Usually, cybersecurity considerations end with checking the security of the servers and the services running on them, network edge protection, or technologies like SIEM or PAM. With considerably greater awareness than the typical business user, professionals address the safety of organisations’ “core resources.” The security policy must also safeguard the security of end devices like laptops, desktops, tablets, and smartphones in addition to protecting servers and networks (the last ones receiving the least attention).
Why is end device security important?
Because endpoints can be used to access data on the corporate network, protecting them is crucial for maintaining an organization’s cybersecurity. In other words, one can access some of the company’s other resources through its end devices, which also give access to data that is stored directly on such devices. One can have almost unlimited access with the right permissions. Because they are unaware of the potential consequences to their company that could result from the loss or theft of business data or from downtime caused by an idle employee using a single notebook, many administrators tend to neglect the subject of endpoint security.
How can endpoints be secured?
Up until recently, endpoint security was only addressed by antivirus software. Following several years of raising awareness, changes in the attitudes of the majority of computer users—even those who use them privately—have been made. It is worthwhile to use a cross-over solution; for instance, use a product from one supplier on the mail server and a different one on the end devices. Why? A user is protected by antivirus software nearly entirely, and the word “almost” matters. It is advisable to diversify one’s security methods because some manufacturers release fixes against one sort of virus earlier than others.
A backup copy allowing a user to create a backup of documents from a workstation, a phone contact list or an e-mail box is the second security element. Importantly, the backup should be performed automatically according to a specific schedule and, of course, encrypted. Remember about the 3-2-1 rule when backing up – the data should be in three copies – two copies are backups with one of them located outside the organization’s infrastructure, i.e., in the cloud. It is worth considering the backup of entire virtual machines for key users’ devices so that during a hardware failure or encryption of the disk with ransomware, the devices can be promptly restored to work.
The simplest technique to stop unauthorised individuals from accessing data on a company phone or notebook is through data encryption. Data can be lost due to employee negligence or intentional action, device loss, hacker attack, or hacker activity. There are numerous products available on the market that enable one to encrypt emails, safeguard individual files, or even entire discs. It is advantageous to consider the deployment of data transmission mechanisms, whether utilising encrypted communicators to ensure the confidentiality of the sent documents’ contents or with clients to allow secure interactions within the firm (i.e., commercial contracts or litigation materials).
Underneath this three-letter term, known as DLP, lies a broad family of technologies that stop employees from stealing data or accidentally leaking it outside of the company. Such systems limit or forbid users from saving particular documents or files on external media like flash drives or DVDRW discs, sharing them by e-mail or messenger, or uploading them to the cloud. These programmes frequently examine the contents of files, making it, for instance, difficult to email a file containing more than four Social Security numbers.
Multi-factor authentication and passwords
The fundamentals of creating and using passwords define their “strength,” or the difficulty of breaking them during a “brute force” attack, wherein criminals attempt to break into a resource using all character combinations of a specific length, or dictionary methods, where they are based on the selection of specific words because they are the most frequently used to build passwords. Passwords should be as long as feasible and incorporate special characters, numbers, lowercase, and uppercase letters. Nonetheless, the fundamental rule is to use distinctive passwords for distinctive network services. Why? simply to prevent scenarios when hackers have attempted to get onto other websites after a data breach involving passwords. It makes sense to utilise password management solutions that enable you to remember all of the passwords for frequently used websites and applications for this reason. They are kept in an encrypted format in the password manager. Multi-factor authentication is another “addition” to the procedure of logging into a server or application. Along with the login and password, the user must also enter the verification code they received through SMS or email, enter it into a special application where it is displayed, or use a mobile application that lets them scan the QR code from the relevant website.
Awareness
The people in a business and their awareness of cybersecurity issues are the most crucial component of IT security in that firm. It’s critical to inform staff members of potential risks and the appropriate and inappropriate actions to take in the event of a suspected hacker attack or the receipt of a suspicious email. 99% are secured by first-rate security. There is always a chance that the antivirus software won’t detect a new threat. Employees should always check the URLs of websites that require signing in before visiting them, according to recurring training requirements. But, staff members shouldn’t open attachments in shady emails or execute a macro in a document on a USB flash drive they find in the office hallway
