Top 10 Endpoint Security Vendors in 2021

A suite solution for endpoint security refers to a collection of tools and technologies that help to secure endpoint devices like desktops, smartphones, and laptops against threats that might be introduced through online and offline work. This article discusses the key must-have features for a suite solution and lists the top ten vendors in this space.

Key Must-Have Features for Endpoint Security in Suite Solutions

A suite solution for endpoint security is defined as a collection of tools and technologies that help secure endpoint devices like desktops, smartphones, and laptops against threats that might be introduced through online and offline work.

Typically, an endpoint security solution suite comprises:

• Lightweight agents installed locally on the device
• A threat intelligence database against which the solution will check device and user behavior
• Endpoint protection tools like firewall and antivirus
• A cloud-based console from which IT administrators can manage endpoint security

Endpoint security is now a top priority for enterprises, particularly given the rapid pace of digitalization and new device adoption due to the pandemic. The 2020 Endpoint and IoT Zero Trust Security Report found that 72% of organizations have seen an uptick in endpoint and IoT security incidents in 2020. A separate survey by AT&T found that 76% of industry professionals believe that endpoint security will become more important in the future.

That’s why companies are eager to invest in solution suites to protect their device landscape from known and zero-day threats. The key must-have features to look for in a suite solution in this category include:

Must-Have Features to Look for in an Endpoint Security Solution Suite

1. Endpoint protection

This is the most important capability to look for in an endpoint security solution. There are several ways in which the solution may protect your devices from new and emerging threats, such as antivirus software, malware detection, threat intelligence databases, and more. At the very least, it must scan all files entering the device perimeter through downloads and local transfers to ensure that no malware creeps in. Some solutions also offer fileless attack protection and artificial intelligence (AI) defense.

2. Email security

At a time when phishing, whaling, and other email-related attacks are so prevalent, you need to protect your endpoints from any suspicious behavior detected in email clients. There are two ways in which an endpoint security solution suite can force email security. First, it should automatically scan all files received by email for malware. Second, it should be able to detect suspicious behavior in emails, such as unusual hours of communication and suspicious domain names.

3. Cloud-based control

Cloud-based control is now an essential feature for endpoint security solutions as it allows IT administrators to manage the device landscape from any location. As remote work and hybrid work gradually become the norm now and after the pandemic, this flexibility will be a business imperative. Using a cloud-based console, IT can monitor device behavior, remotely push updates, maintain security logs, investigate threats, and more without having to be present on-site or requiring the employee to come into the office.

4. Sandbox

A sandbox is an isolated environment where IT professionals and software engineers can segregate a part of the code and conduct further tests without influencing the surrounding environment. For endpoint security, it means that you can isolate zero-day threats in a safe environment and conduct forensic investigations to understand them better. Some endpoint security tools automatically place downloaded and email-attached files in a sandbox-like quarantine state before it is declared to be safe.

5. Security awareness training

This is an ancillary service provided by leading endpoint security vendors, which could make a massive difference to your organization. Many security vulnerabilities can be traced back to human error, negligence, and the lack of cybersecurity knowledge. Through security awareness training, you can instill security-conscious behavior that can go a long way in mitigating the impacts of threats, even if they somehow creep in. Some vendors have a dedicated solution to address this need.

See More: What Is End Point Security? Definition, Key Components, and Best Practices

Top 10 Endpoint Security Vendors in 2021

Endpoint security is a rapidly growing market. From $12.93 billion in 2020 and $13.99 billion in 2021, it is expected to cross $24.5 billion by 2028, according to research by Fortune Business Insights. There are plenty of options to choose from at every scale and pricing tier. Here are our top ten recommendations, arranged in alphabetical order.

Disclaimer: This list is based on publicly available information and may include vendor websites that sell to mid-to-large enterprises. Readers are advised to conduct their final research to ensure the best fit for their unique organizational needs.

1. ESET Endpoint Security

Overview: ESET offers a wide range of cybersecurity solutions for businesses of all sizes as well as managed security service providers. The company’s endpoint security suite supports Windows, Mac, and Linux workstations and iOS and Android mobile devices.

