Technology has developed at an alarming rate over the past 10 years, allowing business to move at lightening fast speed. But with the increased productivity comes security vulnerabilities.
Traditional antivirus software is no longer enough to protect businesses from malware, ransomware and cyber attacks. Corporate networks now need to employ enhanced endpoint security measures to keep pace with the way that business operates and the sophistication of 21st century cyber crime.
What are endpoints?
One of the biggest risks to corporate networks is the number of devices accessing it at any one time and from pretty much any location. According to Computer Weekly, corporate networks are being put under enormous pressure from the rise in mobile devices accessing them.
Public access wifi, point of sale terminals, security cameras, printers and mobile phones are all endpoints that are at risk. They need much more than reaction-based antivirus that protects against known threats. Reactive antivirus works on the basis that it protects against known viruses that have been identified and analysed. Next generation security is more proactive. It uses algorithms and behaviour-led information to anticipate malware attacks. Advanced protection analyses and tracks complex interactions to spot atypical behaviour.
Of course. there are risks to this approach. As malware imitates everyday software, there is a high risk of false positives. It may be too late to spot an attack until it’s too late, as the security thinks that it is harmless software. The reputation of the software plays an important role in suppressing false positives. If you’re worried about your network security, speaking to an expert such as https://www.promisec.com/ can help you to identify all of the endpoints accessing your corporate network and plan how to address them from a security point of view.
The future of cyber security
Artificial Intelligence may be the future of cyber security. Currently, it is too unreliable to depend on, due to its immaturity and propensity for false positives. When it does mature, AI will integrate with other solutions rather than being a stand-alone solution.
Vendors and developers will pour huge amounts of money into cyber security products and defences. Businesses will be dependent on stringent security products to protect their networks from the multiple endpoints accessing them, and price will play a secondary decision factor to proven credentials. Antivirus software is no longer enough.