Gartner defines an endpoint protection platform (EPP) as security software designed to protect managed endpoints — including desktop PCs, laptop PCs, virtual desktops, mobile devices and, in some cases, servers — against known and unknown malicious attacks. EPPs provide capabilities for security teams to investigate and remediate incidents that evade prevention controls. EPP products are delivered as software agents, deployed to endpoints, and connected to centralized security analytics and management consoles.
EPPs provide a defensive security control to protect end-user endpoints against known and unknown malware infections and file-less attacks using a combination of security techniques (such as static and behavioral analysis) and attack surface reduction capabilities (such as device control, host firewall management and application control). EPP prevention and protection capabilities are deployed as a part of a defense-in-depth strategy to help reduce the endpoint attack surface and minimize the risk of compromise. EPP detection and response capabilities are used to uncover, investigate and respond to endpoint threats that evade security protection, often as a part of broader threat detection, investigation and response (TDIR) capable products.
The CrowdStrike Falcon platform features a single lightweight agent that delivers cutting-edge, AI-powered real-time protection and visibility. Designed to defend endpoints and workloads both on and off the network, it stops threats before they become breaches. Backed by adversary-driven threat intelligence and AI, the Falcon platform processes trillions of global events weekly in real time, fueling an advanced security data platform accessible through a unified command console.
SentinelOne Singularity Endpoint is a software designed to protect endpoints by autonomously detecting, preventing, and responding to threats across devices within an organization. The software leverages machine learning and behavioral AI to identify and mitigate a wide range of cyber threats, including malware, ransomware, and fileless attacks. It provides continuous monitoring and automated remediation capabilities to help reduce manual intervention and response time during security incidents. SentinelOne Singularity Endpoint integrates with existing IT security and management workflows, offering visibility into endpoint activities and assisting organizations in maintaining compliance by ensuring devices meet security standards. The software is engineered to address business challenges related to endpoint protection, threat management, and operational efficiency in cybersecurity environments.
Sophos Endpoint is a software designed to protect computers and mobile devices from malware, exploits, ransomware, and other cyber threats. The software integrates antivirus, web filtering, and application control to secure endpoints against unauthorized access and harmful content. It features centralized management for policy enforcement and monitoring, enabling organizations to maintain compliance and reduce the risk of security breaches. The software employs behavioral analytics to identify and block suspicious activity, assists with threat detection and response, and provides reporting capabilities for security oversight. It helps organizations address challenges related to data protection, system integrity, and operational continuity by delivering security measures that adapt to evolving threats.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is an endpoint security software designed to detect, investigate, and respond to advanced threats across devices within an organization. The software provides protection against malware, ransomware, and other malicious activities by leveraging behavioral sensors, threat intelligence, and cloud-based analytics. It supports automated response and remediation actions, secures data through attack surface reduction, and integrates with other security solutions for centralized management. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint addresses business challenges related to protecting endpoints from evolving cyber threats, managing vulnerabilities, and maintaining compliance with organizational security policies.
Trellix Endpoint Security Suite is a software designed to protect devices against various cyber threats, including malware, ransomware, and advanced attacks. The software offers integrated threat prevention, detection, and response capabilities, aiming to safeguard endpoints within an organization’s network. It uses machine learning and behavioral analytics to identify suspicious activities and offers centralized management for deploying security policies across multiple devices. Trellix Endpoint Security Suite supports monitoring, investigation, and remediation of security incidents, helping organizations address vulnerabilities and maintain compliance with regulatory standards. This software is built to assist businesses in improving endpoint visibility and resilience against evolving security challenges.
Symantec Endpoint Security Complete is a software designed to protect endpoints such as laptops, desktops, and mobile devices from a variety of cybersecurity threats. The software integrates multiple security technologies, including antivirus, firewall, intrusion prevention, and device control, to help prevent malware, ransomware, exploitation, and unauthorized access. It incorporates machine learning and behavioral analysis to identify and stop advanced and emerging threats. The software includes capabilities for threat containment, remediation, vulnerability management, and application control. Centralized management enables administrators to configure policies, monitor endpoint activities, and respond to incidents. Symantec Endpoint Security Complete addresses challenges related to securing distributed workforces and maintaining compliance with security policies across multiple device types and operating systems.
