Endpoint security is critical in keeping the information at our fingertips safe and sound. Security professionals must keep up with the latest changes and trends in endpoint security to ensure that their organization can keep up with this rapidly changing landscape. The cloud is here to stay, and the cloud is spreading like wildfire throughout organizations of all sizes. It prompts a significant change in endpoint security: from local-only protection to protection covering multiple devices. As organizations embrace the cloud, they must be ready for this new reality and future-proof their security strategies.
What is endpoint security?
It is software that monitors and protects client devices such as laptops, tablets, or smartphones. You can install Endpoint security tools on these devices to ensure that sensitive data is not stolen. Such security tools are also used to protect these devices from viruses, malware, and other malicious attacks.
Effects of Endpoint Security on the Cloud
1: Larger Attack Surface
A wide range of endpoint security tools such as antivirus or anti-malware, firewalls, and the like have traditionally been installed at the client level. It means that they are deployed on the endpoint devices and that it is up to these agents to ensure protection for the data at rest or in transit.
2: Increased Bandwidth
Installing more than one of these agents on a single device can cause a severe strain on memory and resources. In addition, it can also lead to unnecessary duplication of effort and bandwidth. With the current security breaches becoming more sophisticated, it becomes increasingly critical to limit the number of points at which they can launch attacks.
3: Cloud Computing Limitations
It is not just about protecting your laptop computer. Endpoints are typically connected to the internet for social media, emailing, and browsing activities. Endpoints also store important documents such as contracts and policies. If these documents are stored in the cloud, this could put sensitive information at risk of cyber-attackers.
4: Increased Risk of Vulnerabilities
By default, trust between systems and software is broken on a client-end point level when local agents are used to protect an organization’s assets. Clients cannot trust the agents they have installed on their computers and instead rely on the security systems that the organization has at its disposal. It can lead to vulnerabilities in the client-endpoint systems that can be exploited by malicious software or cybercriminals.
5: Increased security budget
The extra effort and bandwidth required for security also increase the costs associated with maintaining multiple instances of endpoints for a single user. The price will increase as the number of clients increases. It can also lead to an organization managing various systems and software, creating a higher human resources turnover.
As the cloud becomes prevalent in today’s organizations, a need for more advanced endpoint security is becoming necessary, and as the number of endpoints increases, investing in the latest technology will be essential in ensuring that your organization can stay ahead of cybercriminals.
