How to Protect Data at Rest – A Complete Guide

How to Protect Data at Rest - A Complete Guide

Data at rest is one of the three states of digital data. It refers to any digital information that is still and stored in permanent storage devices, like hard drives and tapes, or information reservoirs, like off-site backups, databases, archives, etc. Data in motion and data in use are the other two states of digital data. Once data has been moved and is in its final location, it is called “data at rest” for as long as it is not doing anything. If the data needs to be used for something and is being processed, it is called “data in use”.

The main reason why organizations pay attention to how they protect data is to stop information theft. Stolen information can be used to steal identities, spy on companies or governments, or lure people into downloading ransomware.

Setting Data at Rest

Small and medium-sized businesses are often easy targets for people who want to steal information because they don’t have sophisticated policies and tools in place to protect their data. Smaller organizations might also be put off by the cost of security tools or enforcing policies, but the risk of losing a lot of data because of information theft should be enough to justify the budget and staff needed to protect data.

Even though small and medium-sized businesses are easy targets, that doesn’t mean that large businesses can’t be attacked. They, too, need to make sure that information security gets the right amount of money and staff.

Also, organizations used to spend a lot of time finding and dealing with external threats, but now internal threats also require a lot of time and money. The “2022 Data Breach Investigations Report” (DBIR) from Verizon found that almost one in five data breaches are caused by theft or carelessness on the part of an insider.

Once a company has made the necessary investments, the next step is to come up with a plan to keep track of and protect data while it is at rest, in use, and in transit.

Most of the time, antivirus software and firewalls are used to protect data that is not being used. But these don’t protect against phishing or social engineering attacks, which try to trick people into giving away their passwords or other sensitive information, which can compromise a company’s data security. They also don’t keep sensitive data safe from threats from inside the company. Access control is a good way to make sure that sensitive data isn’t exposed while it’s at rest. Only employees who need access to sensitive data to do their jobs can store it locally.

Encryption is one of the best and easiest ways for companies to start protecting their data at rest from employees who aren’t being careful. Data encryption tools built into operating systems, like Windows’ BitLocker and macOS’ FileVault, let companies encrypt the hard drives of their employees. This way, if someone stole or found a company device, they couldn’t use it without the encryption key, even if they booted the computer from a USB.

Why is Preventing Data Loss so Important?

There will always be attacks from the outside or threats from people on the inside, but data leaks, data loss, and data theft can be stopped. A DLP solution that is aware of both content and context can check and control file transfers that contain sensitive information like personal data or intellectual property. It can also control which USB storage devices can be used and which ones can’t, and make sure encryption is used. All of these things should happen at the endpoint, which is the most dangerous point of attack, to make sure the best possible result.

Endpoint Protector’s Server-Client architecture gives users DLP across platforms without getting in the way of their daily work. Administrators can access the Server through a simple web interface, while the Client takes up as little space as possible and gives the end user the best experience.

1. ManageEngine Device Control Plus (FREE TRIAL)

ManageEngine Device Control Plus

ManageEngine Device Control Plus is focused on controlling USB memory sticks, controlling their use on corporate endpoints, and securing the storage of data on them. However, the package also includes the monitoring of data movements to other devices, such as printers.

Key Features:

  • USB port controls
  • Blocks all USBs by default
  • Allowlisting
  • File tracing
  • Shadow copying

This package is more concerned with monitoring file movements than protecting data at rest. However, there are a number of file integrity monitoring measures in the ManageEngine system that qualify it to appear in this guide.

A major concern with data security is integrity. That is, you need to make sure no one adjusts the contents of a file, or, if they do, that those changes can be reversed. A classic way to circumvent integrity controls is to copy a file to a USB stick, change it somewhere else, then bring it back to the office and copy it back, overwriting the original.

Device Control Plus includes a shadow copying function that preserves a copy of the original file when it is copied onto a USB stick – this usually involves copying the file to cloud storage at the same time as the transfer on the stick is occurring. If the file appears again, it can be compared to that original and rejected if it is different.

The tool also keeps track of all of the copies of the same file that exist on the system. This enables an audit to be performed if several different versions end up being circulated. The log records the creation date, last update date, and size of each copy, enabling an administrator to work out who changed the file and when.

