This approach is essential for businesses to pre-emptively detect security breaches and maintain operational stability.

In this blog, we’ll explore how Kaseya Managed SOC, a superior MDR solution, can significantly bolster your cybersecurity measures.

What is managed detection and response (MDR)?

MDR is a high-tech cybersecurity service that can radically improve an organization’s security posture by taking on advanced cyberthreats and eliminating them for good. It’s an outsourced service, generally run out of a security operations center (SOC), that gives SMBs the power and resources of an internal security team that only large corporations can afford.

MDR service providers have intimate knowledge of tools and techniques used by cybercriminals and how they operate. Armed with this information, MDR specialists actively hunt, disrupt, contain, analyze and mitigate threats systematically before they can take hold of their client’s organization. MDR experts’ tool stack includes everything from firewall, antivirus and antimalware programs to advanced intrusion detection, encryption, and authentication and authorization solutions.

Besides stopping advanced threats, MDR experts also analyze the root cause of an intrusion to prevent it from happening again. They also make actionable recommendations that help their clients enhance organizational security and get a better ROI on their security investments.

Why is managed detection and response important?

For any business, security breaches can lead to significant financial losses, damage to reputation and legal ramifications. MDR services play a vital role in preventing such outcomes by ensuring that threats are identified and dealt with swiftly. By leveraging MDR, businesses benefit from improved threat detection, faster incident response times and a more robust security posture. This not only helps in protecting sensitive data but also ensures compliance with various regulatory requirements, safeguarding the trust of customers and stakeholders. Let’s look at some of the benefits of MDR:

• Protection against financial losses: Security breaches often lead to direct financial losses, stemming from downtime, loss of data and the costs associated with breach recovery. MDR services help in early detection and swift response to threats, minimizing potential financial impact and keeping business operations smooth.
• Preserving reputation: A company’s reputation is one of its most valuable assets. Data breaches can severely damage a company’s public image, eroding customer trust and loyalty. MDR helps safeguard this by ensuring that security incidents are managed quickly and efficiently, thus limiting negative exposure.
• Legal and regulatory compliance: With increasing regulations around data protection, such as GDPR in Europe and CCPA in California, failing to protect data can result not only in penalties but also in severe legal repercussions. MDR services ensure that organizations comply with these laws by maintaining high standards of data security and privacy.
• Enhanced detection and response capabilities: MDR services utilize advanced technologies and expertise to detect both known and emerging threats. This capability allows for a more comprehensive security approach that traditional methods may overlook.
• Reduction in response time: The speed with which a threat is neutralized can drastically affect the outcome of a security breach. MDR services provide rapid response solutions, significantly reducing the window of opportunity for threats to cause harm.
• Supporting business continuity: By preventing and mitigating the impact of cyber incidents, MDR services play a pivotal role in business continuity. Organizations with robust MDR strategies experience fewer disruptions and can maintain operational stability even in the face of cyberthreats.

By integrating MDR services, businesses can protect their financial assets, uphold their reputation, ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and maintain continuity in operations. Therefore, investing in MDR services is not merely a precaution; it’s a strategic move towards sustainable business growth.

How does managed detection and response work?

Today, ensuring robust cybersecurity is not just an option but a necessity. MDR is a dynamic solution designed to address the evolving threats that businesses face daily. MDR services are not just reactive; they are crafted to detect and mitigate threats before they can do significant harm. Here’s how MDR works to protect your business around the clock:

1. Continuous monitoring: 24/7 surveillance of your networks and endpoints to detect unusual activities that could indicate a security threat.
2. Threat detection: Utilization of cutting-edge technologies and threat intelligence to identify both known and emerging threats.
3. Incident response: Rapid and effective actions are taken to contain and mitigate any detected threats, minimizing potential damage.
4. Threat hunting: Proactive searches through networks to detect and isolate advanced threats that evade traditional security measures.
5. Forensic analysis: Detailed investigation of security incidents to uncover the root cause and prevent future attacks.
6. Reporting and analysis: Regular insights into security trends, incidents and overall security posture to aid strategic decision-making.

For any organization looking to enhance its security landscape, understanding and implementing MDR can be a game-changer, providing peace of mind and a secure operational environment.

Benefits of managed detection and response

By opting for MDR services, organizations can significantly enhance their security measures while managing costs effectively. Let’s explore the key benefits that MDR services offer to businesses striving to fortify their digital environments.

• Enhanced detection and response capabilities: With MDR, organizations can detect threats more accurately and respond to incidents more quickly.
• Cost efficiency: Outsourcing to MDR providers can be more cost-effective than maintaining an in-house SOC.
• Access to expertise: MDR services give businesses access to cybersecurity experts and advanced technologies.
• Improved compliance: Helps businesses meet stringent compliance standards for data protection and privacy.

The adoption of MDR services offers a comprehensive way for organizations to not only enhance their cybersecurity but also manage costs and compliance more effectively. By leveraging the expertise and advanced technologies provided by MDR providers, businesses can ensure that they are well-prepared to face and thwart the cybersecurity challenges of today and the future.

Kaseya Managed SOC: A superior MDR solution

When considering MDR services, Kaseya Managed SOC stands out as a superior choice. Powered by RocketCyber, Kaseya Managed SOC provides comprehensive detection and response capabilities tailored to meet the unique security needs of your organization. With state-of-the-art technology and a team of expert analysts, Kaseya Managed SOC ensures that your business is equipped to face the cybersecurity challenges of now and into the future.

Why should businesses consider Kaseya Managed SOC?

Choosing Kaseya Managed SOC for your MDR needs means securing your business with a leader in cybersecurity. You not only get enhanced protection against threats but also benefit from Kaseya’s industry expertise and dedicated support. For businesses looking to strengthen their cybersecurity without the overhead of building their own SOC, Kaseya Managed SOC offers a robust and scalable solution.

Download our free eBook, “How to Pick the Right Managed SOC Solution,” to learn how Managed SOC can specifically address your security needs. For a deeper dive into our features and how we can tailor our services to your business, explore RocketCyber’s Managed SOC today!

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Sometimes, the only challenge is the absence of a good endpoint security management tool — a gap that Kaseya VSA can fill effortlessly. This new year, let’s approach endpoint security with a renewed focus.

What is endpoint security management?

Endpoint security management is the implementation of proper systems, procedures and tools to manage and secure all types of endpoints connected to an organization’s network. The definition of endpoints, in this case, extends to all devices, such as laptops, mobile phones, tablets, and even servers and IoT devices.

Compromising even a single endpoint can provide threat actors with easy access to a company’s private network and applications as well as workloads on the cloud, threatening business continuity. They can then use this advantage to conduct corporate espionage, steal confidential information or launch devastating cyberattacks, like malware, ransomware, phishing, advanced persistent threats (APTs) and more. To prevent this from happening, technicians use a variety of tools, like antivirus, antimalware, firewalls, intrusion prevention systems and endpoint detection and response (EDR), to give all endpoints multiple layers of security.

Implementing security policies, such as establishing strong password rules, granting access permission, managing patches effectively, designing an incident mitigation plan and remotely wiping data from devices in the event of theft or unauthorized access, also fall under the scope of endpoint management.

Why is endpoint security management important?

Endpoints are the outermost perimeter of a company’s IT infrastructure, the first line of defense and the prime security targets, which is why they need constant monitoring and protection. Endpoint security management makes all the components and policies that go towards endpoint security work as a cohesive whole.

