Endpoint?
What the heck is an endpoint?
I love my industry. I sincerely believe what we do for our clients and the SMB economy collectively has literally NEVER been more critical.
However.....sometimes I think we forget that our clients are NOT innately technical. Our clients are professionals in verticals that are deep and immersive unto themselves. Doctors, lawyers, financial advisors, bankers, comptrollers, superintendents etc..
One of the key components of all of the aforementioned industries is client education. A client who is comfortable with the services they are utilizing, not an expert but informed and aware is confident, and that is powerful. Confidence in your vendor partners means you as a business owner can focus on your specialty, and that means your clients get the best service and support.
That being said, what the heck is an endpoint? Lets get educated. Microsoft has a good definition:
Endpoints are physical devices that connect to and exchange information with a computer network. Some examples of endpoints are mobile devices, desktop computers, virtual machines, embedded devices, and servers. Internet-of-Things devices—like cameras, lighting, refrigerators, security systems, smart speakers, and thermostats—are also endpoints.
Now that we have a solid understanding of what an endpoint is lets take a moment to consider how many endpoints your business encompasses....more than you thought? Usually many more. Why is this important? Each endpoint has the potential to be an attack surface (point of entry for breach/malware/virus etc..) This means it is important to understand how we are protecting our endpoints. I like to think of endpoints as digital doors and windows to the business. I want to know if those doors and windows are locked? Do we have sensors installed? What happens if someone breaks a window or forces open a door?
This article does a good job of reviewing 10 simple items to consider when outlining or auditing your security strategy.
As always, harden the target, stay vigilant!
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