Key features: The key features of ESET Endpoint Security include:

• Endpoint protection: There is a multi-layered defense to detect malware, before, during, and after it may be executed to stop threats at every level.
• Email security: ESET offers protection against browser-based attacks, phishing, and fileless attacks, and detects threats at the network level.
• Cloud-based control: You can manage all ESET endpoints from ESET PROTECT, a unified management console on the cloud.
• Sandbox: There is a built-in sandbox to trap and investigate the behavior of obfuscated malware.
• Security awareness training: ESET provides additional training services via the ESET Authorized Training Center.

USP: ESET has been using machine learning (ML) for endpoint security since 1997, and the feature also works without an internet connection.

Pricing: ESET Endpoint Security offers custom pricing.

Editorial comments: ESET is ideal for large enterprises with a remote workforce. It gives you detailed insights on user behavior, monitors suspicious processes on endpoint devices, and automatically blocks threats.

2. Falcon by CrowdStrike

Overview: Falcon is CrowdStrike’s comprehensive suite of cloud and endpoint security solutions. You can gain from dedicated tools for firewall management, endpoint detection and response (EDR), remote device control, etc.

Key features: Key features of Falcon by CrowdStrike include:

• Endpoint protection: You can protect your endpoints through next-gen antivirus, EDR, USB device security, and threat intelligence.
• Email security: Falcon’s cloud-native next-gen antivirus (NGAV) protects against fileless attacks, malware, ransomware, etc., initiated by email.
• Cloud-based control: Falcon is fully cloud-based and can be installed via a lightweight agent.
• Sandbox: Falcon sandbox is a dedicated malware analysis tool to isolate and study zero-day threats.
• Security awareness training: The CrowdStrike University offers a wide range of learning materials.

USP: Falcon by CrowdStrike is among the most comprehensive solution suites available for endpoint security, covering a wide range of use cases with added solutions for security and IT teams.

Pricing: Falcon starts at $8.99 per user per endpoint per month.

Editorial comments: Falcon by CrowdStrike will scale as you grow. You can rely on the solution to protect your endpoint landscape throughout your digital transformation journey.

3. Harmony by Check Point

Overview: Check Point is known for its flagship solutions like Quantum, CloudGuard, Infinity-Vision, and Harmony. Harmony is purpose-built to ensure secure users and access for endpoint devices in an enterprise environment.

Key features: The key features of Harmony by Check Point include:

• Endpoint protection: Harmony protects endpoints from phishing, ransomware, malware, credential theft, and fileless attacks.
• Email security: Harmony Email and Office ensure that your productivity processes remain secure.
• Cloud-based control: Harmony offers Threat Cloud for real-time threat intelligence and endpoint monitoring.
• Sandbox: Every file downloaded or received via email is first held in the sandbox and inspected for malware.
• Security awareness training: Check Point offers a dedicated SmartAwareness training program to upskill employees in cybersecurity.

USP: Harmony uses a combination of artificial intelligence (AI) and 60+ threat intelligence engines to detect attacks before they can occur.

Pricing: Harmony’s suite components are separately priced across Basic, Advanced, and Complete tiers.

Editorial comments: Companies with a specific endpoint security use case (e.g., need to secure only mobile devices) can trust Harmony to provide a robust and targeted solution.

4. Kaspersky Endpoint Security Cloud

Overview: Cybersecurity leader, Kaspersky, offers many solutions for endpoint security. Kaspersky Endpoint Security is a 360-degree solutions suite that helps mid-sized businesses protect their endpoint landscape.

Key features: The key features of Kaspersky Endpoint Security Cloud include:

• Endpoint protection: It offers firewall, network attack blockers, and on-device vulnerability scans. There is also an EDR feature in preview.
• Email security: It protects endpoint devices from threats, introduced via email, online activity, and file downloads.
• Cloud-based control: There is a cloud-based console for governing device usage, web usage, and productivity patterns on endpoint devices.
• Sandbox: Kaspersky Sandbox is separately available as part of the company’s threat intelligence solution.
• Security awareness training: Kaspersky’s unique Automated Security Awareness Platform simplifies training and improves cybersecurity skill retention.

