8 Threats Your Antivirus Won't Stop
Businesses of all sizes face risks in the everyday acts of using digital technology and the Internet for legitimate purposes.
We have outlined eight common threats that traditional antivirus alone won't stop, and explains how to protect your organization using endpoint security.
1. The zero-day threat
Zero-day threats can exploit zero-day vulnerabilities, or previously unknown security deficiencies, that software vendors have not yet patched.
How to protect yourself: Add defenses on top of signature-based antivirus protection.
2. Working outside the firewall
Not so long ago, most employees used their computers at the office. Back then, a network or gateway firewall would have been enough to protect your servers and PCs. Now people often work outside the perimeter of the organization's network—any time they connect their laptops to the Internet from airports, hotels, cafés and home.
How to protect yourself: Add location-aware client firewall software on laptops and other endpoint PCs.
3. The unpatched PC
One small unpatched vulnerability in an application, browser or operating system can lead to huge problems.
How to protect yourself: Patching is the first line of defense. Also use network access control, or NAC, to make sure any computer you allow on your network has all current patches and antivirus updates in place.
4. The uncontrolled application
Allowing unmanaged applications access to the web brings unacceptable risk or performance issues.
How to protect yourself: Application control lets you block users from installing non-essential applications so you have fewer applications to manage and secure.
5. Web insecurity
Criminals abuse the web as their single biggest distribution point for malware.
How to protect yourself: Use a combination of URL (reputation) filtering and scanning webpages for malware.
6. The lost laptop
It's not difficult to replace a laptop, but recovering the exposed information can be.
How to protect yourself: Develop and implement a data encryption policy.
7. The misdirected email
One simple slip of the fingertip—and your document goes to the wrong email address. This could expose personally identifiable information.
How to protect yourself: Use data loss prevention software to scan for sensitive content.
