps, so by following these practices, you can raise awareness and ultimately, help prevent unauthorized access to your systems.

Regular Updates and Patch Management

Make it a habit to install any updates, patches, or latest versions of software and firmware you can get your hands on — and as soon as possible at that.

Yes, it may be uberboring and time-draining if you have to do it by yourself (automated updates FTW), but sticking to the practice on a regular basis is essential as it keeps all your devices, applications, and operating systems from harm’s way.

It’s also important to periodically check for new releases. You can always assign the entire task to a security team member so that there is a dedicated person for the job making sure nothing slips through the cracks.

Use of Secure WiFi Networks

To say that using “open” or unprotected WiFi networks (no WPA2, WPA3 encryption) is risky would be the understatement of the year.

The bottom line is that if a WiFi network is not protected (like the ones found in cafés, airports, bookstores, etc.), hackers can listen to your traffic and intercept your passwords, banking information, or personal data that can be used for identity theft. They can even distribute malware.

A good idea is to use a VPN if you absolutely must risk a connection. It will create a secure tunnel between the unsecured WiFi and the internet. Even if a hacker manages to pull off a MitM attack, your data will be strongly encrypted and likely not worth the effort.

Also, use SSL connections on your frequently visited sites or those that require you to provide your details. Look for the “Always Use HTTPS” option in your browser’s settings.

Access Control and Least Privilege

Is there a good reason why any user should have access beyond the core privileges needed to carry out their job? No, there isn’t. To maintain a high level of security, it’s crucial to implement a strict access control policy and grant users only the minimum level of entry necessary to perform their duties.

For implementation, you can adhere to access control mechanisms like the Principle of Least Privilege (PLP). It mandates that users should have sufficient privileges to carry out their role and not an ounce more. They shouldn’t have entry to network resources or data not related to their duty.

It’s worth mentioning that PLP isn’t strictly limited to human users. It extends to APIs and apps that interact within network boundaries, so you should control their access rights too.

Remote Monitoring and Management

You can’t secure what you don’t know you have, right? Hence, it’s an absolute must to pinpoint and monitor all devices on a network so that you can get a clear picture of their security levels.

Remote monitoring and management tools proactively identify unusual activity and address security vulnerabilities, software updates, and licensing issues.

You can use the endpoint information collected to build comprehensive network inventories and maps. These visual representations provide valuable insights into your network infrastructure, enabling your IT team to recognize potential vulnerabilities and optimize network performance at the same time.

The tricky thing about hackers today is that they aren’t targeting businesses directly. Instead, they set their sights on public hotspots and IoT devices, turning your employees into the de facto perimeter. Hence, endpoint security has a much more nuanced role in the overall cybersecurity efforts.

Integration With Other Security Layers

To ensure all endpoints are consistently protected, endpoint protection complements network security by safeguarding individual devices from attacks that may bypass network defenses.

For instance, a firewall might do the trick in stopping malicious traffic from entering the network, but a well-protected endpoint can prevent infections even if malicious code slips through.

In the same manner, when endpoints access cloud resources, endpoint security ensures that devices are secure and compliant with cloud security policies. On one side, this obviously includes protecting against data breaches, unauthorized access, and malware infections.

On the other, less obvious side, it’s about having centralized management for better visibility and enforcement of security policy. This makes management easier while reducing the chances of human error across all endpoints.

Zero Trust Security Model

Zero trust’s principle of assuming no one and nothing should be trusted aligns perfectly with endpoint security. For starters, both models insist on the verification of devices and users so that in case any of them are exposed, bad guys won’t have free access to network resources.

Moreover, both promote the principle of least privilege, thus limiting the potential damage in a worst-case scenario. Endpoint security works hand in hand with zero trust solutions such as identity and access management (IAM), to ensure that only authorized users can access sensitive data, and security information and event management (SIEM) systems to detect and respond to security incidents.

The zero trust model advocates for segmenting networks into smaller, isolated parts to contain the spread of attacks. Endpoint protection plays a major role here, since it helps secure these segments by protecting individual devices.

Cybersecurity Frameworks and Compliance

With the nature of work shifting to remote work and all the intricacies of BYOD policies, ensuring compliance with organizational security policies becomes ever more important.

For industry-specific and government regulations like GDPR and HIPAA, endpoint security helps a lot by first evaluating devices and users, and then allowing a connection to the internal network only if they meet corporate compliance standards.

In addition, being compliant with relevant rules saves you the trouble of paying legal penalties while making you look good in the eyes of your customers since you’re showing them you’re committed to protecting their sensitive data.

It’s only fair that protecting all these devices from home, commute, coffee shop, and whatnot comes with a few hiccups.

Complexity in Managing Multiple Devices

There are laptops, workstations, servers, tablets, smartphones, a boatload of IoT devices, machinery, virtual environments…To make matters more challenging, some of them run Windows, some macOS, others Linux, Android, iOS — including different versions of them.