An advanced unified remote monitoring and management (URMM) solution, like Kaseya VSA, makes this easy. VSA is a four-in-one tool that combines powerful remote control, software/patch management, executive reporting and endpoint monitoring into a single, easy-to-use solution. Check out the story of how Sephno, a leading MSP specializing in cybersecurity, leveraged VSA and other tools from the Kaseya IT Complete platform to unlock business growth and success in the cybersecurity space.

Some of the top benefits of endpoint security management are:

• Data security and privacy: Endpoint security management protects critical and valuable data stored on endpoints from malicious activities. It also prevents unauthorized access, which can have a devastating effect on a company’s data confidentiality and reputation.
• Business continuity and productivity: Compromised or faulty endpoints lead to increased  downtime and lower productivity, which leads to financial losses due to the cost associated with data recovery and system restoration. A robust endpoint security management process ensures security, business continuity, higher uptime and better end-user and customer service. This translates to lower operational costs and optimum utilization of resources.
• Regulatory compliance: Data protection is serious business, and organizations have to comply with various government regulations to ensure this. By undertaking endpoint security tasks, organizations can also tick off many of the regulatory requirements, keeping them on the good side of the law. An added advantage is that it helps businesses protect their intellectual property from theft and misuse.
• Holistic cybersecurity strategy: Today’s challenging and complex cybersecurity landscape requires businesses to take a holistic approach to security. While endpoint security management is one facet, businesses must also focus on other aspects, like cloud security, network security and vulnerability management, for comprehensive protection. Additionally, organizations should invest in employee training for increased awareness and adherence to cybersecurity best practices.

Check out our webinar recording on endpoint security management for more information.

Benefits of endpoint security management

Endpoint security management provides users with secure access to corporate networks from any device with an internet connection. The following are some of its top benefits:

Best practices for endpoint security management

Keeping the following best practices in mind will help you build a robust endpoint security management plan and keep your endpoints safe from damaging cyberattacks.

Regular software patching and updates

• It is important to regularly patch and update software to protect against the latest threats.
• Patches should be installed as soon as they are available as they can help protect against a wide range of attacks, such as malware, denial of service and data theft.
• VSA provides automated patching that streamlines the patch management workflow, even for large-scale environments.
• VSA is optimized for rapid deployment of patches, even in low bandwidth networks. Moreover, VSA’s robust patch vetting process limits zero-day disruptions and offers easy governance via policy, profiles and organizations.
• View patch history, override or even rollback patches to limit end-user disruption.

User education and training

• Educating your users on the latest tactics used by cybercriminals and ways to identify and avoid them goes a long way toward strengthening your defense posture.
• Regular training and testing for attacks like phishing and malware can help users take the right steps to protect themselves and the organization.
• Employees should be trained to recognize suspicious emails, links and attachments that will help them remain vigilant and comply with security protocols.

Access control and least privilege principle

• Access control and the principle of least privilege protects organizations from both internal and external threats.
• Organizations use role-based access control to provide users access to only the resources they need for their role.
• This prevents users from accidentally deleting important data, changing configurations or installing applications with malicious intent.
• It also provides an extra layer of security by ensuring that only authorized personnel can access sensitive data.
• Access control requires users to be carefully identified and authenticated, using usernames, passwords and biometric data in order to grant them privileges and access.
• The principle of least privilege states that users should get access to the minimum amount of data they need to do their work, and access to any other resource should be provided on a need-to-know basis to minimize the potential impact of security incidents.

Endpoint encryption

• Encrypting all the data stored on an endpoint, including performing full disk encryption, prevents misuse in the event of loss, theft or other security incidents.
• It makes the data unreadable to anyone without a decryption key.
• Endpoint encryption also prevents malicious actors from accessing the data, even if they are able to gain physical access to the device.
• Organizations can also perform file-level encryption that encrypts individual files or folders instead of the entire device.
• It is also recommended to encrypt data when it is being transmitted over a network to protect it from man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks.

Continuous monitoring and incident response

• Continuous monitoring of endpoints helps technicians detect suspicious activity and respond to incidents in real-time.
• Round-the-clock monitoring, clubbed with machine learning and behavioral analytics, helps organizations contain threats before they become an actual breach. According to the IBM Security Cost of a Data Breach Report 2023, the average cost of a data breach is $4.45 million.
• Additionally, organizations should also have an incident response plan in place to quickly mitigate the impact of an attack. We have written a comprehensive eBook on how to build an effective incident response plan to protect your business from severe financial and reputational damages.

Integration with threat intelligence

• Threat intelligence solutions collect, analyze and share information on existing and potential threats to help businesses make informed decisions about security policies, systems and procedures.
• Threat intelligence provides specifics on indicators of compromise (IOCs), which serve as evidence of a cyberthreat in action.
• For instance, threat intelligence can provide details such as the type of malware used or the source of the attack, which can help organizations quickly identify and block malicious activities.
• For more information, check out our blog on the role of endpoint management tools in IT security.

Common challenges of endpoint security management and how to overcome them

Once you understand the best practices, knowing how to overcome common challenges will further help you solidify your endpoint security management game.

Diverse endpoint landscape

Applying security policies to a diverse variety of endpoint devices, applications and operating systems is challenging. It can lead to inconsistencies in vulnerability management and patch management and hurt the balance between security and usability.

Endpoint visibility and control

A diverse endpoint landscape can hamper visibility into certain endpoints, like those registered under the bring your own device (BYOD) policy or used by remote and mobile workers. Moreover, managing and controlling a growing number of applications, not all enrolled under the security plan, can create shadow IT threats. Legacy systems can also fly under the radar and might not integrate with modern security services.

Balancing security and productivity

Extremely stringent security practices can hinder productivity, making it difficult for users to access resources comfortably and when required. On the other hand, lax security policies increase the risk of a cyberattack. Therefore, striking a balance between the two is crucial for companies to achieve the twin goals of security and growth.

Zero-day threats and APTs

Zero-day threats leave security managers with a short window to fix the vulnerability before it gets exploited widely. Sometimes, cybercriminals use custom exploits that traditional security solutions or signature-based systems fail to detect. APTs, on the other hand, are multistage attacks that leverage advanced tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) and can go undetected for months.

Patch management challenges

Managing patches for varied endpoints is a complex task that requires regular monitoring and testing to ensure the latest patches are all applied. This can be time-consuming and costly, especially for organizations that have a large number of endpoints.

User awareness and training

Users often lack the capabilities to detect and respond to a cyberattack. They often do not know how to bring any suspicious activity to light. Lack of user awareness and training can lead to serious security threats.

Resource limitations

Lack of the right tools, resources or personnel can leave organizations with glaring loopholes in their endpoint security management strategy. Without being aware of potential threats or having access to the right tools, organizations can miss out on important warning signs or fail to detect suspicious activity.

Incident response efficiency

The efficiency of an incident response plan determines how quickly an organization can bounce back from a cyberattack, as well as how effectively it can contain the impact. Organizations without a plan are more likely to experience longer recovery times, higher financial losses and bigger reputational damage.

BYOD policies

BYOD poses a significant security risk. We know that a cyberattack is no longer a question of “if” but “when” it will happen. A company’s network becomes more vulnerable with every new device it adds. By allowing your employees to bring their own devices to work, you’re essentially trusting them to keep the devices secure.

Human error

The actions and behavior of individuals and how they interact with data digitally impact endpoint security. Using weak passwords, unintentional data exposure, lack of security awareness and falling victim to phishing emails and social engineering attacks can inadvertently introduce malware or disclose sensitive information. According to Verizon’s 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report, 74% of breaches involved the human element, which includes social engineering attacks, errors or misuse.

