Every Device Is a Target
Your business endpoints — laptops, desktops, tablets, and smartphones — are the primary targets for cyber attacks. Attackers know that endpoints are where humans interact with technology, and humans make mistakes. A clicked phishing link, a malicious attachment opened, or an unpatched application exploited: the endpoint is where breaches begin.
For Australian SMEs managing a mix of company-owned and personal devices across offices, homes, and field locations, endpoint security and device management are critical controls.
What Is Endpoint Security?
Endpoint security has evolved well beyond traditional antivirus. Modern solutions combine prevention (blocking known threats before they execute), detection (identifying suspicious behaviour that may indicate a new or unknown threat), and response (containing and remediating threats that get through prevention).
This combination is known as Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR). EDR solutions monitor endpoint activity continuously, detect anomalies, and provide security teams with the tools to investigate and respond to incidents.
Choosing an EDR Solution
For SMEs, the right EDR solution balances protection, manageability, and cost. Leading options include:
Microsoft Defender for Business: Included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium, making it cost-effective for businesses already using M365. Provides EDR, attack surface reduction, and automated investigation and remediation. Managed through the Microsoft 365 Defender portal alongside email security.
CrowdStrike Falcon Go: A cloud-native platform known for strong detection rates and lightweight endpoint agents. The “Go” tier is designed for small businesses with simplified management.
SentinelOne Singularity: Offers autonomous threat detection and response — the agent can contain threats without waiting for human intervention. Strong for businesses without dedicated security staff.
All three provide coverage across Windows, macOS, and mobile devices. The key differentiator for SMEs is often management — choose the solution that integrates best with your existing infrastructure and is manageable by your IT team or MSP.
Mobile Device Management (MDM)
MDM extends your security policies to mobile devices. With staff using smartphones and tablets for email, file access, and business applications, these devices need the same level of management as laptops.
Microsoft Intune (included in M365 Business Premium) provides device enrolment and compliance policies (require encryption, screen lock, OS version), application management (deploy, configure, and remove business apps), conditional access (block non-compliant devices from accessing company data), and selective wipe (remove company data without touching personal data).
For company-owned devices, full device management is appropriate. For BYOD, app protection policies secure company data within managed apps without requiring full device enrolment.
Patch Management
Unpatched endpoints are the most common attack vector. A structured patch management process should apply critical security patches within 48 hours (aligning with ASD Essential Eight recommendations), schedule routine patches monthly, cover operating systems, browsers, Microsoft Office, and third-party applications, and include firmware updates for devices with embedded systems.
Automated patch management tools — Windows Update for Business, Intune, or third-party solutions like Automox — reduce the manual effort and ensure consistency across all devices.
Encryption
Full disk encryption ensures that data on a lost or stolen device is inaccessible. BitLocker (Windows) and FileVault (macOS) are built into the operating system and should be enabled on every business device. Encryption keys should be escrowed centrally (Intune or Azure AD) so IT can recover data if needed.
For removable media — USB drives and external hard drives — consider restricting usage or requiring encryption. Unencrypted USB drives are a common vector for both data loss and malware introduction.
Application Control
Application control restricts which software can run on your endpoints. By allowing only approved applications, you prevent users from inadvertently running malware or unauthorised software. Windows Defender Application Control and AppLocker provide this capability on Windows devices.
At a minimum, block execution of common attack tools and restrict software installation to administrators.
Monitoring and Reporting
Visibility is essential. Your endpoint management platform should provide a dashboard showing device compliance status (how many devices are encrypted, patched, and enrolled), threat detection and response activity, application inventory, and user risk indicators. Review these reports regularly — weekly or monthly — to identify trends and address gaps before they become incidents.
Building Your Endpoint Strategy
Start with the basics: deploy EDR on all devices, enable encryption, enrol devices in MDM, and establish a patch management process. These four controls address the majority of endpoint-related risks. Contact TechAssist to implement endpoint security and device management for your business.
