IT and security management have so many facets and nuances that most organizations are running dozens of different cybersecurity applications and tools. To stay on top of things, IT hops from console to console to manage device enrollment, patches, and anti-virus and firewall rules. Meanwhile, cybersecurity teams are monitoring Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) logs, scanning for vulnerabilities, and trying to manage cyber risk.
Now, factor in enterprise digital transformation and remote work, as well as the rise of ransomware and security initiatives such as zero trust. IT and security teams are being asked to deploy yet another tool for mobile device management (MDM), a ransomware protection package, or one or more applications that promise to deliver zero trust.
While some believe this complexity can help their security posture, the unlikely truth is that it creates a greater attack surface. It actually makes more sense to simplify your business environment and IT infrastructure by leveraging a platform or product that unifies multiple applications.
Here are some of the top reasons why it is best to combine vulnerability scanning, patch management, zero trust, and MDM in one comprehensive package.
1. Single Console
The combination of patch management, vulnerability scanning, and MDM saves IT and security teams so much time and energy, as personnel can view everything in the same tool versus downloading data into a spreadsheet to send to another department to review and/or correct and so on. Instead of moving to one tool to deal with vulnerability scanning, another to address patches, and yet another to manage mobile devices, having everything in one unified product speeds time-to-detect and time-to-remediate. Security weaknesses such as open ports, disabled firewalls, ineffective user account policies, and out-of-date patches are easier to spot and fix.
2. Eliminate the Need for Scripting
The patch management and vulnerability management lifecycle involves a lot of tedious, repetitive tasks. It can be time-consuming to access a series of logs on different systems to zero in on potential problems. Once the issues are isolated, fixing them is also manual, and many times requires IT to know how to code to develop scripts to support operational processes. In the case of the patching of a virtual server, IT might have to take care of different tasks such as patching a VM, rebooting, patching the host then another reboot. The number of scripts needed to automate some of these tasks takes time to build, while other vulnerabilities go unaddressed. Scripting must be replaced by drag-and-drop tools.
3. Automation
With a unified device management and security platform, automation can be used to streamline workflows. Instead of a series of manual tasks across different products, automation makes it possible to: “set and forget” processes such as scanning endpoints to see which patches are missing and sending the right patches to the right devices; detect the presence of mobile devices that return to the office to quarantine them, check them for compliance, and remediate any issues before allowing them to connect to the corporate network; scan for and apply mitigations to vulnerabilities, including updating configurations if there are no updates available; and more.
4. Compliance and Reporting
Most endpoint management and security reports list endless risks or issues, without differentiating the most urgent threats adequately. On top of that, most compliance reports are outdated because they report on a recent, but not necessarily current, state of the enterprise. Accurate, targeted compliance reports play a vital role in ensuring an organization is meeting industry security requirements and regulations, such as HIPAA, SOX, and PCI DSS. With real-time data connections to endpoints, a single unified product that can report on the current state of patches and vulnerabilities across an organization is a must have for compliance and audit purposes.
5. Reaching Zero Trust
The concept of zero trust is a cybersecurity strategy that assumes all access is unsecure. Just because they were once configured to be trusted does not mean that they should still be trusted. That means all user accounts and devices are seen as likely compromised. A zero trust approach, then, requires that users and devices prove that they are up to date and secure before they are given access to the systems they need. While many technology providers are offering zero trust products, a key element of implementation must be the ability to evaluate and compare if a device has a trusted profile – that is, does it have up to date patches; does it have the latest antivirus signatures; etc. – and what can be done to bring the device into a trusted state. With a unified security and endpoint management platform, this trust evaluation can be easier to implement because the data and information is all captured in a single product.
Syxsense Simplifies IT and Security Operations
For those looking for a unified security and endpoint management product, Syxsense can help you. As the only cloud-native, unified security and endpoint management (USEM) solution on the market, it provides enterprises with all the capabilities needed for automated patch management, vulnerability scanning and remediation, mobile device management, and more. With a zero trust evaluation engine, enterprises can easily build trusted profiles based on policies and evaluate endpoints in real-time to determine if the endpoints should be given access to corporate networks and applications.
