November 26, 2015
There was a time when IT security conversations were all about the network, with a focus on monitoring and controlling incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predefined security rules. By adding more walls and watching everything that entered and left the network, IT could safeguard corporate infrastructure and data. The endpoint was an afterthought—throw in some anti-virus, and maybe some encryption, then call it a day. Everything has changed.
In an article on Windows IT Pro, "The Endpoint Is Back on the Agenda (and It’s a Huge Security Threat),” I discuss the shift from a security posture of placing walls around a network to one where all devices used by employees (and that could be 3 or 4 devices, some personally-owned) are potential points of ingress for cyber criminals. It's no longer possible to protect a handful of network access points when you have the potential for millions of access points that extend beyond your corporate network.
As I note in the article, risk points are walking in and out of your organization daily; it’s no surprise that endpoints have been recognized as a top spending priority. Endpoints are a moving target, so controlling the attack surface is not as straightforward as network security used to be. If an endpoint becomes compromised, it’s imperative that you have visibility over that device, even if it’s no longer on your network. Knowing where your endpoints are, what data they store, and what security tools are active and enabled helps you maintain visibility and prove compliance.
A persistent endpoint security solution such as Absolute DDS goes beyond visibility with automated alerts, based on security policies, and response tools to remotely freeze or disable devices, delete or copy data, and prove compliance in an audit report. In the event of a security incident, proving compliance (with an audit log that shows data was unaccessed prior to a remote delete, and protected by encryption) can stop a security incident from becoming a full-blown data breach. Learn more at Absolute.com
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