1 Running Head: TECHNOLOGY & PRODUCT REVIEW FOR ENDPOINT PROTECTION SOLUTIONS Technology & Product Review for Endpoint Protection Solutions Cheruiyot,Andrew University of Maryland, university college 2 TECHNOLOGY & PRODUCT REVIEW FOR ENDPOINT PROTECTION SOLUTIONS Technology & Product Review for Endpoint Protection Solutions Endpoint protection technology is essential for any business. I ensures that the endpoint devices are protected adequately against security threats such as zero day exploits, data leakages and attacks (Lord, 2017). More so, end point protection ensures that persistent attacks by threats such as ransomwares are significantly reduced. Sifers Grayson should work to ensure that these threats are significantly reduced. Through this, it would be hard for intruders to access their projects as the users of windows 8 collaborate with each other over the network. It is tantamount also, that the company should invest on other complimenting software besides windows defender and windows firewall to protect their network against unauthorized access. Ideally, there are various endpoint protection platforms that can be used. In this regard, some have already been mentioned. More specifically, Sifers Grayson should focus on the use of cloud based end point protection solutions to safeguard against the imminent threats that are presented to its employees. This is more so with the rise in the number of threats and attacks for ransom payments. With this imminent threat, and considering that the server-protection is up to par, the company should work on protecting the individual browsers and windows 8 systems on their client laptops. This will ensure that even as they visit other clients and use intermittent connection to the internet, it will still be impossible or hackers to access their conversations or install viruses and malwares in the system which would propagate once reconnected to the enterprise network. 3 TECHNOLOGY & PRODUCT REVIEW FOR ENDPOINT PROTECTION SOLUTIONS From the Gartner magic Quadrant of Security, the company that I find much of an answer to Sifers Grayson requirements is McAfee. On visiting the company’s site, it appears pretty obvious that the company considers the security of a network users quite seriously. My recommendation for using their site is due to the features that they have. First, they have a guaranteed protection for all devices. This implies that the company will save on some costs while operationalizing the protection. With an enterprise license, Sifers Grayson can install the McAfee software on all their user devices. On top of this, their end point protection product is installable on multiple platforms (McAfee, 2017). This means that even after the company upgrades to another version of operating system, they can use the same licenses given by the company. This scalability puts McAfee as a top recommended product for Sifers Grayson’s security needs. It is also imperative to note that McAfee security suite is essential both online and offline. This increases its effectiveness and efficiency in as much as security for the windows 8 systems is concerned. The offline version is updated as and when the devices are connected to the internet and uses the definitions to thwart any threats that may be presented through the offline systems such as flash discs. This choice is justified by the fact that an effective end point protection solution should complement the existent software. For McAfee, it complements the windows firewall and windows defender by adding more access rules and widening the virus database against which all intrusions can be assessed. When it gets to the online scope, McAfee has a wide database which works in real time. This means that the users can be alerted when they try accessing a potentially dangerous sites. More to this, the use of a centralized management console ensures 4 TECHNOLOGY & PRODUCT REVIEW FOR ENDPOINT PROTECTION SOLUTIONS that the administrators of the enterprise network are well informed on the threats that are imminent to the company and they can do what they are supposed to ensure continued protection for the network users. Of the needs that Sifers Grayson had was automatic updates on their system and specifically on the end point protection product. This is catered fir by Symantec. The efficiency of this product lies in the availability of patches which are automatically updated as per the threats evolution. This ensures that the system users are always protected on the go. The inclusion of this technology in their WAN networks increases the network redundancy of the company’s network. Lastly, the fact that there have not been a case McAfee products have been identified as having failed underpins its efficacy as the product of choice for end point protection. This has been said by other companies which have implemented the McAfee end point protection solutions. In some of the online reviews, customers cited the company as being reliable and increasing their online security as well as offline security (G2Crowd, 2017). The reviews, which are in the affirmative, paint a well curated internet security product which Sifers can also depend on for its current end point protection requirements. In conclusions, end point protection, as a requirement, is needed by any company that has networks and uses online collaboration to carry projects out. The Gartner magic quadrant presents quite a number of options that can fulfil the requirements. From the companies, McAfee appears to be the best suite for the company since it has both online and offline implementations which have a proven track record in protecting their clients effectively as 5 TECHNOLOGY & PRODUCT REVIEW FOR ENDPOINT PROTECTION SOLUTIONS described above. In recommendation therefore, the Sifers Grayson should go for McAfee end point protection solution. 6 TECHNOLOGY & PRODUCT REVIEW FOR ENDPOINT PROTECTION SOLUTIONS References G2Crowd. (2017, October 27). McAfee End Point protection reviews. Retrieved from G2Crowd: https://www.g2crowd.com/products/mcafee-endpoint-protection/reviews/ Lord, N. (2017, July 27). What is Endpoint Protection? data Protection 101. Retrieved from Digital Guardian: https://www.digitalguardian.com/blog/what-endpoint-protectiondata-protection-101 McAfee. (2017, October 27). End point protection-McAfee products. Retrieved from McAfee: https://www.mcafee.com/us/products/endpoint-protection/index.aspx