7 Ways to Protect the Endpoint and Win the Cybersecurity War Within
Thought your agency’s endpoint protection was up to snuff? Think again.
According to DLT partner, Symantec, legacy endpoint practices, processes, and technologies are no longer sufficient to block attacks.
In its whitepaper, Winning the Cybersecurity War Within, Symantec reported in its 2015 Internet Security Threat Report that in 2014, 317 million new malware variants were introduced. And, according to The Endpoint Security Paradox by the Enterprise Security Group research, establishing visibility across multiple endpoint security products and managing the typical 3+ security clients deployed on each endpoint makes moving from firefighting to process-driven protection a losing battle.
ESG’s research confirmed that too many organizations have allowed “checkbox requirements” and immediate tactical problems to undermine effective long-term security strategy. The irony is that 93% of security professionals believe they have the right endpoint security policies, processes, and technologies in place, yet over 30% are merely focused on meeting compliance requirements and nearly 40% claim that the security staff is overwhelmed with putting out cybersecurity fires.
So how can your agency win the cybersecurity war within?
Based on research by the Enterprise Security Group, Symantec recommends the following steps:
1. Start with a security self-assessment and standardize endpoint protection.
2. Use layered protection at the endpoint—Enabling the full-protection stack available in Symantec Endpoint Protection is the first step in defending against web-based attacks, unpatched vulnerabilities, drive-by downloads, mutating malware, and suspicious file behavior. For example, one of the many protection layers of Symantec Endpoint Protection is the host-based firewall. This can be used to control communication to and from the system as well as prevent someone from trying to fingerprint the system or perform a DOS attack. If the firewall component detects the attempts, it will blacklist the IP and alert the end user and admin of the attack. Other layers of defense against attacks are the Host Intrusion Prevention component, Insight™, and SONAR™. These protection technologies protect the operating system and vulnerable applications from being exploited.
3. Reduce the attack surface—Reduce the possible points of infection by restricting the applications allowed to run, the devices allowed to connect, and the actions a system can perform.
4. Keep browser plugins patched—Use the browser’s auto update or software distribution tools to install patches as soon as they become available.
5. Block P2P usage—Create and enforce a NO-peer-to-peer (P2P) policy, including home use of an agency machine.
6. Turn off AutoRun—Stop network-based worms from jumping from USB keys and network drives without changing organizational polices on Open Shares.
7. Ensure all OS patches are applied—Many threats function by exploiting known vulnerabilities for which patches are available.
DLT is Symantec’s largest federal partner and Symantec Platinum Partner. Read more about Endpoint Protection from Symantec.
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