Having covered the challenges, here are some strategies to help you overcome them:

• Automated deployment and management: Automated deployment ensures that security patches, updates, and configurations are consistently and promptly applied across all endpoints. It also streamlines incident response, allowing IT teams to identify and take action on any threat quickly.
• Endpoint detection and response (EDR): EDR solutions provide real-time visibility of endpoint behavior, helping detect and respond to advanced threats quickly. It provides detailed forensic logs and reports, enabling IT teams to investigate and remediate threats more effectively. Additionally, EDR solutions can provide automated threat hunting and threat intelligence, helping IT teams stay ahead of attackers.
• User education and training: Encouraging users to adopt secure behavior and educating them to recognize and avoid phishing attempts and social engineering attacks will greatly reduce the likelihood of human-error-related security incidents. Additionally, regular security awareness training can help users stay up to date with the latest security trends and threats.
• Endpoint segmentation: Endpoint segmentation is an effective strategy to prevent the lateral movement of malware and stop it from spreading to the wider networks. By isolating critical endpoints and data, organizations can reduce their attack surface and limit the scope of the damage that can be done in the event of a breach.
• Continuous assessment and monitoring: Continuous monitoring and detection facilitates early detection of security threats and supports timely patch management. Organizations should also conduct regular security audits to identify any weak points and address them promptly.

What to look for in an endpoint security management solution?

An endpoint management solution should support not only the current needs but also the future needs of your organization. While it’s not a comprehensive list, a solution with the following features should help you meet your objectives:

• Comprehensive threat detection: The solution should provide complete protection against a slew of known, unknown and advanced threats. It should provide root cause analysis of incidents and strategies to mitigate them in the future.
• Real-time monitoring and response: Cyberattacks don’t see the time of the day, nor should your endpoint security tool. It should provide round-the-clock monitoring of your endpoints so you can detect and address anomalies in real-time.
• Compatibility and integration: The solution should easily integrate with core IT tools, like PSA and IT documentation and other security solutions, for complete interoperability and seamless collaboration across the entire IT infrastructure. It should also provide automation across IT management functions to streamline operations.
• Scalability: The solution should be able to handle a growing number and variety of endpoints as your business grows.
• User-friendly interface: The interface should be intuitive, easy to use and customizable to meet the needs of different types of users.
• Endpoint encryption and data protection: Encryption prevents data leaks and helps maintain the integrity of data. VSA provides encryption for data at rest and in transit, protecting it from unauthorized access. It also provides data backup and recovery to ensure that data is always available.
• Data loss prevention (DLP): DLP is the process of detecting and preventing data leaks, unauthorized destruction of sensitive information and illicit transfer of data outside the organization.
• Automated patch management: Effective and timely patch management is your best defense against ransomware or other cyberattacks. With 200+ third-party titles within VSA, you can patch all on- and off-network devices, including Windows, Mac and Linux. You can wake up your Windows machines in the middle of the night, install patches and turn them off again, empowering you to achieve near-perfect patch compliance. VSA’s robust patch vetting process limits zero-day disruptions and offers easy governance via policy, profiles and organizations. VSA is optimized for rapid deployment of patches even in low bandwidth networks. View patch history, override or even rollback patches to limit end-user disruption. Book a free demo of VSA and see how it functions in your envionment.
• Centralized management console: You should be able to complete every endpoint security management task from a single console. VSA empowers businesses to command all of IT centrally. Users can:

• Easily manage remote and distributed environments
• Simplify backup and disaster recovery
• Safeguard against cybersecurity attacks
• Effectively manage compliance and network assets
• Streamline IT documentation
• Automate across IT management functions

Here’s a handy checklist of the top things to consider when choosing a modern endpoint management solution.

How Kaseya can help you with endpoint security management

Kaseya VSA is a unified remote monitoring and management (uRMM) platform that enables IT teams to manage core IT security functions from a single console. VSA brings together a host of services, like software patch management (including OS and third-party patching), AV/AM deployment and management, and backup and disaster recovery management (servers and SaaS app data), so you can provide comprehensive protection to all your endpoints using a single platform. In addition, VSA lets you patch off-network devices even over low-bandwidth networks — an indispensable feature when securing work-from-home (WFH) employees’ computers.

By providing timely alerts and triaging them, VSA allows businesses to address the most critical vulnerabilities first. Also, when VSA detects a suspicious code or file, it isolates it and contains the affected endpoints, preventing the threats from moving laterally in the network. The solution also supports automated actions, such as quarantining a compromised device, blocking malicious processes or initiating a system scan, based on predefined rules.

By providing comprehensive security to your systems and networks with Kaseya VSA, you can protect them against ongoing cyberthreats. By integrating an RMM tool into your business, you can boost growth, protect your business and safeguard your clients.

Want to learn more? Schedule a demo of Kaseya VSA today!

The post What Is Endpoint Security Management and Why Is It Important? appeared first on Kaseya.

What is EDR?

EDR is a modern security solution that protects endpoints from advanced cyberthreats like ransomware, AI-powered attacks and phishing scams. It secures not only your traditional endpoints but also frequently overlooked and unsecured assets, like Internet of Things (IoT) devices and remote endpoints. A cloud-based EDR can also help you oversee the security of virtual endpoints without compromising performance or availability.

The key feature of EDR is its state-of-the-art threat detection and remediation capability that protects you from ransomware-level attacks. How does an EDR stop ransomware and other threats of that kind? It does so by monitoring endpoints 24/7 and collecting and analyzing data for all signs of malicious activity.

Since EDR monitors endpoint behavior round the clock, it can nip threats in the early stages. It also has an excellent incident investigation function that helps identify the root cause of a threat and prevent it from occurring again.

Due to its ability to detect new-age threats, like zero-day and fileless malware, that are stealthy enough to bypass conventional AV and AM solutions, EDR is a must-have in today’s increasingly dangerous cybersecurity environment.

Why is EDR important?

Endpoint security is the first line of defense for any organization. For that, you first need to get visibility into all your endpoints because you cannot protect what you cannot see.

According to a security report, 58% of organizations are aware of fewer than 75% of the assets on their network. An EDR solution remedies this by discovering all the endpoints in your IT environment and providing complete perimeter security.

Does an EDR really make a difference? The 2023 Cost of a Data Breach report revealed that EDR can help reduce the financial impact of a breach by a significant $174,267 from the average total cost of $4.45 million. Not only security, EDR can also help with managing the associated costs.

How does EDR work?

With cybercriminals using advanced exploit kits and generative AI to launch almost undetectable cyberattacks, businesses need to beef up their defenses by investing in new-age tools that are faster, smarter and can put up a good fight.

EDR is one such tool. Here’s how it works. An IT administrator will install an EDR agent on all endpoints to monitor them continuously and enforce company security policies. The agent observes processes, applications, network connections and files on the endpoint to set a behavior baseline. It flags any behavior or pattern outside the established guideline and immediately reviews it for signs of a threat. For example, if an EDR agent detects suspicious file execution on an endpoint, it’ll immediately quarantine or contain the file and raise an alert for experts to review it.

What happens during multiple alerts? EDR tools triage alerts based on severity to ensure that security teams can address the most urgent ones first. Round-the-clock monitoring and real-time alerts notify security experts of suspicious behavior at the first sign so they can prevent it from escalating into a crisis.

Post remediation, EDRs perform forensics to understand the root cause of any incident and take the necessary measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring again. Thanks to built-in machine learning and advanced analytics capabilities, EDR only gets better at detecting and responding to threats with time.

