Micro Technology Solutions Inc.

Why Anti-Virus Isn’t Enough to Protect You from Advanced Cyber Threats And Why Organizations Are Turning to Endpoint Detection & Response

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Cybersecurity has become one of the most important aspects of protecting your business. With data breaches and ransomware becoming more common, it’s essential to have a plan in place to protect yourself from these threats. 

Unfortunately, anti-virus software isn’t enough to protect a company’s network anymore. Q1 of 2022 witnessed a 14% increase in data breaches as compared to the same quarter in 2021. Businesses are now turning to Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) solutions to protect themselves from advanced cyber threats. In this blog post, we’ll discuss why anti-virus software is no longer enough, and why EDR is now essential for businesses.

Why Anti-Virus Software Just Isn’t Enough

Anti-virus software has been the go-to solution for businesses for many years. However, it no longer sufficiently protects your data from attacks. Here’s why:

  • Anti-virus relies on file signatures: Because Anti-Virus software relies on file signatures, new threats are invisible until the threats are discovered. A signature for the new threat must be identified and uploaded into the software on end-user devices to protect against the new threat.  
  • Advanced Threats: New threats such as fileless malware bypass traditional anti-virus defenses. Because Anti-Virus is blind to these threats, they can reside on your network indefinitely without warning from Anti-Virus software.
  • Living off the Land Attacks: Living off the Land (LOL) attacks utilize resources on the target computer to accomplish the threat actor’s mission. Rather than loading malware, LOL attacks use software tools already loaded, thereby bypassing Anti-Virus defenses.

What is Endpoint Detection & Response?

Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) is a security solution that helps businesses detect and respond to threats. EDR solutions are designed to protect against advanced threats and give you visibility into what is happening on your endpoints.

Endpoint detection and response solutions have many features that make them an essential part of your security strategy, such as:

  • Endpoint Visibility: EDR solutions provide you with visibility into what’s happening on your endpoint devices. This includes the ability to see all activity, both malicious and benign.
  • Threat Detection: EDR solutions use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to detect threats. This means they can detect both known and unknown threats based on the behavior of the device, leading to an increased chance of preventing a successful attack.
  • Response Capabilities: EDR solutions can automatically respond to a threat, quarantining a device to protect other devices on the network. They also collect forensic data to help engineers track where the threat originated, which files it executed, and which other devices it communicated with. 

Why Endpoint Detection & Response is Essential for Businesses

As mentioned earlier, EDR is essential for businesses because it helps you detect and respond to advanced threats. Endpoint detection and response solutions also give you visibility into what is happening on your endpoint devices and allow you to immediately respond to potential threats.

Additionally, endpoint detection and response solutions help you to comply with regulations, such as General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). EDR can help you meet these requirements and keep your customer data safe.

Get Endpoint Detection & Response Support from Micro Technology Solutions

If you’re looking for an Endpoint Detection & Response solution, reach out to the experts at Micro Technology Solutions today. We offer leading EDR solutions that help businesses detect and respond to even the most advanced cyberthreats. Contact us for a consultation about endpoint detection and response, and find out how it can help protect your business.