What is Endpoint Security? Key Features, Types & Threats

Endpoint security is a cybersecurity strategy that safeguards network-connected devices—such as desktops, laptops, servers, mobile devices, IoT devices, and virtual instances. It deploys real-time threat detection, prevention, and response (via endpoint protection platforms and advanced endpoint detection and response agents).

Endpoint security processes can block malware, zero-day exploits, ransomware, and lateral-movement attacks at the device level. It consolidates signature-based antivirus, behavior-based anomaly detection, application control, firewall management, and automated remediation workflows into a unified solution.

In this guide, we will break down the endpoint security definition, how endpoint security works, use cases, and more. We will cover its various components, endpoint security meaning, key features, and the types of threats endpoint security can defend against.

Endpoint Security Definition

Endpoint security is a process that defends your endpoints. Your endpoints are devices that you connect to networks, such as smartphones, laptops, desktops, etc. Endpoint security blocks harmful user behaviors on these networks and prevents your devices from being compromised or being prone to malware infections.

Organisations use endpoint security software to enforce security policies consistently across their infrastructure, block in-progress attacks, and prevent data breaches. Your endpoints also connect to internal corporate networks which hold a large volume of sensitive information. Endpoint security is an important component to network security and has several facets. It can defend against common endpoint threat vectors such as: compromised USB devices, social engineering attacks, unauthorized application usage, vulnerability exploits, and threats from shared file drives.

Endpoint security will also enforce security policies across all endpoints, whether on-premises or in the cloud. It will help to maintain integrity, confidentiality, and availability of corporate assets in organizations.  The main purpose of endpoint security is to protect data within an organization’s network. Endpoint security software can protect against malware, phishing, ransomware, and so much more. Endpoint security is also used to protect against insider threats and adapt to evolving threats that use advanced AI and machine learning technologies to bypass traditional defenses. Endpoint security for Mac exists and it’s not just limited to Windows or Linux OS environments.

Why is Endpoint Security Important?

Endpoint security is important because it protects an organization against attackers. It safeguards against data breaches and closes up entry points that attackers may potentially find and exploit, if left unchecked.

More employees are working remotely and today’s businesses are going mobile. Organizations need to embrace multi-layered security and guard against various social engineering plays like whaling and spear phishing which are done to extract and exfiltrate sensitive information.

Today’s attacks are extremely sophisticated and the cost of protecting endpoints will go up as organizations scale. Not securing networks with endpoint security can translate to heavy regulatory fines, loss of customer trust, and reputational damages, all of which are reasons why endpoint security is important. The best endpoint security is one that works for your organization and that’s scalable and flexible.

Brief History of Endpoint Security

Here is a snapshot of how traditional endpoint security evolved over the years into what it is we know today:

• Antivirus software came in the early 1980s-1990s. Back then, it relied on signature-based detection for endpoint security.
• In the early 2000s, more complex threats like worms, trojans, and malware emerged. Endpoint security solutions started incorporating antispyware, intrusion prevention, patch management, and firewalls during these times.
• As antivirus evolved to include heuristic analysis, endpoint security could now examine code for suspicious behaviors.  Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPPs) came out and added device controls with basic EDR capabilities, firewalls, and antivirus included with them.
• In the 2010s, Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions were introduced. EDR focused on detecting and investigating threats, including their all traces, and used a blend of machine learning and advanced analytics.
• Modern endpoint security now is built on a zero trust model and uses techniques like endpoint hardening, whitelisting, and also employs machine learning and behavioral analysis to detect unknown threats. EDR tools in 2025 provide advanced threat detection with incident response capabilities.

Key Features of Endpoint Security Solutions

Endpoint security features all the tools and technologies needed to protect end-user devices. The key features of endpoint security solutions can be described as follows:

• Integrated EDR – Integrated EDR does advanced analytics, continuous monitoring, and threat detection. It’s also responsible for investigation and response at the endpoint level. EDR manages device access, monitors endpoint devices, and records all endpoint activities and events.
• Data Loss Prevention (DLP) – Endpoint security ensures Data Loss Prevention (DLP). It is designed to protect sensitive information against unauthorized access and exfiltration attempts. Data protection will include encryption, network controls, device protection, application controls, and browser protection.
• Threat Intelligence – Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPPs) can integrate with global threat intelligence feeds. Threat intelligence in endpoint security can speed up the detection process and great enhance endpoint threat investigations.
• Automated Patching and Updates: Endpoint security solutions are capable of identifying various endpoint vulnerabilities across OS environments. Automated patching and security software updates also help mitigate security risks and ensure seamless compliance across multiple endpoints.
• Incident Response and Forensics: One of the hallmarks of strong endpoint security is incident response with forensics. Endpoint security can provide deep visibility across siloed surfaces. It provides fast response times, accelerated threat hunting and SecOps, and protects data with AI. Endpoint security can conduct forensic analysis of telemetry data collected at endpoints.

