Endpoint Compliance Solutions are security tools that enable security teams to ensure compliance policies and frameworks are enforced across endpoint devices.
Securing your network is a lot harder than it sounds. Networks are not the easily definable things they once were. Today, they are sprawling and complex. They can include your cloud environments, the network edge, attached endpoints, and connected devices. Personal mobile devices, laptops, desktop computers, servers, embedded devices, virtual machines are easy to overlook when it comes to securing your network. Internet of things (IoT) devices, like the new smart coffee machine that appeared in your office last week, also pose a risk.
While endpoints are an integral part of network infrastructure, they are not without risk. Endpoints act as an interface between your organization and the external environment, this makes them a point for that external world entering your network. Each endpoint is a potential vulnerability for an attacker to exploit.
As such, endpoints are a priority for security teams to ensure that networks are secured and properly managed. For every organization that must adhere to strict compliance guidelines, endpoint compliance has become an imperative in order to stay within regulations and protect endpoints. This article will explore some of the top endpoint compliance solutions and suggest which organizations would benefit most from their implementation.
The BMC Helix Client Management solution is a fully integrated endpoint security, compliance, and management platform. It offers automated endpoint management which helps organizations reduce risk and maintain compliance without increasing workload.
BMC Helix Client Management Features:
- Integrate with your service desk or CMDB
- All devices can be accessed remotely, even those not connected through VPN
- Instant messaging tools allows instant communication for troubleshooting and training purposes
- Supports FIPS 140-2 Encryption
- Adherence to regulatory, industry, and corporate regulation – provides reports to satisfy audit requests (SCAP 1.2 compliant certified by the National Institute of Standards and Technology)
- Automated inventory collection
- Vulnerability protection and patching
Pricing And Plans: Pricing is supplied via a quotation request. A free trial is available.
Expert Insights’ Comments: The BMC Helix Client Management platform is a fully stacked endpoint security platform that ensures your organization remains compliant. Admins can create compliance rules and import Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) templates to check endpoint compliance and automate remediation. We would recommend BMC Helix Client Management for organizations of all sizes utilizing a service management platform.
ESET PROTECT Advanced is an endpoint protection solution that offers consolidated security for all endpoints in a network, that is managed through a single-pane view. This solution helps your organization to meet compliance guidelines and maintain standards. ESET PROTECT Advanced uses an intuitive management console to give you visibility into network events and can be deployed either on-prem or via the cloud.
ESET PROTECT Advanced Features:
- Use 170+ built-in report templates or create your own using 1000+ data points
- Deployable pre-configured live installers
- Adaptive scanning
- Cloud sandboxing
- In-depth behavioral analysis
- Compliant with ISO/IEC 27001:2013
- Full disk encryption,
Pricing And Plans: Subscriptions start at $248.40 for 5 devices for one year. Further pricing details can be supplied via a quotation request.
Expert Insights’ Comments: ESET PROTECT Advanced is a multi-layered platform that offers straightforward endpoint protection. In addition to proactive protection from a wide range of threats, it also provides cloud sandboxing, zero-day threat prevention, and full disk encryption for data protection. Device management is simplified with easy encryption and streamlined management features. The solutions’ reporting and auditing features are also strong, with admins able to create a range of custom reports and insights. We would recommend ESET PROTECT Advanced for SMBs due to its robust features and ease of management.
The Forescout Continuum platform is an endpoint security and compliance solution that offers flexible insights as well as robust security across all of your digital assets. The solution provides workflow automation through cybersecurity asset management, asset compliance, and network segmentation capabilities. It also delivers security orchestration through risk compliance and network access control.
Forescout Continuum Features:
- Extensive asset discovery capabilities supported by in-depth inventory features
- Continuous synchronization with your organization’s configuration management database (CMDB) tools
- Agentless validation of cyber asset state against security frameworks to ensure security features and solutions are deployed and running correctly
- Asset grouping and traffic flow mapping
- Risk identification and prioritization
- Automated workflows
Pricing And Plans: Pricing is supplied via a quotation request.
Expert Insights’ Comments: The Forescout Continuum platform is supported by clean and initiative dashboards that report in real-time, providing extensive and advanced reports. Asset and risk compliance are continually monitored, with the platform ensuring endpoints are operating correctly and are properly authorized. We would recommend this solution for the mid-market to enterprise level range who are looking for a high-level of customization and flexibility.