USP: Kaspersky suite of endpoint security solutions are available for businesses of every size, with targeted features and deployment models for 1-25 employees, 26-99 employees, and 1000+ employees.

Pricing: The solution offers custom pricing after a 30-day free trial.

Editorial comments: Kaspersky offers a good mix of standalone tools and suite-based solutions, equipped to address various endpoint security use cases.

See More: What Is Endpoint Encryption? Definition, Architecture, and Best Practices

5. Malwarebytes Endpoint Protection

Overview: Malwarebytes is known for its powerful solutions for personal and business cybersecurity. You can choose between Malwarebytes Endpoint Protection and Malwarebytes EDR, depending on your requirement and team size.

Key features: The key features of Malwarebytes Endpoint Protection include:

• Endpoint protection: It has next-gen antivirus and best-in-class threat remediation to protect against malware, ransomware, and zero-day exploits.
• Email security: It provides protection against phishing attacks initiated via email.
• Cloud-based control: There is a cloud-based management console called Nebula to monitor endpoint devices, along with a lightweight local agent.
• Sandbox: There is a sandbox analysis feature to upload and analyze suspicious files in a secure environment.
• Security awareness training: Malwarebytes offers training for its business products, including endpoint security, through the Malwarebytes Academy (online).

USP: Malwarebytes is a complete endpoint security solution that promises easy deployment and a transparent pricing structure, with optional protection for servers.

Pricing: Pricing starts at $69.99 per device per year.

Editorial comments: Malwarebytes Endpoint Protection is a relatively affordable solution for endpoint security and a good entry point for SMBs.

6. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Overview: This is Microsoft’s enterprise-grade solution suite for endpoint security, which builds on the company’s powerful Defender product for consumers. It is an agentless system, so there is no need to install additional software on employee devices.

Key features: The key features of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint include:

• Endpoint protection: Microsoft offers powerful EDR, behavior-based protection, risk-based vulnerability management, and managed threat-hunting services.
• Email security: There are application-specific protection and security measures that cover browsers and email clients, along with automatic threat blocking.
• Cloud-based control: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is entirely cloud-based and can be configured, deployed, and managed using the Microsoft Endpoint Manager.
• Sandbox: There is a secure cloud sandbox to submit files and run them in quarantine for deep analysis.
• Security awareness training: The vendor provides you with the Microsoft Security Awareness kit, and there are many resources for training.

USP: As an agentless solution suite, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is easy to install and comes with rich APIs for integration with your larger security information and event management (SIEM) system.

Pricing: You can avail a free trial. The final price is customized for every organization.

Editorial comments: For companies with existing Microsoft systems, this solution makes perfect sense.

7. Sophos Intercept X

Overview: Sophos Intercept X offers a suite of targeted security solutions that use deep learning to detect known and unknown malware. It includes tools for EDR, managed threat response, and extended detection and response.

Key features: The key features of Sophos Intercept X include:

• Endpoint protection: Sophos Intercept X enforces anti-ransomware measures and blocks known to exploit techniques.
• Email security: There is end-to-end security for web activity and anti-malware file scanning for email attachments.
• Cloud-based control: IT admins can manage the endpoint device landscape from Sophos Central, a centralized cloud console.
• Sandbox: There is an optional Sophos Sandstorm capability, which is a cloud-based sandbox for threat analysis.
• Security awareness training: Sophos has a collection of 30+ security awareness training modules that can be executed from Sophos Central.

USP: Sophos complements its suite of endpoint security solutions with expert services. Sophos can help you in threat hunting, data retention, security health checks, and other activities.

Pricing: Sophos Intercept X offers custom pricing.

Editorial comments: Sophos offers highly sophisticated capabilities best suited to large, complex endpoint landscapes and security MSPs.

8. Symantec Endpoint Security

Overview: Symantec Endpoint Security is a suite of endpoint security solutions by industry leader Broadcom. It offers multi-layered defense across all phases of the security attack lifecycle (attack surface reduction, attack prevention, breach prevention, and detection and response).

