Cloud-Based Endpoint Protection for Business
In a world that’s driven by technology, all businesses, no matter the size or industry, are at risk of a cyberattack. Due to the constant risk of sophisticated threats, as a business owner, making sure your organization is adequately protected should be your top priority. And when it comes to securing your data and devices, cloud-based endpoint protection is the way to go.
Cloud-based endpoint solutions are an easier and more comprehensive alternative to traditional, on-site endpoint security. However, moving your servers to the cloud also opens you up to new risks. For this reason, you shouldn’t just choose the first endpoint cloud product you find. They’re not all created equal.
Learn the differences between on-site and cloud-based endpoint protection products and what you should look for in an endpoint cloud solution. Then you’ll be prepared to select the best centralized cybersecurity solution for your company’s needs.
What Is cloud-based endpoint security?
Cloud endpoint security is designed to protect all endpoints within your network. Endpoints refer to the devices, mobile or otherwise, that connect to your network. This includes desktop computers, laptop computers, tablets, cell phones, printers, and more. Any device within your network is at risk of a cyberattack if you don’t utilize the correct endpoint protection platform.
Traditional endpoint security relies on in-house servers to protect each of these devices. Cloud endpoint security, on the other hand, is hosted remotely, usually by a third-party vendor. By moving your endpoint manager to the cloud, you’re guaranteed a more synchronized security experience.
What are the benefits of cloud endpoint?
There are many benefits to relying on cloud-based endpoint protection. Here are some of the most common reasons why business owners are migrating from in-house endpoint protection to the cloud.
- Convenience and flexibility. When your endpoints are protected on the cloud, your IT department can monitor those devices from one centralized location. This is a huge selling point for companies who operate out of multiple locations, as it keeps them from having to hire IT staff for each location. In a cloud-based system, one user can set up devices, configure settings, and push out updates from nearly anywhere in the world.
- Hands-off maintenance. With the cloud, you don’t have to host the server on-site. Hosting an on-site server requires time, space, money, and resources. With cloud-based endpoint protection, everything is hosted by the vendor. You won’t have to hire additional staff to monitor those servers.
- Affordable pricing. Setting up an in-house cybersecurity system often requires a large payment up front. Cloud-based endpoint products, on the other hand, are usually based on yearly contracts with smaller monthly payments. This makes it easier for small businesses to access the cloud security solutions they need.
- Easy setup. Like most technological services on the cloud, cloud-based endpoint security can be installed and active in a matter of minutes. If you were to install an on-site endpoint protection system, it would require a good deal of downtime, which can lead to lost profits.
- Constant monitoring. When your endpoints are being monitored by a third-party vendor as opposed to your on-site IT team, you can count on 24/7 coverage. A vendor can monitor your networks and analyze your data continuously, with no breaks in protection. The vendor also collects data from multiple networks –not just yours – which gives you more comprehensive protection than you would get otherwise.
- Automatic backups. With traditional endpoint security, the safety of your data depends on how often you back it up. If your IT administrators don’t back up your data on a frequent basis, you risk a more devastating loss if that information is compromised. With cloud endpoint protection, though, logs of your data get stored on remote servers. If your server ever malfunctions or a threat is detected, you can rest assured that all your information is backed up and nothing will be lost.
- Frequent updates. When a weakness is discovered in a product, the developers can create a “patch” to fix that vulnerability. This is a process known as patch management. Patch management happens when you run updates on your software, fixing any mistakes that developers have previously caught. With cloud endpoint protection, vendors push out these patch updates more frequently and efficiently than with traditional cybersecurity solutions.
What Is endpoint detection (EDR)
Endpoint detection and response (EDR) - offers real-time, continuous monitoring of endpoints while also detecting and responding to malware threats.
EDR security works by monitoring all incoming and outgoing information for each endpoint, or device, on your network. By recording this activity, security administrators are better equipped to catch security breaches that would otherwise go undetected.
What Is managed detection and response (MDR)?
Endpoint detection and response (EDR) secures the individual endpoints. To monitor the entire environment, you need a form of managed detection response, or MDR. With most MDR solutions, your IT administrators will get a notification when suspicious activity or an attack is detected. From there, your IT department oversees taking action to mitigate that threat.
For more comprehensive endpoint protection, look for an MDR solution that goes beyond simply notifying you of suspicious behavior. Sophos MDR, or Managed Detection and Response, takes targeted action on your behalf to protect your network from even the most sophisticated threats. This solution not only detects threats as they attempt to harm your devices. It also analyzes the scope and severity of the attack, and then takes the appropriate action to disrupt, contain, and neutralize the threat.
Cloud-based endpoint is essential for ransomware protection
While cloud-based endpoint protection is essential for many reasons, it proves to be most valuable in cases of a ransomware attack. Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts data on your device to destroy, steal, or hold that information hostage. Cybercriminals then demand a ransom payment in exchange for giving you the data back.
Without proper protection, these types of attacks can be devastating for businesses. They either lose sensitive information or take a huge financial hit trying to get it back. With endpoint cloud protection, your organization will have protection that others do not. Endpoint cloud continuously backs up your data and stores it remotely. Even if your information is encrypted and lost, you will always have a duplicate copy. None of your data will be lost in case of a ransomware attack.
Deep learning technology
Another feature that adds an important and much-needed layer of protection to cloud-based endpoint protection is deep learning technology. This term refers to machine learning techniques where computers learn the same way humans do: by example.
By applying deep learning to endpoint cloud protection, your network can be protected against both known and never-before-seen cyberthreats. The machines that secure your endpoints learn what types of behavior are suspicious, so even if a threat has never been seen, the machine will raise alarm by flagging it as suspicious.
Many cybersecurity solutions claim to make use of machine learning technology, but it’s important to note that not all machine learning is the same. When it comes to malware protection, deep learning technology has consistently outperformed other forms of machine learning. It’s proven to be the best way to protect your data and devices from threats of all kinds.
Exploit prevention and cloud endpoint
In cybersecurity, an exploit is a type of code that takes advantage of security flaws or vulnerabilities in software. Exploits may allow cybercriminals to gain access deep into your network without being detected.
To protect against exploit-based attacks, you should use a cloud-based endpoint solution that offers exploit prevention. Exploit prevention specifically targets the techniques that are used in malware-less and file-less attacks.
What to look for in a cloud endpoint solution
There’s no question that all organizations, regardless of the industry or number of employees, should have some type of cloud-based endpoint solution in place. But how do you know which type of endpoint protection is best suited to your needs?
To secure the most sophisticated protection possible for your organization, look for a cloud-based endpoint protection product that offers these key features:
- Anti-ransomware protection
- Endpoint detection and response (EDR) and extended detection and response (XDR)
- Deep learning technology
- Exploit prevention
- Managed Detection and Response (MDR)
The only solution that uses these features to secure each network endpoint in your organization is Intercept X. Sophos Intercept X offers the best endpoint protection for business applications. Intercept X integrates with Sophos Central, allowing for easier endpoint management. Try out the free online demo, or get a customized, no-obligation price quote for Sophos today.