An established vendor across the cybersecurity sector, Fortinet produce several endpoint, networking, and cloud security solutions. The company is based in Sunnyvale, CA, and was founded in 2000. Fortinet’s FortiClient is an endpoint security solution that offers visibility, control, protection, secure remote access, and can enforce endpoint compliance. The comprehensive platform uses the FortiClient Fabric Agent – this helps to report on the status of devices and contains sandboxing capabilities.
Fortinet FortiClient Features:
- Real-time dashboard
- Software inventory management
- Active Directory (AD) integration
- Central quarantine management
- Automatic group assignment
- Malware protection and application firewall service
- Endpoint quarantine
Pricing And Plans: Pricing is supplied via a quotation request.
Expert Insights’ Comments: Fortinet’s FortiClient offers a comprehensive range of security features that provide in depth visibility into endpoints, thereby allowing monitoring, reporting, and compliance enforcement. Users who have deployed this solution have praised it for its ease of use, deployment, and extensive visibility into endpoints within their network. We would recommend FortiClient for SMBs and Enterprises thanks to Fortinet’s custom product offerings.
The Ivanti Endpoint Security for Endpoint Manager is a stacked endpoint security, management, and compliance solution that helps to automate discovery, inventory, and patch management. It also delivers robust threat prevention and remediation capabilities and is highly integrable with your existing environment and can be deployed across a range of environments. The solution makes it easy for admins to demonstrate compliance through easy collection and export of data in common file formats.
Ivanti Endpoint Security Features:
- Device trajectory feature
- Auto-isolation and rapid remediation
- Patch management
- Antivirus management
- Application control and device control
- Discovery and inventory features
Pricing And Plans: Pricing is supplied via a quotation request.
Expert Insights’ Comments: The Ivanti Endpoint Security for Endpoint Manager is a robust endpoint security and compliance platform that offers robust and adaptive security, with extensive control and endpoints insights. The extended visibility and proactive approach results in fewer endpoints needing to be taken offline. The solution helps your organization to remain compliant by enforcing strict regulations, offering adaptive endpoint security policies, and helping admins create data reports that meet compliance requirements for audits. We would recommend this solution for companies in the enterprise range due to its comprehensive feature-set.
The KACE Systems Management Appliance solution from Quest is an endpoint management and compliance solution that can automate endpoint-related administrative tasks, oversee patch management, employ risk reduction features, and inventory your hardware and software assets. The solution offers full control over all operating systems, including MacOS, Windows, Chromebook, Linux, iOS, and Android. It is a comprehensive and scalable platform that is enhanced through intuitive and customizable workflows.
Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance Features:
- Mobile device controls
- Granular inventory
- Server management and monitoring
- Mobile app enables admins to submit service desk tickets, access knowledge base, and track existing ticket status
- Asset life cycle management
- Patch management and tracking
Pricing And Plans: Pricing is supplied via a quotation request.
Expert Insights’ Comments: Quest’s KACE Systems Management Appliance is a comprehensive endpoint management and compliance solution that offers full visibility and protection of endpoints. The solution generates reports quickly for auditing and compliance purposes. Deployment for the solution is flexible, with on-premises or as a virtual appliance hosted in VMware, Hyper-V, Azure, or Nutanix deployment options available. We would recommend the solution for mid-market companies and enterprises.
Sophos are a large player in the cybersecurity market. Since 1985 they have been providing robust and innovative network and endpoint security tools. Their Next-Gen Endpoint platform integrates XDR, EDR, ZTNA, and MDR capabilities to offer full endpoint protection and complete regulatory compliance. The solution makes it easy to generate reports for auditing and the whole platform is managed from a user-friendly cloud portal.
Sophos Intercept X Features:
- Cloud-based, unified console
- Deep learning technology and artificial intelligence
- On-demand endpoint isolation and sandboxing
- Data retention
- Security health checks
- Forensic data exporting
Pricing And Plans: Pricing is supplied via a quotation request. A free trial is available.
Expert Insights’ Comments: The Sophos Intercept X platform is a highly sophisticated endpoint solution that offers powerful security, strong reporting, and advanced analytics features. These features aid your organization in meeting compliance guidelines and cooperating with audits. By protecting endpoints and controlling apps and device permissions, the platform helps to reduce attack surface area. Admins have extensive visibility into endpoints and can request reports on security health or user behavior. We would recommend the Sophos Intercept X platform for mid-market and enterprise level organizations due to its flexibility and functionality.