Key features: The key features of Symantec Endpoint Security include:

• Endpoint protection: It enables adaptive protection for your endpoint devices with real-time visibility into threats, in addition to USB device security.
• Email security: It ensures secure network connections, identifies rogue Wi-Fi networks, and has a policy-driven virtual private network (VPN) feature to reduce email threats.
• Cloud-based control: The entire landscape can be managed and maintained from a centralized cloud console with AI-guided recommendations.
• Sandbox: You can submit suspicious files to the built-in sandbox and receive automated alerts on sandbox analysis.
• Security awareness training: Symantec Endpoint Security is integrated with the Infosec IQ Event-Activated Learning platform to deliver contextualized training.

USP: You can use a single Symantec agent to protect a wide range of devices. Also, the solution suite leverages behavioral forensics and advanced analytics to study zero-day attacks.

Pricing: The suite offers custom pricing and can be purchased from a regional Broadcom partner.

Editorial comments: Symantec Endpoint Security leverages powerful protection technologies to provide you with a comprehensive solution, from secure network connectivity to device control, EDR, and IT operations management.

See More: Top 10 Firewall Software for Desktops in 2021

9. Vipre

Overview: Vipre is a leading endpoint security vendor for home and business use cases. It uses AI technology to help detect malware risk and zero-day threats while providing enterprises with a comprehensive solution for endpoint, email, and data-related risks.

Key features: The key features of Vipre include:

• Endpoint protection: It enables multi-layered defense against viruses, trojans, rootkits, spyware, and other types of malicious software to protect endpoint devices.
• Email security: It secures email communications through cloud technology, end-to-end email encryption, and anti-phishing measures.
• Cloud-based control: You can manage and control the device landscape from the centralized cloud console and dashboards.
• Sandbox: There is an attachment sandbox, where file downloads are analyzed using real-time threat intelligence.
• Security awareness training: The company bundles security awareness training for the employees at its customer companies as part of the premium solution.

USP: In addition to all the must-have features, Vipre includes data loss prevention capabilities to mitigate the fallout if an endpoint device is attacked.

Pricing: Vipre starts at $96 per user per year.

Editorial comments: Vipre is an all-in-one solution suite for endpoint security as it addresses your requirements across email, web, and data-related activities.

10. VMware Carbon Black Endpoint

Overview: VMware Carbon Black Endpoint is a single-agent endpoint security solution suite that adapts to your business needs. It specializes in collecting data on minor fluctuations and “grey” behavior, in addition to known threats.

Key features: The key features of VMware Carbon Black Endpoint include:

• Endpoint protection: It includes enterprise-grade antivirus software, ransomware protection, and fileless attack protection to protect endpoints.
• Email security: There is an optional Workspace ONE Intelligence module that provides analytics on productivity, email activity, and application data to detect risk.
• Cloud-based control: VMware Carbon Black Endpoint is managed entirely via the cloud and offers cloud-native threat intelligence.
• Sandbox: VMware Carbon Black Endpoint can be integrated with third-party sandboxes like Zscaler ZIA Sandbox through pre-built sandbox connectors.
• Security awareness training: VMware Carbon Black Endpoint offers a robust library of training materials and certification courses for its users.

USP: VMware Carbon Black Endpoint reveals detailed security analytics and provides you with accurate predictions on potential threats.

Pricing: The solution suite offers custom pricing.

Editorial comments: The solution streamlines endpoint security management for large enterprises, particularly from a compliance perspective, thanks to its audit and remediation capabilities.

Here are the key highlights of these solutions at a glance:

See More: What Is Zero Trust Security? Definition, Model, Framework, and Vendors

Key takeaways

These solutions address the growing need to secure your endpoints as the frequency and severity of cyber-attacks grow. According to IDC, over a third of businesses globally suffered a ransomware attack in 2020, and just 13% ended up not paying the ransom. Investing in a powerful endpoint security solutions suite can help you avoid costly attacks, stay compliant with data privacy laws, and confidently grow your business. Remember the five must-have features we discussed (endpoint protection, email security, cloud-based control, sandbox, and training) when assessing solution vendors to find the best endpoint security technology for your organization.

Can next-gen endpoint security solutions keep up with new threat types? Tell us what you think on LinkedInOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , or FacebookOpens a new window . We would love to hear from you! 

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