Remote work and hybrid work options are increasing in popularity and experts agree that it’s a trend that will continue. As with any trends that impact your technology, your security needs to pivot to include all variables.

As work solutions continue to move mobile, hybrid, and remote, we see a vast increase in the number of endpoints that access organisational networks. This means that your endpoint management solution must be robust and flexible enough to move with all the changes at a moment’s notice.

Endpoints are the most exploited entryway for malicious actors. In fact, according to IDC, 70% of cybersecurity breaches start at the endpoint. This gives you some idea of how important your endpoint management is – it can prevent 70% of successful breaches.

Companies once protected endpoints by instituting bans on personal devices, but that’s no longer a reasonable or robust enough solution. In this post, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about endpoint management.

What is an Endpoint?

An endpoint is any device that connects to your network. This includes computers and laptop devices, but those are only some of the endpoints that might be connected to your system.

Endpoints can include mobile phones, tablets, smartwatches, printers, appliances, switches, servers, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. And the list goes on.

There is a vast number of devices that might be connected to your network at any time and many of your staff might use several devices, creating even more endpoints. You can see why endpoint management needs to be more robust than simply banning devices.

The importance of Endpoint security

Endpoint management is often an aspect of your IT infrastructure management. With more endpoints, it’s impossible to control the individual devices connected to your network. Many people will be using personal devices. So there needs to be a more layered approach to authenticating users. Today’s endpoint security processes are about developing strategic security policies while allowing an agile environment.

Endpoint security is critical because it is the most likely point of attack. Your solutions need to allow employees and clients access to the information they need to serve them while protecting your data and infrastructure from outside actors. All this needs to be executed while adhering to regulatory compliance requirements.

How does an Endpoint management solution work?

Authenticating users is part of the process with your endpoint management software. For most organisations, this process is far too intricate to handle manually. Endpoint management can be used to enforce policies and authenticate users, so the workflow is not disrupted but networks are more adequately protected.

Endpoints and network interfaces exchange data constantly, which means that your endpoint management solution needs to monitor these exchanges in real-time to respond to any threats. This gives your network optimal security while maintaining dependable connections. Your endpoint security management allows for faster responses to mitigate threats.

What is unified Endpoint management?

As you might guess, endpoint management utilizes software solutions to continuously monitor networks and apply patches, and deploy alerts to any activity that needs to be addressed. With unified endpoint management, you have one dedicated dashboard or interface that allows you an overview of all of the devices and OS.

UEM gives you one convenient and comprehensive way to monitor everything that impacts your endpoint management. This allows for clarity on all users and authorized access to data, documentation, and networks. Unified Endpoint Management takes all of the technologies that have been developed over the years to provide one robust solution as our work environments continue to move to incorporate more devices.

The strategy deployed in this type of management accounts for legacy systems and all variations of infrastructures your organisation may use to house sensitive data and maintain business processes.

What services do you get with Endpoint management solutions?

Endpoint management solutions should work to maintain security as more unprotected devices connect to your network. It should offer strategic cybersecurity protocols that are layered to maintain the highest security profile for your critical data without impeding the productivity and efficiency of your processes for staff and clients.

The solution must maintain absolute compliance with regulatory standards while empowering staff and your organisation to connect in real-time. It allows your team to monitor and authenticate users while identifying any cyber threats and applying patches or necessary remediation steps.

Many people who don’t work outside of technology have never heard of endpoint management. It’s an important part of your cybersecurity and network infrastructure management process that must be maintained at all times.

Why is Endpoint management important for IT security?

Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) is an integral part of your IT security and IT security compliance process. SIEM solutions provide optimal monitoring and fast solutions to protect your data and infrastructure. Endpoint management is an intricate part of this process because endpoints are the most likely port of entry for most malicious attacks.

As technology advances, your approach to endpoint management needs to include every aspect of your infrastructure and all endpoints. The solutions you employ can mean the difference between detecting an attack immediately and deploying solutions that maintain business continuity while remediating damages, to having your organisation in the news after being taken offline for days or weeks.

Difference between mobile device management and Endpoint security

In previous years, mobile device management was the preferred method to protect network security. However, that’s become less reliable as the workforce and organisational needs have advanced. MDM is often centred around a BYOD policy or bring your own device. Organisations mandated the use of only accepted devices. That policy was often overlooked by busy employees who logged in from their personal phones, home computers, and iPads.

While mobile device management might be a small part of your endpoint management in terms of training employees on cybersecurity protocols and best practices, it cannot be the process you rely on to protect your network.

Modern endpoint management considers all the applications, hardware, and software and provides advanced oversight for your company. This delivers heightened security without diminishing the connectivity your staff and client base need to maintain productivity.

How to choose the right Endpoint management solution

When considering the right IT managed services to provide your endpoint management solution, it’s important that the managed security service provider you partner with offers more than an out-of-the-box solution. Your endpoint management solution should consider the organisation’s current business model, infrastructure, legacy, and modern applications.

At Canon Business Services, we provide services to keep your data secure while streamlining communication for your staff and customer base.

Contact us today if you’d like to discuss your endpoint management needs.