Getting The Best From Your Endpoint Security Software.

I hope that it’s safe to assume that anyone reading this blog has at least some form of antivirus software installed! If nothing else, we now seem to accept that it is a good idea to use commercially available endpoint security software such as McAfee Endpoint Protection or Trend Micro Worry Free Business Security to protect against malicious code that is inadvertently downloaded from the Internet.

Today’s endpoint security suites however have so much more to offer than virus protection, and although some of the new network security features such as zero day threat protection are turned on by default, many companies don’t seem to be exploiting the protection that they have paid for in their endpoint protection subscriptions to its fullest extent:

Host Intrusion Prevention

Intrusion Prevention is not a technology that is just for government and finance companies. It can help to protect every PC from network layer attacks, as well as identify rogue software that has been downloaded to your PC’s through an exploit run against unpatched software.

Personal Firewall

We seem to understand the need for personal firewalls for users who connect back into company systems via a VPN server, but many companies still don’t configure firewalls for in-house workstations. Using a personal firewall on a company network does require some extra configuration, but it also serves as a last line of defence when spyware or malicious code ends up on the user’s PC as it can prevent unauthorised applications from accessing the Internet.

Device Control

USB Smartdrives enable users to carry round their own personal desktop and applications and launch them in your company’s machines. Not only that, but a quick search for applications for USB Smartdrive applications includes a multitude of hacking tools as well as porn viewers. Are you really sure that it’s such a good idea to allow users to plug their own USB devices into your workstations and laptops? If you do choose to implement device control, you may need to provide “authorised” storage devices for your users, but it could save you from a costly data security breach or malware infection.

If you are still only using your endpoint security software for virus protection, take a few minutes to read the documentation to see what else is available to you to improve your PC Security.