The endpoint security industry is anticipated to be worth $8.69 billion in 2020 and to reach $24.7 billion by 2026, growing at a 19 percent compound annual growth rate. This quick growth is link to the growing demand for security solutions as more people go online. The number of internet users expanded significantly during the epidemic, as using the internet became a requirement for schooling, shopping, business meetings, and other activities.
While few people understand what endpoint security is, it should be a critical issue for everyone. Numerous cyber assaults target endpoints – which include desktop and laptop computers, cellphones, servers, workstations, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
The importance of endpoint security
Endpoint security is a term that encompasses a variety of concepts. It is a generic term that refers to the protection of a variety of endpoint devices. It’s about ensuring that a laptop or desktop computer, for example, is malware-free and is not unintentionally exploit to conduct attacks such as phishing or smishing. It’s about preventing printers, fax machines, routers, and other office equipment from becoming infected with flaws that act as backdoors for various types of cyber attacks. Endpoint security entails providing adequate defences against cyber threats for any devices that end users directly utilise.
Endpoint security is critical since endpoints are the most often attacked targets. According to a Ponemon Institute report published in 2020, 68% of organisations have encountered one or more endpoint assaults that compromised their IT infrastructure or data. Small and medium-sized enterprises are constantly confront with threats to their workstations, printers, routers, Internet of Things appliances, and other web-enabled devices. Additionally, ordinary internet users are constantly expose to many types of cyber risks as a result of their cellphones and wearable devices.
Endpoint attacks
The growth of work-from-home and bring-your-own-device agreements over the years has also contributed to an increase in endpoint attacks. As more employees utilise devices that are not inspected or maintained on a regular basis by a professional IT or cyber security staff, bad actors discover more potential targets with subpar or near-nil endpoint security.
ReasonLabs, a cyber security service, explains that employing free basic security technologies is no longer sufficient at the moment. “Free antivirus software is insufficient since it frequently lacks the capability to defend against increasingly sophisticated threats. What is require is effective, all-encompassing endpoint protection.” Cyber criminals are already familiar with fundamental precautions, and they are adept at circumventing poorly maintained or rarely updated security controls.
Freeware anti-malware solutions are not design to withstand attacks that target enterprise-level security. It is prudent for home users to utilise enterprise-level protection, as it is widely available and reasonably priced. For example, RAV EDR provides endpoint security for enterprise protection to all types of users.
Endpoint hazards to be aware of
According to Ponemon, credential theft is the most common cyber threat employees face. Following that, phishing/social engineering, account takeover, general malware, and denial of service attacks are use. Additionally, web-based attacks, compromised or stolen devices, zero-day attacks, SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and ransomware are important dangers.
Cyber criminals may employ a variety of different attack types to successfully breach cyber defences. For instance, a denial-of-service or DDoS attack may act as a smokescreen for a more sophisticated attack targeted at stealing important data or buying time for ransomware to successfully encrypt data on a device.
Many average internet users disregard ransomware because they believe they are unlikely to be a victim. However, this is a random attack that can happen to anyone. Ransomware attackers do not limit their attacks to huge organisations; they often target individual employees or those working from home, as the attack is not difficult to carry out and the majority of victims are willing to pay the ransom. According to a 2021 ransomware poll, approximately 83 percent of ransomware victims pay the ransom demand.
