With the rise of hybrid work and cloud-based operations, organisations today face an increasing number of cybersecurity threats that target vulnerable endpoints. Securing endpoints, such as laptops, phones, tablets and more, has never been more important.

A recent study found that 68% of organisations experienced a rise in endpoint and IoT security attacks in the last 12 months. Businesses need a robust endpoint management solution that ensures devices remain compliant, secure, and up to date.

What’s the solution? Microsoft Intune is a powerful cloud-based endpoint management platform that allows IT teams to enforce security policies, manage applications, and safeguard their IT infrastructure. Intune lets businesses streamline device management while enhancing their overall security posture.

However, managing endpoint security effectively requires time, expertise, and continuous monitoring. That’s where a Managed Service Provider (MSP) comes in, offering crucial guidance on how to secure endpoints using Intune.

This article will explore how Microsoft Intune helps businesses secure their endpoint and discuss why you should be partnering with an MSP to implement it.

Importance of Endpoint Management in Modern Security

The modern workplace has undergone a dramatic transformation. Today, employees can access company resources from a whole range of devices – laptops, smartphones, tablets, and even personal devices. While this flexibility does undoubtedly offer many productivity benefits, it also expands your network’s attack surface, leaving you vulnerable to cyberattacks.

The more devices, or endpoints, using your network’s resources, the greater the number of entry points into your network. A single compromised endpoint can serve as a gateway to the rest of your infrastructure, putting sensitive data and critical systems at risk. That is precisely why endpoint management is so crucial.

Endpoint management refers to the process of monitoring, securing, and maintaining all devices that connect to an organisation’s network. It involves:

  • Enforcing security policies to prevent unauthorised access and mitigate risks
  • Ensuring device compliance with industry regulations and internal IT policies
  • Protecting corporate data by securing applications, networks, and user identities
  • Updating devices and applications to the latest security patches to protect from novel threats

Proactive endpoint management not only helps detect and respond to potential threats but also enhances operational efficiency by automating updates and compliance checks. Modern cloud-based endpoint solutions like Microsoft Intune allow IT teams to centrally manage endpoints, giving them a complete overview of their security posture.

What is Microsoft Intune?

Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based endpoint management solution for securing devices, applications, and data from a centralised platform.  It’s a key component of Microsoft’s broader Enterprise Mobility + Security (EM+S) suite and integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft security tools, such as Defender for Endpoint and Azure Active Directory.

Intune is a brilliant tool for balancing the needs of both your endpoint users – your employees- and your security requirements. It lets employees safely use organisational resources on their own devices while allowing IT administrators to protect sensitive information and remotely provide support where needed.

Let’s explore some of Intune’s most useful features!

Device Management

From traditional desktops and laptops to mobile phones, tablets, and even wearables, organisations face a vast and varied endpoint landscape.

Microsoft Intune’s Mobile Device Management (MDM) tools allow IT teams to securely manage and control company-owned and personal (BYOD) devices across multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.

It provides a single point of management for devices, unlocking the ability to manage devices from a central console. With Intune, you can enroll and manage mobile devices, enforce security policies, and remotely wipe or lock devices if they are lost or stolen.

Device Compliance Policies

Another crucial aspect of endpoint security is ensuring that devices meet specific security standards before accessing corporate resources. Microsoft Intune allows IT administrators to create and enforce device compliance policies, ensuring that only secure and compliant devices can connect to company networks.

Compliance policies in Intune define the minimum security requirements a device must meet before it is granted access. These policies may include:

  • Enforcing password complexity requirements to prevent unauthorised access
  • Ensuring devices have encryption enabled to protect stored data
  • Mandating the installation of the latest OS updates and security patches
  • Checking for jailbroken or rooted devices that may pose security risks
  • Requiring antivirus software to be active and up to date

When a device fails to meet compliance requirements, Intune can automatically take action, such as notifying the user, restricting access to corporate resources, or even remotely locking or wiping the device.

Application Management

Securing endpoints is also about controlling the applications that employees use to access corporate data. Microsoft Intune provides robust Mobile Application Management (MAM) capabilities, allowing IT teams to govern app usage, enforce security policies, and protect company data without compromising user experience.

Intune allows businesses to:

  • Require authentication before accessing company apps and resources
  • Deploy and manage applications remotely
  • Enforce app protection policies to safeguard sensitive data within apps
  • Prevent users from copying/pasting or sharing information between corporate and personal apps
  • Remotely delete company data from applications without affecting personal files

With Intune, you can ensure that employees use secure, approved applications, reducing the risk of data leaks and cyber threats.

Benefits of Remote Management by an MSP

Microsoft Intune is a powerful tool for endpoint security but requires time and expertise to implement. Proactively monitoring endpoints for continuous oversight takes up even more resources.

Want complete endpoint protection? Working with a trusted Managed Service Provider (MSP) is your best bet.

MSPs are security experts. They are well-versed in how to design and implement endpoint policies that effectively protect your data. As a trusted security partner, MSPs can help you scope out your endpoint service, identifying which devices put you at most risk, allowing you to tailor your policies to them. They provide continuous monitoring and management of endpoints and ensure a rapid response to security incidents.

As businesses grow, their security needs evolve. MSPs can adjust policies, deploy new security measures, and scale Intune’s capabilities to meet changing requirements. Working with a partner to deliver endpoint security reduces the burden on your internal IT teams, allowing them to instead focus on strategic initiatives to grow your business. With expert guidance and ongoing management, you can stay ahead of evolving threats and ensure your endpoint security remains resilient for years to come.

Get in touch with us today to see how we can help!