What are EDR capabilities?

This section looks at the essential features of EDR that make it a must-have endpoint security tool:

• Data collection and analytics: EDR solutions collect a variety of endpoint data, such as process creation, driver loading, registry changes, disk accesses, network connections and more, for analysis. Then, it applies built-in threat intelligence to identify Indicators of Compromise (IoC) and Indicators of Attack (IoA) in the gathered data that point to a cyberattack in progress.
• Behavioral analysis: EDR leverages behavioral analysis to actively detect and neutralize malicious attacks. It creates a behavioral baseline for each endpoint so that any activity or pattern falling outside the established norm, which could indicate an ongoing threat, can be addressed immediately.
• Threat detection: EDR enables security teams to detect and respond to complex threats, such as fileless malware and ransomware, in real-time. Instead of waiting for a threat to surface, EDR actively hunts for it, helping businesses stay two steps ahead of cybercriminals.
• Visibility: EDR agents collect and analyze data on every endpoint to ensure none can serve as a doorway for cybercriminals to exploit.
• Automated response: EDR tools can take several different steps to remediate or contain an attack, such as:
  • Deleting files and blocking the spread of suspicious files.
  • Terminating processes.
  • Isolating the endpoint on the network to prevent lateral movement of the attack.
  • Automatic or manual execution of suspicious payloads in a sandbox.
  • Remote script execution on the endpoint.
• Reporting and alerts: Top-of-the-line EDRs have advanced reporting capabilities that help technicians create customizable and easy-to-understand reports in minutes. This feature enables companies to demonstrate compliance with security regulations and build customer trust. Providing real-time alerts with contextual information on severity level and recommended action is another crucial feature of an EDR solution. Security teams are more effective at managing incidents when they can respond to alerts on a priority basis.

What type of threats does EDR protect against?

In addition to several high-level threats, EDRs effectively detect polymorphic malware, which traditional security tools easily miss. In this section, we’ll look at some of the top threats that EDRs can address:

• Multistage attacks: A multistage attack unfolds progressively, with each subsequent stage building upon the previous. In the initial stage, threat actors conduct surveillance of the target company’s IT environment, seeking vulnerabilities to exploit. Following this, they deploy an exploit kit or a sophisticated phishing scam to breach security and establish a foothold within the IT infrastructure. Subsequently, they can leverage this position to steal data, launch a ransomware attack or undertake any other malicious activity detrimental to the business and security of the company. Cybercriminals can even exploit multiple vulnerabilities at a time and launch a big-scale attack.
• Malware and ransomware: Malware (malicious software) is an intrusive piece of software that enables cybercriminals to access and severely damage computing systems and networks. The infection can be a virus, trojan horse, worm, spyware, adware, rootkit or the infamous ransomware. Ransomware is a type of malware that relies on encryption to hold the victim’s sensitive information (files, applications, databases) at ransom. The global cybersecurity community in 2023 is witnessing waves of cybercriminal activity that have placed thousands of organizations in peril. Within the first two quarters, bad actors extorted a little under half a billion dollars from their victims — a 64% increase from 2022.
• Zero-day threats: A zero-day vulnerability/threat is a flaw in a network or software that hasn’t been patched or for which a patch isn’t available. The software or device vendor may or may not be aware of this flaw. The results are less than pleasant once the vulnerability becomes public knowledge or if cybercriminals get to it before the company’s security team. Exploiting a zero-day vulnerability enables hackers to install malicious software, exert remote control over the target’s IT infrastructure, eavesdrop on confidential communications or even disrupt operations entirely.
• Insider threats and malicious insiders: An insider threat is a security issue that arises within an organization due to a rogue employee or employees’ negligent use of systems and data. It may not always be malicious. On the other hand, a malicious insider is often a disgruntled employee misusing intimate information of the infrastructure to launch a cyberattack or to profit by selling credential information on the dark web.
• Phishing and email threats: About nine in 10 cyberattacks start with phishing, making it one of the most effective attack vectors. A phishing email is a specially crafted email designed to deceive recipients into divulging sensitive data, such as passwords, financial data or PII. While a phishing attack targets employees en masse, a spear-phishing attack targets top-level executives of a company with the aim to steal highly confidential and business-critical information to which only the highest-ranking executives have access.
• Advanced persistent threats (APTs): Often, the actors behind APTs are nation-state or nation-state-aligned hackers with access to a wide range of resources to launch sophisticated attacks. These incidents can go undetected for extended periods, allowing threat actors to commit espionage, data theft or spread malware. As nation-state cybercrime grows more common, every business is at risk from APT threat actors who are more than happy to exploit vulnerabilities to do the dirty work that enables them to strike at government and infrastructure targets.

How is EDR different from other endpoint security solutions?

In this section, we will demystify some of the confusion surrounding EDR and other security tools.

EDR vs. antivirus

An antivirus tool typically follows a signature-based system of threat detection, where it matches a file identified as a threat with a database of malicious files. It works well for identifying and stopping known malware and viruses like trojans and worms but not so much for newer, uncataloged threats where EDR thrives.

Threat mitigation should never disrupt your business processes. With an EDR system, suspicious files are promptly quarantined or isolated within sandboxes, preventing them from infecting other files or compromising your data. EDRs can also auto-remediate certain threat activities, saving you time and effort.

Lastly, AV solutions run checks at scheduled intervals, whereas an EDR performs round-the-clock monitoring to ensure complete security.

EDR vs. EPP (endpoint protection platform)

While an EDR is a threat detection tool effective at identifying and responding to advanced threats, an EPP solution takes preventive measures to guard against a threat from entering an endpoint in the first place. An EPP is an integrated suite of security technologies, such as antivirus/antimalware, intrusion prevention, data loss prevention and data encryption, to enhance security measures.

EDR vs. MDR (managed detection and response)

EDR is a powerful endpoint protection tool, while MDR is a full-service cybersecurity solution a third party provides. Also known as a security operations center (SOC), MDR is a cybersecurity service where security experts club their years of know-how with advanced tools and security strategies to provide complete IT protection. EDR is one of the tools found in their toolbox.

EDR vs. XDR (extended detection and response)

XDR is built on EDR to provide monitoring, detection and remediation of not only endpoints but the complete IT environment. It monitors the entire IT infrastructure by collecting and analyzing data from several other security and monitoring tools. For example, XDR will collect and analyze data from your network, cloud environments and even email security systems to give you the complete picture. By providing advanced threat detection and mitigation like an EDR, but at a complete IT environment level, XDR is a formidable tool for those in the security business like managed security service providers (MSSPs), enterprise-level organizations and those overseeing critical infrastructure and sensitive data.

What are the benefits of EDR?

Traditional security solutions struggle to detect advanced threats that EDR detects. As a new-age solution, it has features and capabilities that go beyond merely detecting and mitigating risks, also looking into the why, how and when of an attack to keep improving itself.

While EDR is sufficient as a standalone endpoint security solution, it works best when clubbed with your AV/AM, firewall, network intrusion detection and other security solutions for a layered and comprehensive protection of your endpoints.

With EDR in your security arsenal, you can secure your endpoints from becoming doorways to cyberthreats that can cause havoc on your business, setting you back by millions while damaging your reputation.

