“Endpoints” are comprised of computers, mobile devices, servers, and smart gadgets as well as other IoT devices such as surveillance cameras that connect to a company network. They make up much of a company’s network and IT infrastructure and if left unprotected represent quite a large attack surface for hackers.
The number of endpoints in a company will vary by business size. Companies with less than 50 employees typically have about 22 endpoints. Small businesses with 50-100 employees have roughly 114. Enterprise organisations with 1,000+ employees average 1,920 endpoints.
Each of those devices is a chance for a hacker to penetrate a company’s defenses. They could plant malware or gain access to sensitive company data. An endpoint security strategy addresses endpoint risk and puts focused tactics in place.
64% of organisations have experienced one or more compromising endpoint attacks.
Below, we provide you with straightforward solutions that focus on protection of endpoint devices.
Address Password Vulnerabilities
Passwords are one of the biggest vulnerabilities when it comes to endpoints. The news reports large data breaches all the time related to leaked passwords. For example, there is the RockYou2021 breach. It exposed the largest number of passwords ever – 3.2 billion.
Poor password security and breaches make credential theft one of the biggest cybersecurity risks.
Address password vulnerabilities in your endpoints by:
- Training employees on proper password creation and handling
- Look for passwordless solutions, like biometrics
- Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all accounts
Stop Malware Infection Before OS Boot
USB drives are popular giveaway items, but innocent-looking USB drives can actually cause a breach. One trick that hackers use to gain access to a computer is to boot it from a USB device containing malicious code.
There are certain precautions you can take to prevent this from happening. One of these is ensuring you’re using firmware protection that covers two areas. These include Trusted Platform Module (TPM) and Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) Security.
TPM is resistant to physical tampering and tampering via malware. It looks at whether the boot process is occurring properly. It also monitors for the presence of anomalous behaviour. Additionally, seek devices and security solutions that allow you to disable USB boots.
Update All Endpoint Security Solutions
Endpoint security software should be regularly and automatically updated. At BIZC IT we take this a step further by monitoring the auto-update process to ensure it is occurring across customer endpoints as soon as possible after updates are made available.
Firmware updates – ie security updates for the various hardware components in an endpoint – are often forgotten about. One reason for this is that notifications for these types of updates isn’t as robust as for software updates. But they are just as important for ensuring your devices remain secure and protected.
It’s best to have an IT professional managing all your endpoint updates. They’ll make sure updates happen in a timely fashion. They will also ensure that device firmware and other software update smoothly.
Use Modern Device & User Authentication
How are your users being authenticated before being granted access to your network, business apps, and data? If only via a username and password, then your company is at high risk of a breach.
Use two modern methods for authentication:
- Contextual authentication
- Zero Trust approach
Contextual authentication takes multi-factor authentication (MFA) a step further. It looks at context-based cues for authentication and security policies. These include several things, such as what time of day someone is logging in, their geographic location, and the device they are using.
Zero Trust is an approach that continuously monitors your network. It ensures every entity in a network belongs there. Safelisting of devices is an example of this approach whereby devices are approved for access to your network and all others are blocked by default.
Apply Security Policies Throughout the Device Lifecycle
From the time a device is first purchased to the time it retires, you need to have security protocols in place. Tools like Windows AutoPilot and SEMM allow companies to automate. They deploy healthy security practices across each lifecycle phase. This ensures a company doesn’t miss any critical steps.
Examples of device lifecycle security include when a device is first issued to a user. This is when you should remove unnecessary privileges. When a device moves from one user to another, it needs to be properly cleaned of old data. And reconfigured for the new user. When you retire a device, it should be properly scrubbed. This means deleting all information and disconnecting it from any accounts.
Prepare for Device Loss or Theft
Unfortunately, mobile devices and laptops get lost or stolen. When that happens, you should have a sequence of events that can take place immediately. This prevents company risk of data and exposed business accounts.
Prepare in advance for potential device loss through backup solutions. Also, you should use endpoint security that allows remote lock and wipe for devices.
Reduce Your Endpoint Risk Today!
Get help putting robust endpoint security in place, step by step with BIZC IT. Contact us today to find out more.
Article used with permission from The Technology Press.