Endpoint Security Software

What is Endpoint Security Software?

Endpoint security software protects enterprise-connected devices from malware and cyber attacks. Endpoint protection involves a multifaceted approach combining scanning and antivirus / antimalware, threat detection, and infiltration prevention. Beyond simple antivirus software, endpoint security includes endpoint protection platforms (EPP) as well as endpoint detection and remediation (EDR) software.

Endpoint security software has become increasingly crucial as Bring Your Own Device (BOYD) policies have become the norm for many businesses. Under BOYD policies, employees can use their personal devices, most commonly smartphones or laptops, for doing professional work or accessing business systems. Each of these personal devices are an endpoint that could be a vulnerability to the business.

Endpoint security software can help mitigate the risks that BOYD poses. It allows administrators to centrally manage the business’s endpoint vulnerabilities using a variety of tools at scale. This centralization is far more preferable than trusting each endpoint owner individually.

Vendors providing total endpoint protection software generally offer basic antivirus as well as higher tier applications providing additional security and remediation features for businesses. The specific advanced features offered will vary by each product.

Machine learning in particular has taken a key role in modern endpoint security. Machine learning methods allow endpoint security products to adapt to new threats more quickly than humans could manually achieve. This improved efficiency has made machine learning a mainstay in most leading endpoint security software.

Features of Endpoint Security Software

Endpoint security software offers the following features:

• Traditional endpoint scanning and antivirus /antimalware capabilities
• Scheduled or continuous monitoring of files and connected devices
• Lock down or restricted access of endpoints by administrator
• Restrict endpoint users from accessing various websites and applications
• Integrated firewall
• Policy-based configuration and compliance controls
• Automated updates

Endpoint Security Comparison

Comparing endpoint security software “apples-to-apples” can be difficult. Consider these factors when comparing different products:

1. Mobile Device Support: Mobile devices come with their own unique security challenges and requirements vs. more traditional computers. Consider how well each product support mobile device protection. An additional factor would be how unobtrusive the software is, which can make a big difference in adoption when trying to implement the software in BOYD environments.
2. Policy Management: How easily can administrators establish, manage, and customize security policies for different groups of devices, down to individual devices? Consider not only whether each product can do so, but also how easy to manage those processes are, since centralized management is such a core benefit of endpoint security software in the first place.
3. Hosted vs. On-Premise Software: Consider whether it is better for the business to deploy the software on an on-premise server vs. having the software provider host the product. Hosted solutions let businesses outsource the continual updates and improvements necessary to maintain effective security. In contrast, on-premise solutions allow in-house IT administrators to have a higher level of control at the cost of additional maintenance requirements.

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Pricing Information

Simple antivirus and threat detection software is relatively inexpensive, with a device per year pricing model. These simple tools can range in price from free to several hundred Dollars depending on the number of devices supported. More complex endpoint protection platforms including remediation can cost more.