Secure your endpoints with Kaseya VSA

Looking for an advanced endpoint management solution that prioritizes cybersecurity? Look no further than Kaseya VSA. It has powerful capabilities focused on keeping you ahead of the endpoint curve as well as safe from cyberthreats. Some of the security-related features of VSA are:

• Patch every endpoint automatically with best-in-class automation and the most extensive software catalog on the market.
• Leverage policy-based configuration hardening to keep bad actors at bay.
• Detect, quarantine and remediate ransomware before it becomes a problem.
• Enhance threat detection with integrated AV, AM, EDR and Managed SOC.

Get a demo of Kaseya VSA and beef up your security in a jiffy.

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Endpoint detection response (EDR) and extended detection and response (XDR) are top-of-the-line cybersecurity solutions that can mitigate this risk and shield your IT environment even against major security risks like malware and ransomware. They monitor endpoints constantly, respond to incidents quickly and can adapt to evolving threats.

Although both solutions may appear similar on the surface, they offer vastly different levels of security. Read on to see how they compare.

What is endpoint detection and response (EDR)?

A high-end cybersecurity solution, like EDR, monitors endpoint devices continuously for vulnerabilities and threats and takes remedial action when malicious activity is detected. The endpoints include everything from laptops, desktops and mobile devices to servers, point-of-sale (POS) terminals, cloud applications, internet-of-things (IoT), network, virtual and even remote systems.

Malicious actors target endpoints looking for vulnerabilities, like unpatched software and faulty configurations, that are easy to exploit. Clients or employees using an endpoint might not notice suspicious messages during the course of their busy day, making them more prone to falling victim to attacks like phishing. Did you know that over 90% of data breaches are caused by human error?

Regardless of whether a breach happens as a result of an external threat, oversight or an error on the part of the organization, an EDR solution will enable early detection and mitigation. EDR is one of the tools that managed service providers (MSPs) as well as small and midsize businesses (SMBs) can use to combat cybercrime.

EDR features and capabilities

Security experts begin by installing an EDR agent on each endpoint that continuously monitors and shares data on the device’s health with the IT team. As the agent observes the endpoint’s behavior, it sets a baseline based on processes, applications, network connections and files. Any behavior that deviates from the established patterns is detected using advanced algorithms and machine learning and calls for a review.

Let’s say the tool detects a request for elevated privileges on an unauthorized laptop. It will immediately raise an alert for administrators to investigate since this could indicate a potential breach. Instant alerts to any suspicious activity ensure that you detect a breach early on and can take remedial action against the threat in real-time.

IT administrators receive hundreds of tickets daily, and identifying which ones to address first can be challenging. Moreover, trying to address all of them manually can result in security disasters. However, by using an EDR solution, technicians can auto-remediate common and recurring tickets, ensuring better security for your business and clients while reducing stress on themselves. Among its many functions, an EDR solution can isolate infected endpoints, quarantine files, terminate rogue processes and roll back changes to a known-good state to prevent network-wide damage.

In the event of an attack, EDRs perform forensic analysis to understand why it was successful and identify the root cause of vulnerabilities in your endpoints. Any business looking for comprehensive endpoint security should consider an EDR solution.

What is extended detection and response (XDR)?

If you are looking for a solution that can give you all the features of an EDR, but for your entire IT environment, look no further than an XDR. While endpoints are a common entry point for malicious actors to infiltrate your organization, focusing only on them can leave other areas of your IT environment vulnerable to attacks.

XDR solutions look at the big picture, integrating and correlating data from various sources to provide security inputs across the board. For example, XDR will collect and analyze data from your network, cloud environments and even email security systems to give you the complete picture. Because of this, it is better at detecting complex and widespread threats that could mess with your environment on multiple fronts.

By providing advanced threat detection and mitigation like an EDR, but at a complete IT environment level, XDR is a formidable tool for those in the security business (managed security service providers (MSSPs)), enterprise-level organizations and those overseeing critical infrastructure and sensitive data.

XDR features and capabilities

Investing in an XDR solution is like bringing the latest war machine to a fight. Its features and capabilities can detect even the most discreet cyberattacks and stop them in their tracks:

• Holistic threat detection: XDR solutions take a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity, ensuring that the IT environment as a whole stays safe. You can implement better security policies and ensure a more secure environment when you have addressed the issues in your entire IT infrastructure.
• Advanced analytics: Every criminal leaves a clue, and the best detectives are the ones who can find it. An XDR solution is like an intelligent detective with advanced algorithms and machine learning capabilities to detect even subtle, suspicious changes in your IT environment. It’s also smart enough to triage and prioritize alerts based on severity and impact, so you can take care of the most pressing issues first. With access to such a level of analytics, technicians and security teams can effectively allocate resources and address the most critical threats first.
• Automation: With hackers using the latest technology to craft complex attacks, you need a way to respond to them in a flash. Utilizing XDR’s auto-remediation features, you can nip damaging attacks, like malware and ransomware, in the bud.
• Incident investigation: Incident investigation is an important step that many organizations skip after threat mitigation but one that can provide valuable information into the timeline of events. By providing historical data and contextual information on an incident, XDR enables organizations to strengthen their security system.
• Threat intelligence: The threat intelligence feature of an XDR solution enriches the collected data with context and analysis so security analysts can determine the best course of action. For example, by identifying the most likely attack vectors cybercriminals can use against an organization, experts can prepare to defend against it.
• Scalability: XDR is highly scalable. It can easily accommodate new data sources, ensuring comprehensive coverage no matter your organization’s size.

What is the difference between EDR and XDR?

Here are some differences between EDR and XDR to help you decide which is best for you.

Can XDR replace EDR?

Both XDR and EDR have a place in today’s cybersecurity landscape, but to pick the one best for your business, you must consider a few factors.

The first point to consider is the size of your business and its security needs. If you are a small business with only a few endpoints and a basic IT infrastructure, an EDR solution is a better fit. Investing in an XDR solution is better for you if you have a complex IT environment or run a business vulnerable to cyberattacks. XDR is best for cross-domain correlation and comprehensive security, while EDR is ideal for targeted detection.

Since XDR provides a more comprehensive and holistic security cover, it costs more than an EDR solution. The former also integrates with a whole host of security tools, whereas XDR might provide limited integration due to its focus on endpoint management.

What other endpoint security technologies are similar to EDR and XDR?

If both EDR and XDR don’t cut it for you, check out these other similar security solutions that might suit your needs better.

Network detection and response (NDR)

Just like an EDR is a cybersecurity approach focusing on maintaining security by keeping endpoints safe, a network detection and response (NDR) solution helps keep cyberattacks away by monitoring and analyzing a company’s network traffic for malicious behavior. It leverages capabilities like signature-based detection and flow analysis to ensure network security. Like an XDR solution, NDR solutions are scalable to monitor increasing network traffic.

Managed detection and response (MDR)

Managed detection and response (MDR) is another word for security operations center (SOC). It is a centralized facility that houses an information security team responsible for continuously monitoring, detecting, analyzing and responding to any cybersecurity incidents on a 24/7/365 basis.

MDR or SOC service providers give security- and cost-conscious SMBs top-notch threat detection and remediation service that is nearly impossible to build internally. Even MSPs who want to highlight security services in their portfolio can partner with an MDR service provider.

SOC and MDR service providers use their knowledge of cybercriminal tools and techniques to proactively hunt, disrupt, contain, analyze and mitigate threats before they can harm their or their clients’ organizations.

Security information and event management (SIEM)

SIEM is an abbreviation for system information and event management. It is an ideal choice for organizations looking for a security solution that is more advanced than an EDR but not as high-end as an XDR. While SIEM analyzes log data from servers and security tools like firewalls and antivirus solutions, an XDR analyzes data from many more channels, focusing on endpoints, cloud, email and network activity.

