Endpoint Cyber Security during the COVID-19 Pandemic

CIOs are in an era of coronatimes endpoint security. As the pandemic accelerates, and working away from office becomes the new normal, most organisations are working on how to maintain endpoint security over a completely remote workforce. 

Endpoint security requires a different mindset along with a set of cybersecurity tools to fortify the digital perimeter.

Here are a few best practices from the desk of our cybersecurity specialist. 

Fortifying Against Wi-Fi Vulnerabilities

Normally, remote employees will use private or public Wi-Fi in any capacity. These Wi-Fi contains no security protocols and it allows threat actors to intercept messages, steal credentials, or plant malware. In fact, many homes now connect numerous smart devices, each of which is a potential weak point. Also, working from home might mean employees use personal or family devices, which may have increased security risks. 

Your enterprise needs to prepare for these coronavirus endpoint security challenges. First, deploy a virtual private network (VPN) to ensure a consistent layer of Wi-Fi security across your remote workforce. Second, ensure employee devices remain secure through capabilities that promote remote work such as intrusion prevention and firewalls. Third, make sure your core IT infrastructure can detect threats, through antivirus and endpoint detection and response. 

Hardening Matters

Every patch on every device contains valuable threat intelligence and prevention software that can harden the environment. Hence, your IT security team should continually update all devices to make sure everything stays current. An endpoint security management dashboard can help significantly to identify any devices which don’t have the current patches.

Authentication and Authentication 

Authentication matters to endpoint security more than ever before. As a matter of fact, authentication forms the digital perimeter just as much, if not more, than your devices. Your devices provide a gateway into your network. Embrace strong authentication, including multifactor authentication, for all employees logging into the enterprise infrastructure. The more zero tolerance, the better it is to prevent compromises.

Aforeserve partners with Data Resolve for its End Point Solution>> product never trusts any action, regardless of authentication. It constantly monitors all endpoints and all behaviours, looking for any deviation from baseline  

Emphasize Employee Education

For endpoint security to work in coronatimes, you need full employee participation. In fact, general cybersecurity needs complete employee and user participation for the most optimal performance. On the contrary, employees also represent the largest attack vector. Not only can they create dangerous cybersecurity workarounds, but their behaviours can also put your entire organization at risk. 

Thus, employee awareness and education on end point security is a priority. First, you need to ensure everyone knows how to operate within the parameters of your endpoint security solution. You need to clarify the consequences of trying to circumvent security protocols to dissuade employees from attempting it. Second, you should alert your employees to possible threats during the time of the coronavirus. Lessons can include how to recognize phishing attacks and other forms of social engineering attacks; a significant number of recent attacks attempt to exploit people’s fears and confusion around the coronavirus, often posing as trusted sources like WHO. Moreover, it can include how to avoid behaviours that carry a high risk of malware. 

Endpoint security thrives on shared knowledge. Now is the time to spread knowledge.