In recent years, nearly every organization, especially mid-tier manufacturers, has experienced an identity-based intrusion attempt or breach. According to IBM’s 2023 Threat Intelligence Index, manufacturing has been the most attacked industry for two years, with 84% of enterprises falling victim to identity-related breaches.
The Growing Importance of Endpoint Detection
Endpoint detection has become essential in the fight against identity breaches. CrowdStrike’s CEO, George Kurtz, emphasized this during a keynote at the company’s Fal.Con event, stating that the war is happening at the level of endpoints and workloads. With 80% of all security breaches starting with privileged credential abuse, the need for the best endpoint detection is more crucial than ever.
Human Error and Endpoint Sprawl
Human error in managing access privileges and identities is expected to account for up to 75% of security failures this year. Additionally, endpoint sprawl – with endpoints often over-configured and vulnerable – makes it challenging to stop identity breaches. An integrated approach to IT support and managed IT services can help organizations address these issues more effectively.
Active Directory: A High-Value Target
Attackers targeting Active Directory (AD) gain control over a company’s authentication and user authorization, allowing them to delete log files and create federation trust relationships in other domains. With 90% of organizations using AD as their primary identity platform, securing it is a top priority. Utilizing managed IT services can help organizations protect their Active Directory infrastructure.
Combining Endpoint and Identity Security for Zero Trust
In an effort to consolidate their tech stacks and reduce costs, 96% of CISOs plan to integrate endpoint management and identity security. This integration directly contributes to an organization’s zero-trust security posture, improving visibility and control across all endpoints. Leading vendors such as CrowdStrike, Microsoft, Palo Alto Networks, Tehtris, and TrendMicro provide extended detection and response (XDR) platforms that can help organizations strengthen their cybersecurity measures.
Benefits of Unifying Endpoint and Identity Security
Unifying endpoint and identity security offers numerous advantages, including:
- Enforcing least privileged access beyond endpoints
- Improving visibility and control at a lower cost
- Increasing accuracy in real-time threat correlation
- Gaining a 360-degree view of activity and audit data
- Strengthening risk-based authentication and access
- Eliminating gaps in zero trust across identities and endpoints
- Improving real-time threat detection and response
- Enhancing continuous monitoring and verification accuracy
- Advancing identity-based microsegmentation
- Bolstering encryption and data security beyond endpoints
To ensure the highest level of security, organizations must prioritize endpoint and identity protection, leveraging the expertise of IT support and managed services providers. By embracing a unified approach and investing in the right technologies, businesses can better defend themselves against identity breaches, safeguarding their operations and valuable data.
In summary, the growing threat of identity breaches highlights the need for organizations to take a proactive approach to cybersecurity. By integrating endpoint and identity security, businesses can build a strong zero-trust security posture and protect their valuable assets. Investing in the right IT support and managed IT services can greatly contribute to the overall security and success of any organization.
For more information on boosting your business’s cybersecurity measures and IT support, be sure to explore our comprehensive guides on Managed IT Services for Business Success and Cybersecurity Best Practices with Managed IT Services.