Part and parcel of solid IT security is teaching employees to be vigilant. However, cyberthreats have become increasingly sophisticated, and that’s where Cisco Secure Endpoint comes in. In this blog post, I will cover some of the reasons why the solution stands out as a premier choice for businesses seeking comprehensive protection for their endpoints.
Cisco Secure Endpoint provides advanced malware protection, continuously monitoring and analyzing all file activity and traffic to detect, isolate, and remove threats. This proactive approach ensures that threats are stopped before they can cause damage, even if they are sophisticated, zero-day attacks that traditional antivirus solutions might miss.
Cisco Secure Endpoint uses machine learning and behavior-based detection to go beyond traditional threat detection methods. It identifies anomalies and suspicious behaviors by establishing baseline patterns for normal network and file behaviors. This capability enables the system to catch malicious activities based on deviations from these norms, providing a smarter, more adaptive security approach.
When a threat is detected, the Cisco Secure Endpoint not only alerts the administrators but also offers detailed information and recommendations for remediation. This integrated response helps quickly address threats, reduce downtime, and mitigate the risk of further penetration or data loss.
Cisco Secure Endpoint is backed by Cisco Talos, one of the world's most sophisticated threat intelligence teams. This integration ensures that the defenses are continuously updated with the latest threat data from around the globe, enabling real-time protection against new and evolving threats.
Cisco Secure Endpoint can be integrated with Cisco Umbrella to extend its protection capabilities to include DNS-layer security. This means that Cisco Umbrella can block any malicious attempt to connect to an endpoint at the DNS level before it even reaches the network, providing an additional layer of security and reducing the workload on endpoint defenses.
Together, Cisco Talos and Cisco Umbrella create a robust security framework that supports Cisco Secure Endpoint. This integration enhances the effectiveness of the endpoint security and provides broader protection across the network, ensuring a more secure and resilient IT environment for businesses. By leveraging the strengths of Cisco's comprehensive security tools, organizations can effectively defend against the sophisticated threats of today's digital world.
Why should I use Cisco Secure Endpoint when I have a good solution from Microsoft today that I use, you might ask?
Choosing between Cisco Secure Endpoint and Microsoft Defender often depends on your organization’s specific needs, infrastructure, and existing security ecosystem. Here’s why you might choose Cisco Secure Endpoint, even if you have access to Microsoft Defender:
As mentioned above, Cisco Secure Endpoint leverages the extensive threat intelligence provided in real-time by Cisco Talos, enhancing Secure Endpoint’s detection and response capabilities. This is particularly valuable for organizations facing advanced and evolving cybersecurity threats.
Furthermore, Secure Endpoint integrates seamlessly with Cisco Extended Detection and Response (XDR), a security platform that offers a unified view of all security activities across Cisco security products. This integration facilitates broader, more coordinated security responses, streamlining the management of security incidents and reducing complexity.
Finally, Secure Endpoint includes Orbital Advanced Search, which empowers security teams to perform proactive threat hunting and detailed forensic investigations across all endpoints. This feature offers a deeper level of security insight that can be crucial in preventing and mitigating sophisticated attacks.
While Microsoft Defender provides robust protection capabilities, Cisco Secure Endpoint offers several layers of defense, including prevention, detection, response, and remediation from malware and other threats. It also provides more granular control over security policies and the ability to perform retrospective security analysis, allowing continued file monitoring even after being initially cleared.
Cisco Secure Endpoint offers full scalability and flexibility, making it suitable for small and large businesses. The ability to tailor security policies and the ease of integrating with other security solutions (both Cisco and third-party) allow organizations to adapt their security posture based on evolving business needs and threat landscapes.
So, in short, Cisco Secure Endpoint is a viable solution if:
Ultimately, the choice between Cisco Secure Endpoint and Microsoft Defender should be driven by a detailed assessment of your security needs, existing IT environment, and your organization's specific threats. This is where I believe that most organizations can benefit from a talk with a Codeex consultant, as we offer vendor-neutral advice tailored to your organization’s specific needs.