Secure endpoints with Kaseya

Today’s “endpoint” has evolved to be anything with a digital pulse, such as a PC or Mac, VDI, mobile device or IoT. VSA, Kaseya’s complete, powerful and automated endpoint management solution, manages all endpoints, helping you stay two steps ahead of endpoint evolution.

VSA is designed with a relentless focus on security. Patch every endpoint automatically with best-in-class automation and the largest software catalog on the market. Leverage policy-based configuration hardening to keep bad actors at bay. Detect and quarantine ransomware before it becomes a problem. Enhance threat detection with integrated AV, AM, EDR and Managed SOC.

Automate, secure, monitor and manage your world at scale. Discover VSA today!

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These days, you need to secure more than just a single door. There are multiple doors, windows, and other entry points throughout the entire house. There are so many potential access points that simply relying on locks won’t work. Organizations need more than a single solution to be completely secure. Bitdefender’s GravityZone for MSPs will help you prevent an attack, defend against one and recover if compromised.

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What is the difference between a NOC and a SOC?

A NOC maintains and monitors a company’s IT infrastructure, including the network infrastructure, endpoints and cloud setups, to ensure they run smoothly and efficiently at all times. It handles problems arising from technological causes like power and internet outages, and natural causes like hurricanes. The goal is to ensure that an organization’s users or clients can access the IT network and necessary resources 24/7. NOC services also often oversee patching and server maintenance for an organization.

NOCs also help organizations maintain uptime so the business does not take a hit. About 82% of companies have experienced at least one unplanned downtime outage over the past three years, with the average number of outages being two. A single hour of downtime can set organizations back by hundreds of millions and tarnish their reputation. In 2021, Amazon missed out on an estimated $34 million in sales due to an internet outage. Similarly, in October 2021, Facebook and its affiliated brands, like WhatsApp and Instagram, were unavailable for an astounding six to seven hours, sparking angry memes and a nearly $100 million revenue loss.

A SOC, on the other hand, monitors an organization’s endpoints, network and servers to keep it safe from cyberthreats. They look for anything suspicious in the IT infrastructure that portends a cyberattack in motion and take steps to analyze and remediate incidents if one occurs.

Cybersecurity is one of the biggest challenges facing organizations today. In 2022, 71% of companies worldwide were affected by ransomware, with 62.9% of ransomware victims paying the ransom. Threats are not only increasing in number but also complexity. Poor cybersecurity practices mean security breaches can run for multiple years before they are detected. By then, much of the damage has already taken place. Zoetop Business Company, which owns Shein and its sister brand Romwe, was fined $1.9 million towards the end of 2022 for failing to handle a data breach from 2018, which affected 39 million customers.

Essentially, SOC analysts detect cybercrime, build defenses against it, then eliminate it if one occurs. All this is done to maintain a company’s data, infrastructure, and operational integrity. After all, the financial and reputational damage in the wake of a successful cyberattack can be devastating and often irreversible.

Definition of NOC and SOC

NOC technicians need to have a strong understanding of networking concepts and must be able to troubleshoot issues quickly. On the other hand, SOC analysts must be well-versed in security technologies and threat detection methods.

NOC: A NOC monitors, manages and maintains an organization’s networked devices and systems. A company can have a NOC team internally or partner with a third-party NOC service provider. As an external service, NOCs can deliver IT services to the client and the client’s customers or employees.

SOC: A SOC is an in-house or third-party facility that houses an information security team responsible for continuously monitoring, detecting, analyzing and responding to any cybersecurity incidents on a 24/7/365 basis. The operation uses predefined processes and solutions to prevent and remediate cybersecurity incidents and strengthen an organization’s security posture.

Purpose

A few similarities exist between a NOC and a SOC, namely their monitoring and management capabilities. Both facilities monitor endpoints, devices, network infrastructure, cloud, virtual machines and all other components of IT, but for different end goals.

A NOC monitors endpoints and IT systems to identify and resolve issues that can hurt the performance and availability of the IT infrastructure. After all, slow systems and glitchy software only delay work, negatively impacting service level agreements (SLAs). In addition to identifying and resolving issues, NOC staff may also plan network capacity. This eliminates potential bottlenecks and other performance issues, helping users experience fewer interruptions and enjoy smoother overall operations. A NOC’s role is to keep the IT machinery well-oiled by eliminating and fixing technical problems, preventing service outages and preparing against unforeseen conditions that can cause business downtime. They also manage a help desk to handle requests such as password resets, recovering deleted data and new user onboarding.

A SOC ensures that a company’s security remains strong. It also undertakes device and IT asset monitoring to identify signs of intrusion or malicious activity. SOC analysts regularly monitor log files, network traffic, escalating privileges and unusual or unauthorized activities, among other things, to find clues of a potential cyberattack. Besides actively looking for threats, SOCs also investigate incidents when they occur and take appropriate action to mitigate them. A SOC team comprises security analysts, incident responders and other security professionals who provide 24/7 monitoring and bolster an organization’s security posture. Without the round-the-clock vigilance of a SOC team, most cyberattacks would breach a company’s defenses undetected, causing severe damage.

Functions

A NOC’s objective is to minimize downtime, maintain the health and functionality of an organization’s IT infrastructure, and ensure that the network is always available and running smoothly.

• Network monitoring and management: It involves monitoring network devices, servers and databases to ensure they function as intended and that data passes through them securely.
• Software and application management: This involves installing, updating, troubleshooting and patching software and applications to ensure smooth performance at every stage of the lifecycle.
• Communications management: It involves implementing strategies to help organizations securely share information internally and externally through email, audio or video.
• Business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR) services: BCDR services address data storage, backup and disaster recovery to help organizations keep their operations running even during major disruptions like natural disasters, power outages, data breaches and other catastrophic events.
• Network analysis and reporting: This task involves measuring data transmission efficiency using latency, jitter, packet loss and throughput metrics. It also involves checking a network’s overall stability and reliability and making suggestions for improvement.
• Third-party services management: In IT, vendors, contractors and freelancers work together to propel the engine forward, but keeping track of them can become challenging. NOCs streamline the processes by keeping track of all contacts, licenses and payments jobs with third-party vendors and take the stress away.

A SOC performs continuous monitoring and analysis of security events and detects and responds to security incidents, such as cyberattacks, malware infections and unauthorized access to sensitive information.

• Threat monitoring and management: A constant assessment of the threats to your systems and data will allow you to identify and mitigate potential threats before they become actual incidents.
• Vulnerability scanning and management: A key component of threat monitoring, vulnerability scanning helps identify weaknesses in the systems that attackers could exploit.
• Incident response, recovery and remediation: A tried and trusted three-pronged approach that helps organizations minimize the impact of an actual security incident.
• Security log management: A log is a storehouse of data, and security log management helps organizations identify threat trends and learn from past incidents.
• Compliance management: Compliance management helps ensure that an organization’s systems and processes meet regulatory requirements.

Expertise

While both NOC and SOC experts need a strong understanding of IT systems and tools, their areas of expertise and how they conduct their business are strikingly different.

A NOC is staffed by network engineers who monitor the performance of a network, endpoints and all other IT devices, systems and components for efficiency and reliability. NOC analysts need a good understanding of networking concepts to manage IT infrastructure proactively, prevent outages and performance issues, and identify and troubleshoot problems. They use IT solutions like RMM, network, cloud, virtualization management tools, backup and disaster recovery tools, and a host of other software to do their job effectively. The NOC team is also responsible for ensuring that security solutions are installed and patched regularly.

