What is Network Endpoint Security?

Key Takeaways:

Every device is a potential backdoor. From your phone to that smart fridge in the kitchen, endpoints are popular targets for cybercriminals.
Layered security is your best defense. Combine prevention, detection, and response tools and processes to stay one step ahead.
People are still your weakest link. Training and policies have to be strong to keep attackers out.

Brace for it—your network doesn’t have a perimeter anymore. Remote work, home offices, coffee shop Wi-Fi, and the bring-your-own-device culture have turned the modern workplace into a digital airport terminal. Devices come and go constantly. Endpoints are everywhere, and so are the threat actors.

Learn more about endpoint detection and response in our gigantic EDR Guide.

So, what are endpoints in networking? Basically, they are any device that connects to and exchanges data on your network, like laptops, phones, servers, and even smart printers. Now, what is a network endpoint? It’s any of these devices that can be targeted by an attacker. And instead of breaking in, attackers are logging in.

According to the Ponemon Institute, nearly 70% of breaches now involve an endpoint, and since 2019, endpoint attacks have surged over 400%.Identity is the new endpoint, and traditional defenses just aren’t cutting it anymore.

By the time most security teams catch wind of suspicious activity, the damage is already done. Attackers gain entry in multiple ways—sometimes by brute force attacks, cracking passwords, or other times by stealing or abusing credentials to log in like they belong. From there, they compromise endpoints and quietly establish a foothold. Then comes the stealthy part: lateral movement and adversary-in-the-middle (AiTM), aka man-in-the-middle (MiTM) attacks. These tactics let attackers exploit weak or overlooked endpoints to quietly get deeper access, all while staying under the radar

So, if attackers are no longer forcing their way in but quietly slipping through gaps in identity and access, how can businesses fight back? It starts with rethinking how you secure your endpoints with a layered, adaptive strategy focused on visibility, speed, and response. You need a layered approach that combines endpoint detection and response (EDR) to detect and contain endpoint threats, identity threat detection and response (ITDR) to catch credential misuse, and security information and event management (SIEM) to give your security team full visibility and faster response across identities, endpoints, and network activity.

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Topics

What is Network Endpoint Security?

Key Takeaways:

Every device is a potential backdoor. From your phone to that smart fridge in the kitchen, endpoints are popular targets for cybercriminals.
Layered security is your best defense. Combine prevention, detection, and response tools and processes to stay one step ahead.
People are still your weakest link. Training and policies have to be strong to keep attackers out.

Learn more about endpoint detection and response in our gigantic EDR Guide.

Try Huntress for Free

Get a Free Demo

How do you secure network endpoints?

We wish there were a magic wand for this, but until CISA starts offering cybersecurity certifications, unfortunately, there is no magic wand or silver bullet to secure your endpoints, and organizations will have to rely on a layered defense instead. It goes like this:

1. Advanced endpoint protection platform (EPP)

EPP is your first line of defense against known threats. It uses signature-based detection to block malware and combines it with behavioral analysis to identify suspicious activity. Its goal is prevention.

2. Endpoint detection and response (EDR)

EDR is your always-on digital detective. It investigates, monitors devices, catches sus moves, isolates threats, and gives you the proof so you can trace and eliminate the source. Huntress Managed EDR layers on top of EPP, and you get a 24/7 SOC without the need to staff your own.

3. Patch management

Don’t run outdated software. If you do, it’s like leaving a “rob me” sign on your systems. Keep your systems updated so attackers can’t exploit known flaws that have fixes in place.

4. App control

App control makes sure that only pre-approved software is allowed. No more downloads or installs running wild on your network.

5. Device encryption

If someone steals your laptop, encryption ensures data is protected and your business isn’t another breach statistic. Make in transit and at rest encryption the standard to protect data using protocols like TLS and VPNs. This is essential for lowering the risk of packet sniffing (eavesdropping) and MiTM attacks.

Three main types of endpoint security

Most endpoint defenses fall into three buckets:

1. Endpoint protection platform (EPP)

Yep, we already talked about EPP, but it’s worth repeating. EPP is great at handling the obvious, like viruses and malware, but it can miss the stealthier threats, so it needs the support of a second line of defense.

2. Endpoint detection and response (EDR)

We’ve also covered EDR earlier, but it’s worth revisiting because of how central it is to security. Think of EDR as your radar—it continuously monitors your endpoints to detect suspicious activity, investigate with deep context, and stop threats before they spread. Huntress Managed EDR combines detection and response with our SOC experts, who provide the analysis and remediation guidance on your behalf. While it can stand on its own, it also integrates with SIEM solutions to connect endpoint activity with network-level events—such as firewall or VPN logs—so you get a fuller picture of what’s happening across your environment.

3. Extended detection and response (XDR)

XDR is the piece that pulls it all together. It expands your visibility, meaning you get smarter threat detection, broader context, and faster automated responses. Best of all, it comes from a unified dashboard. XDR lets you see the big picture and act like a true cybersecurity pro.

Not every business can afford an in-house security team, and Huntress gets that. We have a 24/7 SOC powered by human experts who seek out threats. Once we find them, we take action to contain them, and then we’ll send you a report breaking everything down on what happened and recommendations for bolstering your defenses.

Three types of network security

Endpoint security is just one piece of the cybersecurity pie. Here’s how the full slice breaks down:

1. Physical security

You can have the best firewall on the planet, but if someone can walk in and unplug your server, you're toast. Lock the premises. Use access controls. Keep your hardware safe and sound.

2. Technical security

It’s the behind-the-scenes wizardry that keeps the bad guys out, or at least slows them down. You need firewalls, segmentation, and proactive monitoring. You need secure remote access solutions. web security gateways, and cloud-access security brokers.

3. Administrative security

Always remember the Three Ps: policies, procedures, and people. If your people don’t know how to spot a phishing email or even use strong passwords, teach them.

Build a security-first culture from the top down with Huntress managed security awareness training (SAT).

With Huntress SAT, your team gets:

Regular security training
Simulated phishing attacks
Clear dos and don’ts when it comes to digital hygiene

Attackers are counting on human error. Huntress SAT helps prove them wrong.

Be the hunter, not the hunted

Threats can seem overwhelming, but with our in-depth understanding of how threat actors think, we know what to look for. Huntress gives you a fully managed EDR that works hand-in-hand with SIEM for a more complete view of your endpoints and your environment.

We also layer in identity threat detection and response (ITDR) to help uncover and contain attacks that start with compromised credentials. Pair that with 24/7 support from security experts and ongoing managed security awareness training, and you’ve got it all. Stop playing defense—book a demo today and let us show you how to outsmart the attackers.