USB device authorization blocks all devices by default. The administrator is then able to create a list of permitted services. USB usage and file transfer controls can be linked into your access rights manager, meaning that usage and actions can be authorized for specific people with specific devices. Permissions can be end dated and they can include restrictions on file sizes that can be moved.

Device Control Plus is an on-premises package for Windows Server. The central control system will reach across the network to monitor and manage USB slots on endpoints running Windows or macOS. ManageEngine produces a Free edition that will cover 25 endpoints and it has just about all of the features of the paid edition, which is called Professional. You can try the full system with a 30-day free trial.

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2. CoSoSys Endpoint Protector

CoSoSys Endpoint Protector

CoSoSys’s goal is to help businesses take advantage of mobility, portability, and communication without giving up data security. To reach this goal, CoSoSys creates proactive data protection solutions that allow PCs, notebooks, and mobile devices to be safely integrated into the business environment. So, there won’t be any situations where private information is lost, stolen, or put in the wrong place.

Key Features

  • Control the device Lock, control, and keep an eye on USB and peripheral ports to stop data from being stolen or lost.
  • Protection based on the content Filtering of content for removable storage devices, apps like Outlook, Skype, Dropbox, webmail, and other services. Monitor, control, and block the transfer of sensitive data across multiple exit points, such as email, cloud solutions, and other applications.
  • Made encryption mandatory Endpoint Protector DLP lets you manage and enforce USB encryption for Windows and macOS from afar.
  • eDiscovery Scan sensitive data on employee computers and put policies in place to stop breaches before they happen.
  • Bereitstellung Virtual Appliance: Available in VMX, PVA, OVF, OVA, XVA, and VHD formats that work with the most popular virtualization tools.
  • Cloud Service It can be used in Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
  • SaaS It can be used as a SaaS version and is hosted in the cloud. Where the server depends on the country.

CoSoSys has a wide range of security products and features for device control, data loss prevention (DLP), and electronic discovery (eDiscovery) for Windows, macOS, and Linux. They also make apps that encrypt and improve portable storage devices.

The application portfolio includes features like device control, mobile device security, file tracing and shadowing, DLP for data in motion and at rest, file/sensitive data password security, data synchronization, and network security. The company tries to make products that are powerful and effective, can be set up in hours, and are easy enough for any IT administrator to use, all from a single web interface.

CoSoSys has a lot of experience meeting your industry-specific or internal data protection needs, such as compliance or specific use cases. CoSoSys’s security products and features include network device controls (interface security), endpoint security, data loss prevention, and eDiscovery for Windows, macOS, and Linux. CoSoSys also makes apps for mobile devices that encrypt data.

3. Symantec Endpoint Protector

Symantec Endpoint Protector

Symantec Endpoint Protection is an all-in-one security program that can be used by businesses of all sizes. It has things like a firewall, anti-malware, and protection against unauthorized access. The security suite also keeps data from getting lost. The software blocks security threats and protects against more advanced threats that could happen in the future. Multiple layers of protection and integrated cyber defense give endpoint protection everything it needs. File reputation, behavior analysis, and advanced machine learning are some of the tools it uses to do this. Symantec Endpoint Protection says it has the best protection to find threats quickly and accurately. The software cuts definition file sizes and bandwidth use by up to 70%, and cloud lookup works in real-time to make quick scans.

Key Features

  • Machine learning has gotten better
  • Desktop firewall
  • Central management console
  • Artificial Intelligence

The main benefit of Symantec Endpoint Protection is that it keeps endpoints safe by scanning them for security threats regularly. It also stops unapproved programs from running and uses strict firewall rules to keep an eye on network traffic. Automatically, malicious traffic from corporate networks or browsers is blocked. The software looks for possible threats by putting together information from other users. It also makes good use of advanced AI and machine learning to make sure there aren’t too many false positives. Taking a proactive approach to finding and getting rid of threats gives people peace of mind.

An administrative console lets IT admins make and change security policies. All departments can have rules that say certain programs and files can’t be scanned regularly or on demand. The solution doesn’t come with dedicated management services or mobile scanning, but it keeps malicious threats from getting into connected devices by treating them as peripherals. Endpoint Encryption is powered by PGP, and it protects endpoint data better and powerfully encrypts the whole disk.