On the other hand, SOC teams rely on notifications and alerts from the installed security solutions to guard the company’s security perimeter. SOC experts use advanced tools and systems to examine a company’s network and data for anomalies that can signal an intrusion or a cyberattack in progress. Their job doesn’t end with keeping an eye out. They are also responsible for investigating, triaging and mitigating cyberattacks when they occur. For the SOC teams, keeping up with the latest cyberthreats is crucial to devise robust strategies that keep organizations safe. Along with the staple RMM, SOCs work with tools like vulnerability scanners, dark web monitoring tools, threat intelligence platforms, etc.

While NOC analysts work to improve an IT infrastructure’s performance, output and efficiency, SOC experts work towards hardening a company’s security perimeter and ensuring the infrastructure’s resilience against vulnerabilities and security risks.

Opposition

A person’s responsibilities as a NOC or SOC are greatly affected by the challenges or opposition they face.

NOCs must deal with challenges that are not naturally occurring or caused by humans, such as system failures, power outages and natural disasters. They must keep networks and systems running smoothly and make resources available to users at all times. Essentially, the IT infrastructure must run at its best 24/7. Hard-pressed for time, NOC analysts are tasked with dealing with increasing endpoints, users and networks daily. Keeping up with the ever-changing IT environment, with different kinds of devices in use, remote and hybrid work environments, IoT devices, cloud, 5G and fast-speed internet, NOCs must constantly be on their toes. NOC experts bring structure to chaos and ensure that organizations are always operational.

On the other hand, SOC experts must contend with greater forces of chaos. The security of a business is constantly under attack by threat actors actively devising new ways of compromising it. To keep these threats at bay, SOC analysts must be on a war footing at all times. While SOC experts work to strengthen a company’s defense, malicious forces on the other side are trying to destroy it. It’s a never-ending battle, and SOC experts must stay on top of all the latest tactics. A small slip on their part can cost organizations millions.

Which is best: NOC or SOC?

We can tell you that neither is better than the other. Whether you need one or both depends on your organization’s needs NOC monitors and manages your network infrastructure and keeps things running smoothly while SOC is necessary for security monitoring and incident response. They serve different functions but are indispensable for a complete picture of your organization’s IT environment.

Should NOC and SOC be combined?

Combining the two departments may not be such a great idea in the long run. Although they both fall under the IT umbrella, the skillset and processes required to run them vary. Moreover, they serve different end goals too. However, having both teams work together is a good practice to ensure a fully robust infrastructure. If the NOC wishes to deploy a new network, it is always a good idea to work with SOC experts to find the most secure method. Likewise, NOC analysts can work with security teams to identify the most critical IT assets and plan a monitoring strategy focusing on them first.

Scale your business with Kaseya NOC Services and Managed SOC

Kaseya knows that finding the right NOC and SOC partner is crucial to the success of your business. This is why we provide them both under one roof, so you don’t have to spend time searching for the best options in the market.

Our NOC Services are cost-effective, and you can easily add or remove services based on your business cycle and needs. Sit back and let our executives handle all the tasks keeping you from growing your business. We assure you that our experts will blow you away with their performance, plus you’ll receive regular reports on the work they do for you.

We know cybersecurity is on your mind, and security headaches give you sleepless nights. With our SOC experts on duty, you don’t have to worry about a thing. Our SOC team will safeguard your endpoints, networks and cloud 24/7 to keep your organization protected always.

Get started with a NOC Services quote or Managed SOC demo today.

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Half of businesses will fall victim to a cyberattack or security breach

The cybersecurity climate for businesses has been steadily heating up. About half of the businesses that we surveyed for the Kaseya Security Insights Report 2022 told our researchers that they have been the victim of a successful cyberattack or security breach (49%). Digging deeper, one in five of our survey respondents said that their organization had experienced at least one successful cyberattack or security breach in the past 12 months. These alarming statistics illustrate the pressure that businesses and the IT professionals who secure them are under in today’s turbulent cybersecurity landscape, and that pressure won’t be letting up anytime soon.

“Businesses are facing a constantly escalating cyber threat level and they’ll continue to do so for the foreseeable future, with new groups of threat actors and more sophisticated attacks continuing to emerge,” says Jason Manar, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Kaseya. 

Prepare to face four major threats

SMBs face danger from a wide variety of cyber threats, but a few standouts are the most common. Phishing and email fraud, which includes cyberattacks like Business Email Compromise (BEC), is the top security threat to businesses today, with 55% of our survey respondents naming it as the biggest security challenge that their organizations face. Ransomware takes second place, the top threat for just under one-quarter (23%) of our survey respondents. Also on the list are password compromise (15%) and Account Takeover (6%).

Falling victim to any cyberattacks can cost a business a fortune. The effects of a successful cyberattack on a business include lost revenue, reputation damage, downtime and wasted productivity, not to mention the high cost of mounting an incident response and recovery effort. About two-thirds of our survey respondents (63%) said that if their companies experienced a cyberattack like ransomware, while they would likely recover from the incident, they would likely lose data and incur expensive downtime. But by taking a few smart steps, businesses can minimize the impact of a cyberattack or prevent one from landing altogether. 

Every business needs an incident response plan

One of the top defensive tools that cybersecurity experts recommend for businesses is to create and test an incident response plan. U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800-61 Rev. 2 Computer Security Incident Handling Guide is essential for anyone preparing an incident response plan. Incident response planning offers businesses another benefit too: it’s a valuable tool for preventing an incident from happening in the first place. Incident response planning gives businesses insight into where they might have security gaps or need better tools in their defensive buildout, reducing the chance that the company will experience an incident at all. Businesses should formalize a plan and run tabletop exercises to test their plan to ensure that they’ve covered everything.

“Knowing what to do and who to call in case of a cyberattack is the foundation of responding to that cyberattack quickly to limit the damage,” said Manar. “Without an incident response plan, the stress and pressure of the situation can lead to expensive mistakes.” 

Get expert help detecting and mitigating threats

Cyber threats are constantly evolving and growing more complex as bad actors seek ways to get around cybersecurity safeguards. That makes them tricky for a company’s security team to detect. Accurate threat detection depends on solid threat intelligence and an expert eye to analyze it. A security operations center is often a necessary tool for handling these tasks. However, finding and hiring the experts that a business needs to form a security operations center (SOC) can be difficult and cost-prohibitive for SMBs. Managed SOC or Managed Detection and Response (MDR) is the solution to that dilemma.

Managed SOC offers businesses an easy and affordable way to put a team of security experts to work for them without expanding their payroll or building expensive infrastructure. Ideally, it should provide around-the-clock protection with real-time threat detection across three critical attack vectors: endpoint, network and cloud. Businesses gain access to a nerve center staffed by security pros that can hunt, triage, alert and work with their security team at critical moments, like when a threat is discovered or if they experience a cyberattack. 

What can you do if the worst does happen?

In the United States, The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the lead federal agency for investigating cyber attacks and intrusions. The Bureau has specially trained cyber squads in each of its 56 field offices that can help businesses handle a network intrusion, data breach or ransomware attack. A business experiencing one of those problems should contact their nearest FBI field office or report it at tips.fbi.gov. The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) provides businesses with advice on what to do if they fall victim to cybercrime or a cyberattack, including a breakdown of what information the FBI will request when tapped for help. Other federal agencies and many state governments and non-profits also offer assistance to businesses that fall victim to cybercrime.

