Integrating NextGen AV for ATP - Zero Trust Activity 2.3.4

Fortifying the Endpoint: Integrating NextGen AV for Advanced Threat Prevention (Activity 2.3.4)

As we continue to mature our Zero Trust posture, establishing device identity, assessing health, enforcing compliance-based network access, and implementing deep controls like FIM and Application Control, we now reinforce our frontline defenses with advanced threat prevention at the endpoint. This brings us to Activity 2.3.4: Integrate NextGen AV Tools with C2C.

This activity focuses on procuring and implementing a modern Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP), often referred to or as providing Next-Generation Antivirus (NGAV). The EPP should possess advanced analytics capabilities (e.g., artificial intelligence, behavioral detection, machine learning) to effectively mitigate exploits, including sophisticated threats like zero days, signatureless malware, and fileless attacks that bypass traditional signature-based detection. The EPP should also have Network Access Control capabilities (or integrate tightly with NAC) and be orchestrated with the C2C such that the C2C policies checks for a baseline status.

In modern security stacks, these capabilities are increasingly converging within advanced Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions.

The outcomes for Activity 2.3.4 highlight the integration and deployment success:

Critical Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) data is being sent to C2C and EDR for checks.

EPP tooling is implemented on all critical services applications and endpoint devices.

The ultimate end state for this activity is significant: Advanced protection on endpoint devices against modern threats, while developing Automation & Orchestration, as well as Visibility & Analytics pillar, through AI, ML and behavior analysis. This underscores how a modern EPP contributes not just to prevention but also feeds into broader security intelligence and automation efforts.

Solutions for Achieving Integrate NextGen AV Tools with C2C

Implementing Activity 2.3.4 requires selecting a capable EPP solution and ensuring its effective integration and orchestration within your existing Zero Trust and security ecosystem:

Adopting a Unified EDR Platform with Integrated EPP/NGAV:
- The security market has seen a strong convergence of EPP and EDR functionalities. Modern security platforms provide EPP and EDR solutions.
- By selecting a single platform that combines these capabilities, you deploy a unified agent and manage both prevention and detection from a single console. This simplifies your endpoint security stack.
- Solutions: Look for EDR vendors that explicitly include advanced threat prevention (NGAV, behavioral analysis, exploit mitigation), File Integrity Monitoring (FIM), and Application Control within their core EDR offering. Trellix, for example, provides a comprehensive endpoint security platform that integrates EPP and EDR capabilities, offering multi-layered protection from a single agent and management console.
Leveraging Advanced Analytics for Threat Mitigation: Ensure the chosen EDR platform utilizes sophisticated analytics, AI, and machine learning to identify and block threats based on behavior and indicators of attack, moving beyond reliance on signatures.
Integrating for Orchestration and Data Sharing:
- Orchestration with C2C: Your platform should integrate with your Comply to Connect (C2C) or Network Access Control (NAC) solution. This allows the EPP/EDR agent to provide real-time device security status (including the operational state of its prevention modules, signature updates, etc.) to the C2C for network access compliance checks.
- Data Sharing with EDR (if separate): If your organization uses separate EPP and EDR tools (less common now but possible), ensure critical EPP data is seamlessly shared with the EDR for enriched threat hunting and investigation. However, the trend is towards a unified platform.
- Feeding into Visibility & Analytics: Ensure the platform generates detailed logs and alerts that can be ingested by your SIEM and UEBA tools, contributing to the development of your Visibility & Analytics pillar.
Enabling Network Access Control Capabilities:
- If your chosen EDR/EPP platform has built-in NAC capabilities, configure these to enforce basic network access policies based on device security posture reported by the EDR/EPP. Alternatively, ensure strong integration with your dedicated NAC/C2C solution.

Key Items to Consider:

Prioritizing Integrated Solutions: For technical buyers, selecting an EDR platform that natively includes strong EPP, FIM, and Application Control simplifies your security stack and improves correlation of security data.

Evaluating Advanced Threat Prevention: Assess the product’s capabilities in preventing zero-day, fileless, and signatureless attacks through behavioral analysis and machine learning.

Integration Ecosystem: Verify the EDR/EPP platform’s ability to integrate with your existing UEM for deployment, C2C/NAC for network enforcement, and SOAR/SIEM for automation and broader visibility.

Unified Management Experience: A single console for managing EPP, EDR, FIM, and Application Control policies significantly improves operational efficiency.

Contribution to Analytics and Automation: Understand how the EDR’s insights and data contribute to your overall Zero Trust goals for enhanced visibility and automated response.

The Technical Buyer’s Integrated Endpoint Security Strategy:

Activity 2.3.4 is about elevating your endpoint defenses with advanced prevention capabilities that are tightly integrated with your detection and response efforts. For technical buyers, the most effective way to achieve this is by selecting a comprehensive security platform that provides EPP and EDR (and FIM and Application Control), as exemplified by solutions like Trellix. This integrated approach simplifies your security stack and provides a unified view of endpoint threats and controls. Successfully implementing this activity means deploying such a platform to all critical systems and endpoints, integrating its status data with your C2C solution for compliance checks, and feeding its intelligence into your broader security operations for enhanced visibility and automated response. This activity is crucial for ensuring your endpoints are not just monitored but actively protected against the evolving threat landscape, a vital element of a strong Zero Trust architecture.

Capability: 2.3 Device Authorization with Real Time Inspection

Activity: 2.3.4 Integrate NextGen AV Tools with C2C

Phase: Target Level

Predecessor(s): None

Successor(s):