Trend Vision One - Endpoint Security is a software designed to provide comprehensive threat protection for endpoints within an organization. The software offers features such as malware detection, vulnerability protection, application control, and behavioral analysis. It helps organizations identify, analyze, and respond to emerging security threats across endpoints, including laptops, desktops, and servers. The software integrates with security operations to deliver incident response capabilities and automated remediation, enabling organizations to address risks and reduce attack surfaces. By streamlining management and providing visibility into endpoint activity, the software assists businesses in maintaining security compliance and protecting critical assets from cyber threats.
ESET PROTECT is a unified cybersecurity platform that delivers modern Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) and Extended Detection and Response (XDR) capabilities in a single, integrated solution. It protects Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS devices, including Mobile Device Management functionality.
The platform offers multi-tenant management with real-time visibility across multiple perimeters, providing comprehensive reporting and security operations from a single pane of glass. It can be securely deployed either in the cloud or on-premises, giving organizations the flexibility to choose the model that best fits their needs and constraints.
It combines strong prevention, advanced detection, and automated response with additional capabilities such as vulnerability and patch management, cloud-based sandboxing, and full disk encryption, helping organizations strengthen prevention, detection, and response across their entire environment.
ThreatDown Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) is enriched by Malwarebytes global threat intelligence and its patented remediation engine that removes every trace of malware to prevent reinfection. It provides protection against a range of threats, including malware, ransomware, zero-day exploits, phishing, and other threats with a suite of tools to detect, investigate and contain even human-operated attacks that bypass prevention layers. Seven-day ransomware rollback allows organizations to restore systems. ThreatDown solutions employ machine learning and AI to provide accurate threat assessments. The simplified management component creates a unified dashboard for real-time monitoring and prioritizing remediation, catering to organizations of all sizes.
Harmony Endpoint is a software designed to protect endpoints from cyber threats, including malware, ransomware, phishing, and other forms of attacks. The software provides endpoint detection and response capabilities, enabling organizations to identify, investigate, and remediate threats on user devices. It integrates automated threat prevention technologies and behavioral analysis to detect and block suspicious activities. The software supports centralized management and reporting, allowing administrators to configure security policies and monitor endpoint security status. By addressing vulnerabilities across desktops, laptops, and remote devices, Harmony Endpoint helps organizations reduce the risk of data breaches and maintain compliance with security standards.
CylanceENDPOINT is an AI-based Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) that leverages Cylance® 7th generation AI and machine learning capabilities to block cyberattacks and provides flexible controls for safeguarding against sophisticated threats even working offline. – No human intervention, internet connections, signatures files, heuristics, or sandboxes required. In addition, taking a comprehensive approach to be preventative-first CylanceENDPOINT aims to prevent the zero-day threat, and phishing attacks, effectively stopping ransomware in its tracks on every device you have.
GravityZone is a comprehensive cybersecurity platform which delivers prevention, protection, extended detection and response for organizations of all sizes across multi-, hybrid-cloud servers, workloads, endpoints, networks, productivity apps, users, identities and mobile devices. The defense-in-depth architecture integrates security insight and control in a unified management console where administrators centrally monitor and manage their cybersecurity risk posture. The management console also provides investigation and remediation capabilities. GravityZone’s multi-layered Security strategy is built on advanced artificial intelligence/machine learning technologies that protect against known and unknown cyber attacks. To balance between accurate threat detection and creating unnecessary noise, advanced algorithms are constantly updated to minimize the time the local IT team must dedicate to managing security so they can focus on advancing the goals of their organization.
Cortex XDR is a software developed by Palo Alto Networks that integrates data from network, endpoint, and cloud sources to detect, investigate, and respond to cyber threats. The software enables security teams to identify suspicious behavior, conduct root cause analysis, and respond to incidents through automated response capabilities. It provides analytics-driven threat prevention and leverages behavioral analytics to correlate alerts across different environments, helping organizations reduce risks from advanced attacks. Cortex XDR addresses challenges of fragmented security data and manual threat investigations by consolidating security operations into a single platform, allowing for more efficient detection and response workflows.