Throw in BYOD and individual vendor specifics, and you just have to wonder how to manage such an ecosystem.

Fortunately, you can, but not without a headache here and there. Endpoint visibility and management is no joke, and the difficulty largely stems from the inherent complexities of diversity and lack of encompassing control.

As a result, certain security risks and vulnerabilities may arise, so don’t expect a smooth ride.

Cost of Endpoint Security Solutions

Ideally, the endpoint security solution of your choice will do a lot of things, including:

• Play nice with your existing infrastructure
• Be scalable enough to handle more devices as they come
• Have a good user friendliness-to-robustness ratio

Thus, it should come as no surprise that endpoint security can take a hefty amount out of your corporate wallet.

Beyond the initial investment, you must factor in ongoing costs like licensing fees, upkeep, and resource allocation for updates. To “prepare” your budget for a major hit, it’s paramount to carefully evaluate different endpoint management solutions, balancing usability and necessary features with a sum you’re willing to part ways with.

Performance Impact

Loading up a device with security software, especially when it comes to features like real-time scanning and protection, can lead to bottlenecks due to higher consumption of CPU and memory.

This can lead to slower performance, more so on older or less powerful devices (not everyone has the latest flagships).

You also have to consider that cloud-based services will likely eat up a considerable percentage of network bandwidth.

This too can impact performance, especially in environments where bandwidth is limited to begin with.

To decide if a particular endpoint security solution is right for you, you’ll have to balance its benefits with the impact on performance.

It pains me to say it, but businesses of today and tomorrow will have new (and old) attack vectors to fight against, and subsequently, will have to find new strategies to address them. Some areas might call for more urgency than others, including:

Emerging Technologies

With the recent advances in AI and machine learning, cybercriminals are bound to use them for more sophisticated and less detectable attacks. However, the development of these technologies will also present novel opportunities in detecting such threats.

Notably, supervised machine-learning algorithms have already demonstrated the capability to identify harmful email campaigns with 98% accuracy, with the application of deep learning increasing the detection rate to a remarkable 99.9%.

The expanding role of machine learning in cybersecurity will also reflect in its ability to learn from new attacks. Ransomware and other malware have a distinct way of acting that makes them detectable without resorting to a signature-based approach.

By monitoring and adapting to these behaviors, ML-powered endpoint solutions can detect and respond to zero-day attacks (those unknown to the vendor).

Integration With IoT

Will it shock you to know that the number of linked IoT devices is expected to reach 32.1 billion by 2030?

The ever-expanding integration of IoT devices has put a nice, glowing target on them, including those among the remote workforce. This will demand the implementation of more comprehensive IoT-specific security measures in endpoint protection.

To secure all of these interconnected gadgets, businesses will have to implement methods spanning beyond the ordinary. Blockchain just might be the answer due to its immutable record-keeping that prevents unauthorized modifications and private nature that can establish a trusted identity for every IoT device.

Shift Toward Cloud and Remote Work

As remote work and the use of cloud technologies continue to grow in popularity, they open new possibilities for online crooks, and endpoint security strategies therefore must adapt.

This means introducing advanced and continuous verification methods of users and devices to prevent (or halt) unauthorized access — which is the fundamental principle of zero trust.

The increase in remote working and use of cloud-based applications has created a greater need for endpoint security.

It will also require leveraging Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) platforms to protect these remote and scattered endpoints. Thanks to converging network security functions with WAN capabilities, SASE upholds the dynamic and safe access necessary for organizations’ remote workforces and cloud applications.

Anticipated Trends

Aside from the above, other anticipated trends in endpoint security include AI-powered threat detection, which will improve significantly soon. It’s poised to be more skillful at uncovering zero-day attacks and advanced persistent threats (APTs), as AI continues to learn and adapt its threat-hunting mechanisms.

Then, there’s behavioral analysis, which focuses on monitoring, mitigating, and preventing insider threats. It will continue to play a vital role in endpoint protection, helping identify and rectify human and bot behavior that poses security risks within the organization.

Automated response systems will play a critical role in expanding capabilities and minimizing time to respond to threats. They will integrate seamlessly with other security tools for a more exhaustive approach, as well as automated and streamlined protection workflows.

Finally, we’ll likely see more of generative AI. While currently being experimented with for the most part, its power lies in lowering the entry for more sophisticated attacks, which will also open the doors to more hackers to spread harm.

The scary part is that cybercriminals don’t discriminate. They target everyone and everything in the hope of making a few bucks. With more and more remote and personally owned devices in the mix, there will be no shortage of opportunities.

Nobody said overcoming these challenges would be easy, so prioritizing endpoint security asserts itself as the natural next step. When all is said and done, you don’t really have a choice, do you?