Over the last year, many organizations have had to make dramatic changes to their workforce dynamics. Coronavirus precautions have caused a spike in remote work. The shift in workforce operations has had many benefits for both employees and their employers, and it is expected that remote work will continue to be a valued solution for many organizations.
And in 2021, effectively managing endpoints is more vital than ever. The continued trend of remote work puts a special focus on the integrity of an organization’s endpoints. Without corporate firewalls and other in-house security measures, end-user devices may be at an increased risk of being reached.
Here’s a run-down on the top things you need to know to effectively manage your endpoints in 2021 (and check out the full blog post for an even more detailed breakdown):
Malware and other threats are becoming more sophisticated
Endpoints are often easy targets for these kinds of attacks. Limitations in endpoint visibility and low patching rates mean that multiple devices on your network could be hosting a number of vulnerabilities that can be easily exploited through ransomware or malware.
Remote workforces are here to stay
As mentioned above, remote devices often lack protections such as corporate firewalls and are used outside of corporate networks. This means remote devices may be making unsecure connections, which is an additional risk to endpoint security.
Consider segmentation and configuration
Network segmentation allows organizations to separate critical and non-critical systems within their network. This can reduce the impact a compromised endpoint may have on your network. And configuring remote devices separately from your on-prem systems provides an additional barrier between remote endpoints and an organization’s most sensitive data and infrastructure.
Inventory and asset discovery
Maintaining an inventory off all endpoints, third-party apps, and off-site assets on your organization’s network is a critical step for managing remote endpoints. A strong endpoint management platform can also provide your organization with hardware, software, patches, and configuration details for all endpoints.
Maintain visibility
Being able to see all the endpoints on your network and take inventory of all your organization’s devices is a critical element of good cybersecurity practices. Seeing what’s happening on your endpoints in real-time offers organizations the ability to begin taking action against potential threats and remediate vulnerabilities as soon as they’re detected.
Routine endpoint assessments
Endpoint visibility is important, but having the processes and tools to regularly check-in on the devices on your network is vital.
Consider automating patching protocols
With automated patch deployment, you can ensure that every endpoint is receiving necessary security updates on a regular basis. Patching is crucial to minimizing an organization’s attack surface.
Patch third party apps and multiple OSs
Modern endpoint management solutions (like Automox) allow users to patch third party applications from a single console. By making it less complicated to deploy and install security updates, much of the user frustration experienced by remote and in-house staff can be avoided.
Consider cloud-based options
Cloud-based options for endpoint management tackle many of the cybersecurity concerns facing organizations today. Cloud-based infrastructure can provide organizations with the agility and flexibility they need in order to maintain remote resources efficiently.
How are you ensuring your endpoints are managed and hardened for any upcoming threats?