WatchGuard EPDR is an endpoint protection, detection, and response software designed to safeguard endpoints by combining automated prevention with advanced detection technologies. The software integrates traditional antivirus functions with behavioral monitoring and threat hunting to identify, block, and respond to known and unknown threats such as malware, ransomware, and fileless attacks. WatchGuard EPDR delivers continuous visibility and control over endpoint activities, enabling organizations to address vulnerabilities and enforce security policies across devices. It provides centralized management, contextual threat intelligence, and remediation capabilities to help organizations protect sensitive data, maintain regulatory compliance, and minimize disruptions caused by security incidents.
Carbon Black Cloud is a software that provides endpoint protection and threat detection capabilities. It integrates various security functions including prevention, detection, investigation, and response, aiming to secure endpoints across organizations. The software collects and analyzes unfiltered data from endpoints to help identify suspicious activity and potential threats. It supports automated responses and remediation, assisting organizations in addressing and managing cyber incidents. Carbon Black Cloud is designed to help businesses reduce the risk of data breaches and maintain security posture by offering visibility into endpoint activity, flexible policy management, and tools for investigating security incidents.
Sophos Endpoint Protection (Legacy) is a software designed to secure devices and endpoints from malware, ransomware, and other cyber threats. The software includes features such as antivirus, web filtering, application control, device control, and host-based intrusion prevention to help protect business environments. It provides real-time protection by scanning files, websites, and applications for potential risks, and enables administrators to manage security policies across multiple devices. The software aims to address the challenge of managing threats to endpoints within organizations by centralizing security controls and reporting, offering a method for organizations to protect sensitive data and maintain regulatory compliance.
FortiClient is an endpoint security software that provides integrated protection features including antivirus, web filtering, firewall, and VPN capabilities. The software enables secure remote access to corporate networks, helps identify and prevent malware, and enforces security policies across devices. It addresses business needs related to safeguarding endpoints and maintaining compliance with organizational security standards. FortiClient is designed to work within network environments to reduce the risk of data breaches and system compromise by offering centralized management and automated threat response. The software assists organizations in enhancing workforce productivity while maintaining a secure computing environment.
Trend Vision One is a cybersecurity software developed to provide extended detection and response capabilities across endpoints, servers, cloud environments, and email. The software integrates security data from multiple sources to enable threat detection, investigation, and response through a unified console. It offers automated threat analysis, security posture visibility, and incident remediation tools designed to improve organizational security operations and minimize the impact of cyber threats. The software is utilized by businesses to address challenges such as detecting advanced attacks, reducing investigation times, and maintaining compliance with security standards. Its feature set includes correlation of security events, comprehensive reporting, and integration with third-party security solutions.
Cisco Secure Endpoint is a software designed to provide advanced endpoint protection through threat detection, prevention, and response capabilities. The software integrates with security infrastructures to monitor endpoint activities, block malicious behavior, and contain threats. It enables centralized management, leveraging cloud and on-premises options for deployment. Cisco Secure Endpoint uses behavioral analytics, machine learning, and retrospective analysis to identify suspicious files and processes, helping organizations safeguard sensitive data and maintain compliance requirements. The software assists business teams in streamlining investigation and remediation workflows, reducing manual effort and improving operational efficiency for endpoint security management across diverse device environments.
Cybereason Defense Platform is a software designed to provide endpoint protection and threat detection across enterprise environments. The software delivers capabilities including prevention, detection, and response to malicious activities by leveraging behavioral analytics and machine learning. It offers real-time monitoring of endpoints, automated remediation, and investigation tools to help organizations address advanced threats such as ransomware, fileless attacks, and lateral movements. By integrating threat intelligence and correlation features, the software aims to streamline security operations and reduce the time required to identify and mitigate potential risks. The solution is intended to assist businesses in managing and protecting their digital assets from cyber threats while maintaining operational continuity.
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Features of Endpoint Protection Platforms
Updated September 2025
Mandatory Features:
Protection against malware and file-less attacks using endpoint real-time scanning and anti-malware techniques
Endpoint attack surface reduction capabilities, such as device control, host firewall, exploit protection or application control
Detection and blocking of endpoint threats using behavioral analysis of endpoint, application and end-user activity
Peer Lessons Learned for Endpoint Protection Platforms
Published May 2025
These lessons focuses on the responses to the questions: “If you could start over, what would your organization do differently?” and “What one piece of advice would you give other prospective customers?”