Endpoint Security in cloud environments is essential for protecting virtual machines (VMs) and servers from modern threats. Effective endpoint security encompasses detection and response capabilities, as well as anti-malware protections to secure resources against unauthorized access, malware, and other cyber threats.
By using solutions like Microsoft Defender for Cloud, organizations can enhance endpoint security, centralize threat intelligence, and streamline integration with security information and event management (SIEM) solutions, aligning endpoint defenses with comprehensive security operations.
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR): Enable advanced threat detection, investigation, and response capabilities for VMs.
Anti-Malware Protection: Use modern anti-malware software for real-time protection and periodic scanning.
Signature and Software Updates: Ensure anti-malware software and signatures are consistently updated to protect against emerging threats.
Implementing endpoint security controls, including EDR and anti-malware solutions, ensures compliance with standards and reduces potential vulnerabilities. Microsoft Defender for Cloud offers comprehensive solutions to manage endpoint protection for Windows and Linux, assess security health, and provide recommendations for policy enforcement and updates.
Explore Endpoint Security with Microsoft Defender for Cloud.
Strong endpoint security practices build a foundation for secure operations, enabling resilience against cyber threats and adherence to regulatory requirements.
Start Here: Which area of endpoint security are you focusing on?
Enable Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) capabilities for virtual machines (VMs) and integrate EDR with your security information and event management (SIEM) solution to streamline threat detection, investigation, and response. EDR provides essential protection against advanced threats, enhancing an organization’s ability to detect and react to malicious activities on endpoints.
Microsoft Defender for servers, with Defender for Endpoint integration, provides robust EDR features for detecting, investigating, and responding to threats. Use Microsoft Defender for Cloud to deploy Defender for servers on VMs, and integrate EDR alerts with your SIEM solution, such as Microsoft Sentinel, for centralized security monitoring and incident response.
AWS: Deploy Microsoft Defender for servers on EC2 instances through Defender for Cloud for EDR capabilities, or use Amazon GuardDuty for integrated threat intelligence, detecting threats like cryptocurrency mining, unusual network traffic, and potential malware.
GCP: Onboard your GCP projects into Defender for Cloud for EDR on VMs, or leverage Google’s Security Command Center for anomaly detection, such as unauthorized access or malicious network activity.
Step 1: Deploy Microsoft Defender for servers on cloud endpoints to enable EDR.
Step 2: Integrate Defender for servers with your SIEM, such as Microsoft Sentinel, to monitor EDR alerts and incidents.
Step 3: Regularly review alerts and adjust detection rules to align with evolving threat landscapes.
For more details, see SIEM Integration with Defender for Cloud.
Ensure that all VMs are enrolled in Defender for Cloud to facilitate effective EDR. Integrate EDR alerts into a centralized incident response system, prioritize high-severity alerts, and conduct regular testing of EDR detection capabilities to improve response times and overall resilience against endpoint threats.
Start Here: Which platform are you deploying EDR on?
Anti-malware solutions, also known as endpoint protection, are essential for providing real-time protection and periodic scanning on endpoints. Implementing modern anti-malware software helps detect and mitigate malware threats before they can compromise critical systems.
Microsoft Defender for Cloud offers a range of endpoint protection options, automatically identifying and assessing popular anti-malware solutions on virtual machines and on-premises machines with Azure Arc enabled. Windows Server 2016 and newer use Microsoft Defender Antivirus by default, while older versions require the Microsoft Antimalware extension. For Linux, Defender for Endpoint provides endpoint protection capabilities.
Learn more about anti-malware solutions with Microsoft Defender.
AWS: Use Microsoft Defender for Cloud to monitor endpoint protection status on EC2 instances. For Windows, deploy Microsoft Defender Antivirus; for Linux, use Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. Amazon GuardDuty also offers threat intelligence to monitor for malware and suspicious activities.
GCP: Enable Microsoft Defender for Cloud on GCP instances for integrated endpoint protection assessment. For Windows, Defender Antivirus is recommended, while Defender for Endpoint is suitable for Linux VMs.
Step 1: Deploy Microsoft Defender Antivirus on Windows VMs and Defender for Endpoint on Linux VMs for real-time protection.
Step 2: Use Microsoft Defender for Cloud to assess the status and health of endpoint protection solutions.
Step 3: Set up periodic scans and ensure automatic updates for signature databases to enhance malware detection.
For further details, see Microsoft Defender for Cloud Anti-Malware Policy Settings.
Implement periodic malware scans across all endpoints, and enable centralized monitoring of anti-malware health status via Defender for Cloud. For third-party anti-malware solutions, ensure integration with SIEM for real-time alerts on detected threats. Conduct regular assessments to verify that all endpoint protection solutions are active and up to date.
Start Here: Which operating system is your anti-malware solution intended for?
Keeping anti-malware software and its signatures up to date is crucial for protecting against emerging threats. Regular updates ensure that endpoint protection solutions are equipped to detect and mitigate new malware variants and tactics.
Use Microsoft Defender for Cloud to manage endpoint protection updates across VMs and on-premises systems. Microsoft Defender Antivirus (Windows) and Defender for Endpoint (Linux) automatically install the latest signatures and engine updates by default. For third-party solutions, configure automatic updates or establish manual update routines to maintain effectiveness.
AWS: For EC2 instances, ensure that Microsoft Defender Antivirus or Defender for Endpoint automatically updates signatures. For third-party solutions, configure them to receive regular updates. Microsoft Defender for Cloud provides insights and alerts on update status.
GCP: Use Defender for Cloud to oversee anti-malware updates on GCP instances. Enable automatic updates for both Microsoft and third-party solutions to maintain endpoint protection.
Step 1: Enable automatic updates for Microsoft Defender Antivirus and Defender for Endpoint on Windows and Linux VMs.
Step 2: For third-party anti-malware solutions, verify that automatic updates are active, or schedule regular manual updates.
Step 3: Use Defender for Cloud’s update assessment tools to monitor the signature update status and set alerts for outdated or disabled protections.
For further information, see Defender for Cloud Anti-Malware Policy Settings.
Configure alerts to notify security teams of any endpoints that are not up to date. Regularly review update logs and configure policy settings to prevent outdated or unprotected endpoints from accessing critical resources. For environments with third-party solutions, establish periodic checks to verify that all protections are current.
Start Here: How do you manage anti-malware updates?