“Don’t wait to call the authorities for help if your company is hit by a cyberattack – the sooner you start the process, the more you’ll benefit from the help they can give you to resolve the situation,” advises Manar, a former FBI Cyber Supervisory Special Agent.

Invest in affordable cybersecurity safeguards

In addition to incident response planning and partnering with a managed SOC, there are other budget-friendly safeguards a business can put in place to efficiently and effectively protect it from cyberattacks, including these tools:

Identity and Access Management (IAM) – Prevent intrusions via stolen, phished or compromised credentials by requiring proof of identity with IAM tools including two-factor authentication (2FA) or multifactor authentication (MFA). Microsoft says that that kind of technology alone can foil up to 99% of account-based cyberattacks.

Security Awareness Training – Transform employees from security liabilities into security assets with training that teaches them to identify cyber threats and handle data safely. Phishing simulations also help employees become savvy about spotting and avoiding cybercriminal traps.

Email Security – Investing in the best email security available is a smart decision since most of today’s nastiest cyberattacks like ransomware and BEC are email-based. Solutions that use AI and automation catch more threats than traditional email security or a Secure Email Gateway (SEG).

Backup and Recovery – Backing up a company’s data is a smart decision, especially in the ransomware era. Companies have several options to do it, like using an on-premises backup server. But in today’s cloud-based world, cloud-based backup is the ideal choice for frictionless backup and easy recovery of a company’s data if needed.

Dark Web Monitoring – This defensive tool provides companies with 24/7/365 monitoring of business and personal credentials, including domains, IP addresses and email addresses, alerting the company’s IT team if any of that sensitive information appears in a dark web market, forum or data dump. This helps eliminate dark web risk exposure from password reuse, a common problem for businesses.

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) – EDR detects threats that evade other defenses so that you can quickly respond before damage is done. EDR relieves security team pressure with alerts that are mapped to the MITRE ATT&CK framework to provide context and helpful clarity reducing the security expertise required to effectively respond.

Get ready now for future cybersecurity challenges

Businesses should continue to expect to navigate a difficult security climate going forward. Recently, supply chain risk has become a major security concern, and that risk is escalating. More than half of the organizations that we surveyed (67%) told us that they conduct ongoing dark web monitoring for their suppliers’ domains as well as their own in order to combat supply chain risk. Smart organizations are also conducting frequent security awareness training to mitigate risks caused by phishing or employee behavior like mishandling data. Four-fifths of our survey respondents said that they regularly engage in security awareness training for all employees.

A strong commitment to cybersecurity is a foundational element of any modern company’s success, and it will only grow more important as the world continues its digital transformation. But mounting a solid defense against cyberattacks doesn’t have to break the bank. By taking sensible precautions like getting expert security advice, investing in quality security solutions and engaging in incident response planning, businesses can ensure that they’re ready for the cybersecurity challenges that they will experience today and tomorrow.

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The global average total cost of a data breach in 2021 was a whopping $4.24 million. According to the trends over the last couple of years, this figure is expected to rise in 2022. That said, it is becoming increasingly important to always have eyes on your systems and networks to make sure you can identify and remediate any potential threats and vulnerabilities before they cause any significant damage to your business. However, given the volume of work that IT management entails, it can be very difficult for your IT team to have complete visibility of your IT infrastructure all of the time. And that’s why we have SOC.

The post What is a Security Operations Center (SOC) and Why Do You Need It? appeared first on Kaseya.

Endpoint security is the process of securing various endpoints, such as desktop computers, laptops, servers and other specialized computing hardware. These devices can either be on the corporate network, or, as is the case with remote workers, off-network and connected via the Internet.

Why is Endpoint Security Important for Remote Users?

With more companies shifting their employees to remote work due to the COVID-19 crisis, vulnerable endpoint devices can become easy points of entry for cybercriminals. Endpoints become vulnerable if the software running on them isn’t patched in a timely manner. To drive home this point, there were more than 12,000 publicly disclosed software vulnerabilities last year.

Every month on Patch Tuesday, Microsoft provides security patches to remediate vulnerabilities in its software products, from Windows to browsers and business applications. The May 2020 Patch Tuesday provided patches for 111 vulnerabilities across 12 products.

If your end users are working remotely, they’re off the corporate IT network, which means managing and keeping those devices updated could be challenging unless you have the ability to also patch those off-network devices.

Unpatched endpoints can be susceptible to cyberattacks, with hackers:

• Taking control of endpoints to launch DDOS attacks
• Using endpoints as entry and exit points to steal company and personal data
• Holding sensitive data or machines for ransom

When ransomware infects a single computer, it can quickly spread throughout the network, paralyzing your entire business.

Cyberattacks can not only shut down businesses, but also put IT leaders out of jobs. With the current crisis at hand, dealing with a cyberattack is the last thing you need on your plate.

Best Practices for Remote Endpoint Security

Organizations have, for decades, relied on antivirus/antimalware (AV/AM) software to secure endpoints. However, you need more than the traditional AV/AM solutions to secure your remote endpoints against today’s sophisticated attacks.

Here are five best practices you can implement to create a secure remote environment for your business:

Enable (Virtual Private Network) VPN for remote endpoints

Setup VPN on your remote endpoints to allow your users to access a secure link back to the office environment. You can use your endpoint management solution to deploy the VPN client, configure it, and once it’s all set up, you can monitor it and ensure that the client is up and running.

Patch your off-network devices

Automate patching of your off-network devices, monitor the patch status on all machines and track the vulnerabilities that can impact your environment. Your endpoint management tool automates patch management to ensure that patching occurs in a timely manner, without burdening the IT team.

Implement two-factor authentication (2FA)

2FA provides a second layer of authentication to access your applications by requiring users to provide a password (something they know) and a mobile app or token (something they have). 2FA is one of the easiest methods you can use to prevent cybercriminals from taking advantage of weak or stolen credentials (passwords) and hacking into your systems. Your employees’ credentials are probably out there on the Dark Web just waiting for cybercriminals to take advantage of them. Don’t let them!

Provide cybersecurity training to all your employees

With more employees now working from home than ever before, cybersecurity training is absolutely essential. As noted in our earlier blog, Top 10 Cybersecurity Threats in 2020, phishing attacks are getting more sophisticated everyday. Cybersecurity training can help prevent employees from falling victim to these kinds of attacks. This training can be accomplished through online videos and simulated phishing emails sent to all your remote workers.

Use cloud backup for your remote workforce

Your workforce may be scattered at the moment, but your IT staff and equipment doesn’t have to be. Protect end-user data without the hassle of setting up an appliance or local storage at every office location. Cloud backup is the simplest way to back up from anywhere with internet connectivity—including WiFi, so the data on remote endpoints is covered as well.

Kaseya VSA for Remote Endpoint Security

Kaseya VSA is a remote monitoring and endpoint management solution that helps you secure your systems as well as your remote, off-network endpoints.

With Kaseya VSA, you can:

• Monitor and remotely manage all devices on- and off-network
• Automate deployment, installation and updation of software on all endpoints, even over low bandwidth (e.g. Wi-Fi) networks
• Automated patch management covers Windows and macOS, as well as browsers and third-party applications
• Maintain compliance with your company security policies

Integrated with industry-leading AV/AM solutions, such as Bitdefender, Webroot, Kaspersky, and with a backup solution, such as Kaseya Unified Backup, Kaseya VSA provides you with complete endpoint protection for your business needs.

To learn more about endpoint security for a remote workforce, watch the video below:

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