SentinelOne’s endpoint security supports all the above features. It protects against malware and provides machine-speed threat detection and prevention powered by an on-device AI. You can get critical endpoint and identity alerts with real-time visibility from system-level to identity-based attacks. SentinelOne endpoint security also remediates threats with automated or 1-click response and can rollback actions. It can correlate and prioritize alerts across workstations, identities, and exposures.

Endpoint Protection vs. Antivirus Software

Endpoint protection is different from antivirus in terms of the scope and threat detection coverage it provides. Endpoint security can protect against fileless malware, phishing, ransomware, and network-level attacks. Antivirus uses signature-based detection while endpoint security combines behavior analysis, AI, and machine learning to detect unknown and emerging threats.

You can read more about endpoint protection by checking out our comprehensive guide to endpoint protection. Learn about the 7 types of endpoint security controls as well.

Threats Addressed by Endpoint Security

Here are the different types of threats addressed by endpoint security:

• Endpoint security handles various types of malware that attack your devices and networks.
• Ransomware is one of the most dangerous threats addressed, with attackers targeting endpoints to encrypt files and demand payment.
• Lost or stolen devices create instant security risks when they fall into the wrong hands. Attackers can use these devices as backdoors into your network or read messages to learn about company operations.
• Mobile devices are especially vulnerable because they connect to unsecured networks and contain sensitive business data
• DDoS attacks flood your endpoints with traffic to make them unavailable to authorized users. They end up losing access to services.
• Insider threats are harder to detect because the person already has authorized access to your systems. These can be employees who accidentally leak data or malicious insiders who intentionally steal information. Endpoint security can detect abnormal user behaviors on networks and spot them before it’s too late.
• Advanced endpoint security can handle DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks, zero-day exploits, phishing, and even social engineering. It can protect against unauthorized network access, protect sensitive data, and prevent users from falling victim to schemes that force them to accidentally reveal confidential information.

How Endpoint Security Works?

How endpoint security works is pretty simple: It takes a multi-layered approach to security and uses a mix of tools and methodologies to protect your infrastructure, users, and devices. Endpoint security focuses on prevention and tries to block threats before they can run, find vulnerabilities, or cause harm.

Traditional signature-based detection can be used to hunt for malware. But modern endpoint security can examine the behaviors and characteristics of files and processes with heuristic analysis. Threats that can morph or change can be detected this way, even those that don’t have a known signature.

Advanced endpoint security uses Machine Learning and AI to scrape and analyze huge volumes of data. It identifies malicious activity patterns and can detect sophisticated attacks, including zero-day threats.

Application controls can restrict which apps run on endpoints and prevent unauthorized access. Endpoint security device controls restrict access to external devices like USB drives and peripherals. This prevents the chances of data exfiltration. Endpoint cyber security solutions work by identifying threats that can bypass traditional perimeter defenses. They can provide real-time visibility, continuously monitor user behaviors for anomalies, and flag unusual activities. They can also change or modify system settings and flag indicators of compromises. Endpoint security works by scanning for file hashes, registry key changes, and even IP addresses.

Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPP) integrate with global threat intelligence to provide broader coverage and block new and emerging threats. Most endpoint security software also include predefined incident response playbooks which assist security teams in finding, containing, and eradicating various threats. The endpoint security console is a unified dashboard from where you can get a holistic view of what’s all going on across your networks and endpoint environments. It helps you better catalog, manage, and maintain an inventory of your end-users, networks, IoT, cloud, and mobile devices.

SentinelOne Singularity™ RemoteOps Forensics can quickly resolve incidents at scale and provides simplified evidence collection for deeper context. It can analyze ingested and parsed evidence collection results into the SentinelOne Security Data Lake to proactively defend against endpoint security threats.

