Endpoint Security-Related Issues that Providers Encounter

Endpoint security is of critical importance to all kinds of organizations, big and small. As organizations all around the world get attacked by cyber criminals, efforts are on to secure all endpoints in enterprise networks. These include mobile devices, laptops, desktops, servers etc. “Fileless attacks”, which exploit gaps in traditional security, are also on the rise and efforts are on to prevent these as well.

HackerCombat discusses the different issues that providers face from endpoint security. Our discussion is an extension to the survey report ‘The 2017 State of Endpoint Security Risk’, published by the Ponemon Institute. The survey was conducted on 665 IT security professionals and was sponsored by Barkly, vendors of endpoint protection platforms Here’s a look:

The inability to combat fileless attacks
Fileless attacks avoid downloading malicious executable files. Instead, they’d use exploits, macros, scripts, and legitimate system tools. Such attacks are much more successful compared to file-based ones. A look at the scenario in the last one year would reveal to us that fileless attacks are on the rise and they are working very effectively. Since such attacks exploit fundamental gaps in traditional endpoint security and also make it impossible for antivirus solutions to scan or block them (as they don’t install malicious executable files). Most providers today find it difficult or rather impossible to successfully combat fileless attacks.

Loss of trust in antivirus solutions
Most organizations today seem to have lost trust in antivirus solutions, especially after the phenomenal success of fileless attacks. Very few companies seem to bestow trust in antivirus solutions as regards stopping the kind of threats they face today. They seek to replace their antivirus program with another or better go for an advanced endpoint security solution. This loss of trust is indeed a serious thing and needs to be looked into.

The growing threat of ransomware attacks
Ransomware attacks are on the rise and continue to be among the major issues that providers face as regards endpoint security. Today, almost half of the organizations across the world have faced, at one time or the other, ransomware attacks and see them as potential threats to endpoint security.

Endpoint security: The rising costs
The rising costs of managing endpoint security risks have made things difficult and complicated for many organizations. Costs relating to endpoint security also include the strain on staff and resources plus the loss incurred due to the impact on productivity. The increasing number of software programs installed on endpoints increases costs and also makes endpoints time-consuming. Companies also incur huge expenses by way of responding to false positives and fake alarms.

The costs incurred if an attack happens
Whenever there is a successful cyber attack that happens through the existing endpoint security, the total costs incurred comes to over $5 million. This again is something that providers need to reckon with.