4. Kaspersky Endpoint Protection

Kaspersky Endpoint Protection

Small businesses with fewer than 100 employees and a dedicated IT department can use Kaspersky Endpoint Security Cloud. It’s made for a small IT team so they can manage security quickly and easily. To do this, the software focuses on the most important parts of IT security. But the Kaspersky Endpoint Security Cloud is too simple if you have a full-fledged security operations center (SOC).

Key Features

  • Behavior analysis Kaspersky Endpoint Security watches what computer processes do and looks at the data to see if any of the actions are signs of malware. This Behavior Detection, Exploit Prevention, and Remediation Engine lets Kaspersky catch dangerous ransomware and other types of malware that try to avoid being found. It can also undo changes that malware made.
  • Internet security The platform scans all web traffic coming into and going out of your endpoints. It checks websites for signs of phishing and checks to see if the site is on Kaspersky’s list of bad websites. It blocks access to these sites with its Web Threat Protection. This adds to the platform’s Network Threat Protection, which stops incoming traffic that looks like an attack on the user’s computer over the network.
  • Email threats It also checks both incoming and outgoing emails for viruses and other threats. When the software finds a threat, it finds out what kind of malware it is, like a Trojan, and blocks the message.

Companies with a Security Operations Center (SOC) tend to look for advanced security options, like endpoint detection and response (EDR), to fix problems after a breach. In this case, look to Kaspersky for business solutions made for mid-sized and larger companies.

Kaspersky Endpoint Security Cloud focuses on keeping Windows, Mac, and Linux computers safe from threats. It works best on Windows, so some of its security features can only be used on Windows computers.

Companies that use Microsoft Office 365 are protected by the platform. To do this, you’ll need to set up Office 365 as a separate workspace from your endpoints, but it will still be covered by the same Kaspersky license. The software also protects Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS phones and tablets. Your subscription includes security for two mobile devices per user.

5. McAfee Endpoint Protection

McAfee Complete Data Protection

McAfee is a cybersecurity company that has been around for decades and has a lot of experience protecting endpoints. Its McAfee Endpoint Protection system includes its basic McAfee Endpoint Security technology for small businesses. In industry tests, this threat-prevention product worked perfectly against malware. However, its implementation is more complicated than that of many competing products, so it needs to be set up and managed by a dedicated IT department.

Key Features

  • ePO The McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator (ePO) is the security management center for your IT team.
  • Scan engine and content files McAfee’s protection software has a scan engine and content files that look for and identify threats using malware signatures.
  • Security agent You install the McAfee security agent on endpoints. It is used to send information from endpoints to McAfee ePO.
  • McAfee Endpoint Security A software client is installed on endpoints as part of the McAfee Endpoint Security platform. It has a user interface (UI) that shows users how secure their computer is and what threats have been found. It can also be used to run manual scans.

With more than 50,000 enterprise customers in 182 countries, McAfee is one of the biggest names in the cybersecurity industry. Antivirus software is where the company got its start in the 1980s, and that’s where it made its name.

Since then, the Internet has made it easy to infect endpoints, which has led to a rise in cyberattacks. Malware is getting better and more dangerous all the time, so McAfee changed to make endpoint security software that covers everything. Its endpoint solutions include McAfee, which protects businesses from malware, and email server security.

The McAfee Endpoint Security platform is part of the McAfee Endpoint Protection suite. This solution includes the company’s core McAfee antivirus features as well as other security features. Let’s look in depth at what McAfee has to offer. McAfee has a wide range of security solutions that meet the needs of both small and large businesses. Its products protect computers that run Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.

This goes for both virtual environments and McAfee server protection for Windows servers. Businesses can use McAfee Endpoint Protection as an on-premises solution, in the cloud, or as a combination of the two. Even though McAfee makes different endpoint protection solutions for different types of businesses, even the most basic McAfee Endpoint Security package should be used by small businesses with an IT department. McAfee products need to be set up and managed by people with a lot of technical knowledge.

McAfee Endpoint Protection works best for companies that have a security operations center (SOC). McAfee also has more advanced security solutions, like threat-hunting services and endpoint detection and response, that a SOC team can use (EDR).

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