Types of Endpoint Security

Here are the different types of endpoint security to know about below:

1. Antivirus and anti-malware software – Antivirus and anti-malware software make up a core component of endpoint security. They detect, quarantine, and remove malware from devices. Antivirus can also remove worms, trojans, viruses, and spyware.
2. Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) – Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) can automate the detection of suspicious activities on endpoints and monitor behaviors. It can spot anomalies and provide contextual insights into threats.
3. Extended Detection and Response (XDR) – XDR is an extension of EDR security and unifies data across several layers, like endpoints, networks, emails, and clouds. It provides broader visibility and more extensive endpoint security coverage.
4. Data Loss Prevention (DLP) – Data loss prevention (DLP) in endpoint security prevents the unauthorized access of sensitive data. It helps avoid breaches, adhere to privacy laws, ensures compliance, and protects intellectual property rights.
5. Mobile Device Management (MDM) – MDM enables IT admins to manage and secure mobile devices. Mobile endpoint security helps reduce risks associated with mobile environments and prevents data theft. MDM enforces security policies for remote work environments and can work with a wide range of mobile devices.
6. Virtual Private Network (VPN) – VPNs create secure, encrypted tunnels for internet traffic between endpoints and corporate networks. They prevent eavesdropping and unauthorized access. VPNs enable remote workers to connect securely from any location and maintain privacy.
7. Firewall Protection – Firewalls act as barriers between trusted networks and external threats. They filter incoming and outgoing traffic based on defined security rules. Firewalls help block malicious traffic, reduce exposure to attacks, and safeguard sensitive resources.
8. Patch Management – Patch management involves the timely updating of software and operating systems to fix vulnerabilities. It helps prevent the exploitation of unpatched systems. Automated patching tools ensure security policy consistency and reduce attack surfaces across endpoints.
9. Disk Encryption – Disk encryption secures data by converting it into unreadable code, which can only be accessed with proper credentials. It protects sensitive information if a device is lost or stolen. Encryption supports compliance with data protection regulations.
10. Intrusion Prevention Systems – Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) monitor network and endpoint traffic for malicious activity. They detect, block, and alert on potential threats in real-time. IPS enhances security by stopping attacks before they reach critical assets.
11. Privileged Access Management – Privileged Access Management (PAM) controls monitor accounts with elevated access permissions. It limits risks associated with administrative access. PAM enforces least privilege principles and helps prevent insider threats and credential misuse.
12. Secure Email Gateways – Secure email gateways protect against phishing, spam, and malicious attachments. They scan incoming and outgoing emails for threats. Secure gateways help prevent data leaks and ensure safe email communication for organizations.

Benefits of Implementing Endpoint Security

Here are the key benefits of endpoint security:

1. Protect against data breaches – Endpoint security can help prevent and protect against sensitive data breaches. It achieves this via encryption, access controls, and secure device management. Unified endpoint security can provide extended coverage across multiple IT and cloud environments.
2. Threat detection and response – Endpoint security ensures fast threat detection and response. It can protect against ransomware, malware, phishing, and insider threats.
3. Improved Compliance – Endpoint security solutions make it easier to adhere to strict regulatory standards like HIPAA, NIST, CIS Benchmark, ISO 27001, and many others. They provide automated policy enforcement, auditing, logging, and data protection and monitoring capabilities.
4. Increases productivity – Security teams have less to worry about and experience reduced downtimes and staff productivity thanks to modern endpoint security. They can reduce the impact of security incidents on their business operations.
5. Great savings – Another added benefit of endpoint security is the great cost-savings long-term. Organizations get a decent ROI on their investment and it pays off as endpoint security can help avoid hefty fines, regulatory fees, and other legal expenses. Windows endpoint security can work great for Windows devices, while there are many options for endpoint security for Linux these days. But the best endpoint security policies and solutions support multiple OS environments without compromising on cost-savings.

Challenges in Endpoint Security Management

Following are some of the challenges faced during endpoint security management:

1. IT departments struggle with device inventory management across diverse environments. Organizations manage thousands or even tens of thousands of endpoints, but many remain “dark endpoints” – devices that are rogue, out-of-compliance, or off-network. You can’t protect what you can’t see.
2. There’s a constant barrage of alert fatigue and false positives. Genuine endpoint security threats can get lost in the noise as attackers can misdirect systems by bombing them with resource requests and fake alerts.
3. Bring Your Own Device policies create significant management challenges since personal devices operate outside traditional security perimeters. These devices lack corporate security controls, often connect to unsecured networks, and may have outdated software or malicious applications installed. You don’t get the best of network endpoint security.
4. Managing updates across diverse operating systems, device types, and geographic locations presents major operational challenges. Some devices miss scheduled updates due to being offline, different systems require different patching schedules, and users often delay updates that disrupt their work.
5. Enterprises may deploy multiple endpoint security solutions that don’t integrate well (due to lack of sufficient coverage), creating security sprawl that forces teams to manage disparate tools with different dashboards.
6. Endpoint security implementation and management can be expensive, requiring significant investment in tools, training, and personnel. Organizations face budget constraints. But they can work their way around this by relying on endpoint security as a service instead of committing to subscriptions or software.