Trend Micro were established in 1988 and are now based in California. Their endpoint solution is the Trend Micro Apex One endpoint protection platform. It offers full automation, flexibility, and detailed insights while making sure your organization adheres to compliance regulations. The solution provides automated detection and mitigation capabilities, EDR features, in depth reporting and analytics, and can create audit-ready reports quickly. Deployment is flexible, with SaaS, on-prem, and hybrid available.
Trend Micro Apex One Features:
- Data loss prevention (DLP) for data at rest and in transit
- Device and application control
- Ransomware rollback
- Patch management – can be delivered to legacy operating systems too
- Dynamic policies with safelisting/blocklisting capabilities to reduce attack exposure
- Sandboxing features
Pricing And Plans: Pricing is supplied via a quotation request.
Expert Insights’ Comments: The Trend Micro Apex One platform is a consolidated endpoint protection platform that offers robust security for your endpoints. It allows extended visibility into endpoints and can automate workflows and processes while ensuring your organization meets compliance guidelines. The solution offers strong patching capabilities, with temporary virtual patches applied before an official patch is available or deployed. Policies can be customized and set to apply to certain devices, groups, or individuals. Users have praised the solution for its extensive customization, its adaptive security features, and comprehensive insights and reporting. We would recommend the solution for enterprise-grade organizations who need advanced data analysis with powerful remediation capabilities.
Webroot Business Endpoint Protection is a cloud-driven endpoint security platform that is delivered as software-as-a-service (SaaS). It offers remote endpoint management and control, with full visibility into all endpoints connected to your network. It integrates well with your existing environments, including Multi OS, virtualization, terminal server, and provides Citrix support. The solution uses multi-cloud architecture that utilizes multiple secure data centers worldwide to ensure data is protected. It is centrally managed from a cloud-based console, with fast deployment and RMM, BI, and PSA integrations.
Webroot Business Endpoint Protection Features:
- Granular pre-configured policy templates with the option to customize or create your own
- Easy and effective whitelisting and blacklisting
- User identity and privacy protection
- Malware detection and prevention
- Contextual threat intelligence
- Easy-to-use web portal
Pricing And Plans: Pricing is supplied via a quotation request.
Expert Insights’ Comments: Webroot Business Endpoint Protection is a clean and consolidated platform that offers endpoint security and compliance through streamlined management, robust security tools, and granular policy control. Users have praised this solution for its ease of use during initial setup and deployment, as well as the level of support given by Webroot’s customer team. We would recommend this solution for SMBs and MSPs due to the ease of deployment and support options.
FAQs
What Is Endpoint Compliance?
Endpoint compliance is a way of ensuring that device security posture is appropriate and effective. All devices within your network need to be properly configured to ensure they do not act as a vulnerability. Certain standards are set by regulatory bodies or insurance brokers. Endpoint compliance solutions will make it easy to prove that your organization, and your endpoints, are protected with the proper level of security.
General security requirements typically include ensuring that vulnerabilities are patched, quarantining policies are in place, steps are taken to reduce attack surface, threat detection tools are effective, and that zero-trust philosophy is used.
How Do You Prove Endpoint Compliance?
What does endpoint compliance need? What qualifies as endpoint compliance? Generally, endpoint compliance can be broken into three areas: software compliance, configuration compliance, and security compliance.
- Software compliance: Generally, this will refer to patch management. In order to stay compliant, organization need to ensure that any network or software vulnerabilities are properly addressed, often through patches. These software patches can be added quickly, to block any loopholes and vulnerabilities.
- Configuration compliance: Configuration compliance involves the appropriate configuration of hardware and software at endpoints. This ensures that devices are properly configured and set up to address the threats that they might encounter. Admins can track and monitor threats across devices, simplify reporting, and threat detection. By making sure that inventories are up to date and maintained, it is easier for admin to monitor devices and ensure compliance.
- Security compliance: Security compliance involves the continuous scanning of endpoints and devices to identify weak points and vulnerabilities. After vulnerabilities have been discovered, it’s important to have automated remediation workflows in place to resolve the vulnerabilities as quickly as possible – this might include adding a patch, or alerting admin users to the vulnerability.
