Symantec Endpoint Protection is an extensive cybersecurity software suite, tailored specifically for business users rather than consumers. Norton Home Computer System does not sell directly to individuals as the former does.
Each SEP installation acts as a research center, sharing new threat discoveries with its network of 175 million installations for improved cybersecurity. This allows the software to stay abreast of emerging malware threats and attack techniques.
Detecting Malware
Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP) focuses on attack prevention using machine learning technology to deter threats from entering your IT network. In addition, higher tiers of this product offer tools for tracking threats that have already breached defenses and hunting them down for removal.
The SEP package offers your IT team a comprehensive set of cybersecurity features to deploy, such as an emulator sandbox that helps detect polymorphic malware and optimizes signature definition file downloads to reduce footprint by up to 70%. Furthermore, it can also be deployed as mobile application or MDM tool.
Heuristic process scanning detects unknown threats by looking for behaviors typical of specific attacks. For instance, if a program appears to be trying to encrypt files, the software will immediately stop it and notify IT.
Once a threat is identified, the SEP package uploads its findings to a central system in the cloud for further distribution to other SEP installations around the globe – much like P2P models but with human intervention added into research processes.
SEP stands out from competing products that rely solely on artificial intelligence with its combination of intrusion prevention system, device firewall and advanced malware detection technologies to provide a complete anti-malware solution for your organization.
Detecting Threats
This comprehensive security suite integrates multiple technologies to thwart threats from attacking an endpoint, including anti-virus, intrusion prevention, malware detection and deception technology to trick attackers and firewall to protect networks and applications against attacks. In addition, the software obfuscates threats so as to limit their impact on organizations.
This software uses file reputation and behavioral analysis to accurately detect threats, helping reduce false positives while improving accuracy. Virus fingerprinting and cloud lookups help identify known good apps, while suspicious programs are classified accordingly. Detection is further assisted by behavioral monitoring, machine learning, and an advanced threat engine.
Risk-scored endpoint behavior history allows us to detect advanced attack chains and remediate compromised systems using risk scoring technology. Leveraging MITRE ATT&CK framework enrichment for deeper visibility into advanced techniques like process hollowing, shellcode injections, injections of malware into systems etc. Support ‘zero trust’ defenses using automated threat-specific sandboxing with built-in security playbooks.
Protecting against ransomware and other malware requires a combination of signatures, critical endpoint protection, machine learning, and the company’s Global Intelligence Network to identify threats and learn about attackers. Furthermore, its multi-layered defense uses deception techniques to expose their attack methods before automatically adapting user infrastructure against them.
Remediating Threats
Symantec Endpoint Protection delivers robust protection from cyberattacks, making it an excellent choice for mid-sized businesses seeking to secure their assets. Features of Symantec Endpoint Protection include antivirus/antimalware scanning, firewall, intrusion prevention, device control and threat intelligence – as well as an exclusive feature called Power Eraser that remotely wipes an entire system for advanced persistent threats (APTs).
Other security functions include vulnerability detection and assessment. This function scans hosts for unpatched vulnerabilities, ranks them according to severity and number of affected devices, and allows organizations to prioritize fixing the most serious ones first. In addition, vulnerability detection identifies application and device control misconfigurations while simultaneously providing security staff with tools they can quickly use when responding to incidents using built-in playbooks or remote manual actions.
Symantec Endpoint Protection’s Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) detects threats such as zero-day exploits, drive-by downloads and phishing attacks attempting to enter systems, as well as protecting against malware infection through sandboxing, file monitoring and suspicious file removal. Furthermore, memory dump analysis detects attacks which require blocking as well as machine learning analysis in order to identify new threats that appear.
Symantec’s Global Intelligence Network integrates data from millions of attack sensors analyzed by security researchers. A machine learning database detects threats and learns from attacker techniques, enabling the platform to recognize and stop them before they cause any damage. Furthermore, it is capable of recognizing ransomware by inspecting payload files for patterns within encryption codes.
Managing Threats
Symantec Endpoint Protection stands out from traditional antivirus software by actively working to stop attacks before they strike, rather than just detect them after breaching your network. It contains several security features which work together to provide maximum protection against threats:
SONAR uses artificial intelligence (AI) to quickly examine over 1,000 file behaviors and assess them for signs of possible danger, helping quickly detect malware before it has the chance to sneak through your defenses.
SEP can also identify and block exploits, or vulnerabilities found in software programs that have yet to be patched by their manufacturers; SEP can detect them and block any attempts made at exploiting them maliciously.
SEP can prevent mobile roaming users from connecting to compromised Wi-Fi networks that pose ransomware or other security risks, while redirecting web traffic from mobile devices back onto corporate networks with its policy-driven virtual private network solution.
SEP can use deception technology to uncover attackers and their tactics, with this capability included as part of its premium offering, Symantec Endpoint Security Complete product. The deception technology is powered by a team of global Symantec experts who analyze and respond to threat intelligence feeds for this product tier.