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  • Writer's pictureFlagler Technologies

Endpoint Protection 101: What Is It & How It Works

Updated: Oct 27, 2021


endpoint protection services

What business or enterprise doesn’t want their system to have ironclad security? To ensure that your system has strong security to protect against malware, hackers, file-less attacks, and more, you need a sophisticated endpoint security system. If you are wondering what is endpoint protection, you are not alone.


Here’s a look at endpoint protection (endpoint security), why your business needs it, how it works, the differences between it traditional antivirus protection, and, most importantly, its effectiveness.

Endpoint Protection Defined

Endpoint protection, also known as endpoint security, protects the endpoints of any network against attacks from inadvertent data leaks due to human error, malware, hackers, and other cyber threats that cannot be averted by antivirus protection alone. This makes endpoint protection a necessary part of full-spectrum security solutions that have the capability to secure data from the world’s leading companies. Endpoint protection offers centrally managed security solutions that can protect endpoints such as workstations, mobile devices, and servers.

What Are Endpoints?

The connection of tablets, laptops, or mobile phones, mobile phones, or any IoT devices that remotely bridge to the network are endpoints. Endpoint protection gives centralized control to the entire system of endpoints.


Enterprises and organizations consist of multiple devices (endpoints). Every endpoint degrades the security of the system. So, to protect enterprises from cyber security threats, endpoint protection is used by Managed IT services to keep your data secure.

Why Does Your Business Need Endpoint Protection?

Regardless of the size of your business, you probably use devices such as computers and laptops that are connected to a network. And the majority of your company’s data is on those devices.


Any organization grows as time passes, and that means more devices or endpoints connected to the network and more porous your system is, as each endpoint acts as a gateway for your employee users and hackers alike. Access to your digital assets becomes easier as the number of endpoints increases. This, in turn, makes it easier for your data to be attacked by crypto-jacking, ransomware, file-less malware, or by hackers through methods like distributed denial of service (DDoS).


Your IT infrastructure’s default security devices can’t always offer the level of cyber security protection from all attacks that endpoint protection can. It offers a single solution that protects devices and data consistently over the entire network or in the cloud.


However, there are a number of other benefits of endpoint protection, such as:

  • Faster detection of alerts and resolution of issues.

  • Minimizes the work and the staff it takes to monitor email and network security to guard against attacks.

  • Doesn’t slow down your system.

How Endpoint Protection Works

Endpoint protection works by creating and enforcing rules that identify and encrypt sensitive data or block the transfer or copying of sensitive data or specific files based on enterprise classification. It is a behavior-based system that serves to guard data and monitor sequential actions done by different devices connected to your network.


Endpoint protection platforms check files for any abnormalities as they enter the network. These platforms harness the power of the cloud to store an increasingly growing database of threat information, freeing endpoints by storing the information in the cloud, allowing for greater scalability and speed.


These endpoint protection platforms give system administrators a centralized console that is installed on a network server or gateway. This gives cyber security professionals the ability to control security for devices remotely. The software can be installed in the endpoint individually or on the network server. It then works remotely or directly on the device.


Once the endpoint is set up, it can be updated when necessary, such as when someone tries to log in from any device. The endpoint protection platforms block unauthentic and harmful programs using application control and encryption to prevent data loss.


Advanced attacks such as file-less attacks, polymorphic attacks, and zero-day attacks are on the rise. To prevent these threats, some endpoint protection solutions include endpoint detection and response components.


Endpoint protection platforms can detect traditional threats and malware but need endpoint detection and response to defend them more efficiently. Endpoint detection and response continuously monitors and gives better results.

Endpoint Protection Components

Endpoint protection solutions will generally include the following components:

  • Protective web security to ensure safe browsing

  • Machine learning classification to quickly detect threats in near real-time

  • Advanced anti-malware and antivirus software to detect and mitigate malware within any endpoints

  • Able to classify data and prevent its exportation, protecting it from malware or unauthorized transfer of data

  • Include the email gateway to protect from phishing

  • An integrated firewall to protect the footprint and prevent aggressive network attacks and block unauthorized traffic

  • Centralized platform that makes the operation simple

  • Able to prevent malicious and unintentional actions

  • Able to detect abnormalities and isolate infections as soon as possible

Difference Between Antivirus and Endpoint Protection

Traditional antivirus software has been used and understood for years, but attacks have advanced in ways that antivirus software can’t handle. Endpoint protection and traditional antirust solutions have some differences, such as:

  • Antivirus software detects abnormalities by checking hashes patterns and signatures. It can easily detect the normal type of malicious file. It can easily detect normal or traditional malware. But, hackers and viruses are using advanced technology to be stronger and better. To handle these advanced threats, next-generation endpoint protection uses numerous technologies.

  • Endpoint protection is one product used for malware, viruses, ransomware, and cyber attacks by hackers. Rather than using different types based on different problems or threats, you can use one that tackles them all.

  • Endpoint protection uses behavioral modeling and artificial intelligence to prevent advanced attacks and can differentiate between viruses and users.

Advanced Endpoint Protection for Your Business

With ransomware attacks increasing, no business is safe. That makes endpoint protections a key building block for your business’ security. Traditional protection methods are important but may not be enough to ensure the safety of your data.


Hackers are getting more sophisticated, so the security solutions must not only meet but be more sophisticated to proactively protect your systems. If you are looking for an experienced and trusted IT service provider in Boca Raton or anywhere in South Florida, call Flagler Technologies today at 561-229-1601 or contact us online.

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