Wireless endpoint security: Tie up the loose ends

Douglas Schweitzer   Today’s Top Stories   or  Other Security Stories  

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July 8, 2004 (Computerworld) -- Endpoint security transcends the use of personal firewalls and antivirus software. Endpoint devices such as laptops, home-office and remote desktops, and Internet-enabled handhelds are some of the biggest headache sources for security managers.
It's hard enough keeping your in-house workstations and servers secure with up-to-date antivirus software and the latest patches and updates. Remote workers may not update their antivirus signatures or download the latest patches as often as they should, yet they continue to regularly log onto your corporate networks. Mobile employees pick up viruses and worms on the road, then infect the corporate network when they access remotely or via Ethernet back at the office. If that's not bad enough, those workers may also alter their computers' security settings or install peer-to-peer file-sharing software -- possibly introducing spyware to your network. With budgets tight, security managers simply don't have the time or resources to play sheriff with maverick remote workers. The following suggestions can help with endpoint security by tying up the loose ends.
Wireless worries
With wireless "hot spots" becoming nearly as ubiquitous as fast-food restaurants, many remote workers are connecting wirelessly to corporate networks without concern for the inherent dangers of wireless connectivity.
According to Mitchell Ashley, chief technology officer and vice president of engineering at StillSecure, "endpoint devices, wireless in particular, are considered untrusted and must be subject to much greater scrutiny prior to connecting to the network. Each newly connected wireless device should be quarantined using an endpoint security solution and examined for evidence of being compromised by worms, Trojans, viruses and spyware. They should also be checked for compliance with an organization's network security policy, which should require the latest critical security patches and up-to-date antivirus software, restricting file-sharing and peer-to-peer applications, and enforcing operating system, browser and application security settings."
Several vendors offer a variety of products to detect and block attacks, manage the repair of wireless network vulnerabilities and ensure that wireless devices accessing the network are safe and free of security threats.
Other endpoint solutions
Many vendors are now embracing endpoint security. Sygate Technologies Inc., for instance, recently introduced a suite of three products that together automate the detection and elimination of all rogue and compromised devices, applications and behaviors from the network. Another major player in endpoint security is Zone Labs Inc. Zone Labs Integrity promises a centrally managed endpoint security system that combines a multilayered PC firewall technology with efficient, central policy management controls.
When looking for wireless endpoint security, it's important to look for a comprehensive offering. "Keeping wireless networks productive and protected from unlawful intrusions and cybervandals requires a solution that combines convenience, security, ease of use

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