Best Practices for Effective Endpoint Security

Here are the best practices to follow when it comes to effective endpoint security:

1. Never trust, always verify. You should enforce least privilege access at all endpoints.
2. Implement adaptive multi-factor authentication, and use microsegmentation to limit lateral movement.
3. Use automated discovery tools that can identify and catalog every endpoint, including IoT devices, mobile devices, and shadow IT assets. Deploy AI-powered endpoint security platforms like SentinelOne to monitor your endpoints, identities, and cloud environments 24/7.
4. Schedule vulnerability assessments, audit your infrastructure, and use role-based access controls. Encrypt data both at rest and in transit across all endpoints. Implement full-disk encryption on laptops and mobile devices; establish secure data transmission protocols, data management, and storage policies.
5. Educate employees by creating the best endpoint security programs so that they’re not gullible and don’t easily fall prey to phishing and other common hijacking schemes. Draft comprehensive incident response plans so that your organization is never taken by surprise in the event of data breaches. You should be able to recover, restore, and ensure business continuity despite attacks. When you define endpoint security strategies, consider all these.

Check out the other best endpoint security practices and stay up-to-date.

Real-world Examples of Endpoint Attacks

Here are some real-world examples of security endpoint attacks which we can take lessons from:

• The Colonial Pipeline attack was a ransomware that disrupted critical infrastructure. A single unprotected endpoint was all it took for attackers to get in.
• IoT devices were also attacked at the homefront in another endpoint security incident. Baby monitors were hacked in the United States and raised concerns among parents. In Finland, a cyber attack targeted a building’s IoT thermometer and let hackers take control over heating and hot water controls.
• James Griffiths of CNN also talked about how endpoints like cameras and surveillance equipment were being accessed without authorization around the world. Anyone could see what was being broadcasted or streamed on them.
• Stolen laptops had compromised the personal data of thousands of Canadians. A CBC report in June 2018 detailed how over 33,000 records were stolen and how they were left vulnerable.

Advanced Endpoint Security with SentinelOne

SentinelOne endpoint security can protect against machine-speed attacks and provide seamless visibility across legacy devices and users that interact with various endpoints across organizations. It constantly adapts to meet the rising security demands of enterprises and can mitigate evolving threats. Security analysts are provided with the right tools, technologies, and AI support.

Organizations get unmatched protection, detection, and can detect ransomware with SentinelOne’s behavioral and static AI models. They can analyze anomalous behaviors and identify malicious patterns in real-time without any human intervention. SentinelOne Singularity™ Endpoint provides complete AI-powered protection, detection, and response capabilities for endpoints, identities, and more.

For those who want to stop threats like ransomware with a unified platform for the entire enterprise, Singularity™ XDR is a better choice.  With Singularity™ XDR, you can ingest and normalize data from any source across your organization into a single place, enabling you to correlate across attack surfaces and understand the full context of an attack. Singularity™ XDR uses Purple AI to rapidly give you actionable insights and is backed by the world’s leading and trusted enterprises.

Singularity™ Endpoint lays the foundation for your endpoint security while XDR expands its existing capabilities. Users can automatically identify and detect managed and unmanaged network-connected endpoints. You can reduce false positives and improve detection efficacy consistently across OSes by using SentinelOne’s combined and autonomous EPP+EDR solution.

SentinelOne can roll back and remediate unauthorized changes with a single click, thus reducing the mean time to respond to incidents. It also speeds up investigations, minimizes false positives, and reduces downtimes.

Singularity™ Network Discovery is a real-time network attack surface control solution that finds and fingerprints all IP-enabled devices on your network. No additional agents, hardware, or network changes are needed for it.

Conclusion

Strong endpoint security is a must for every organization. You just don’t realize its true value until it’s too late. Sensitive information is a goldmine for cyber criminals and they don’t care what access points they target or how they get in. Every device or entry point connected to the internet can serve as an endpoint. It’s time to take your endpoint security seriously for that reason.

If you need help, contact SentinelOne for assistance. We will guide you and implement the best solutions.