CONS

• Lacking in anti-phishing and reporting capabilities.

Policy management naturally follows with three major types. System policies control updates and proxy settings. Security policies control everything from antivirus settings to intrusion prevention, device controls, and web protection, with a significant set of other options in between. While each screen was very well-explained, it would be easy to get lost in the details. Not all of features apply to all platforms, so an icon appears to the right of each feature to let you quickly know where a policy item applies.

Some of the exceptional highlights include configurable client encryption, network protection, and password protection. The addition of these three features demonstrate that Symantec is committed to a full system protection plan as opposed to simply trying to block malware. Centralized password complexity management is especially nice for small businesses that may or may not have Active Directory (AD) or similar product in place.

Ransomware Protection

For ransomware protection, Symantec Endpoint Protection Cloud brings a few good tools to the table. For one, it has an excellent firewall and browser protection, so you are less likely to have a threat get to the point of execution on your system. Secondly, it offers a feature called Memory Exploit Mitigation (MEM). This looks for typical exploit behaviors and can interrupt and shut down anything looking suspicious. So, even if some ransomware finds it onto your system and tries to run, it’s probably not going to get very far.

Symantec Endpoint Protection Cloud doesn’t obviously apply any ransomware specific detection capabilities outside of its core engine, but it does this very well. This means nothing fancy like ransomware vaccine, a way to trick ransomware into believing your system is already infected, is included. There is also nothing in the way of file rollback if data gets damaged in an attack. However, as testing shows, Symantec Endpoint Protection Cloud is still a force with which to be reckoned, and aims at proving that those extras are unnecessary. If you need ransomware vaccine, then ESET Endpoint Protection Standard(165.00 Per Year for 5 Devices at ESET) is a good way to go.

Test Results

My initial testing involved using a known set of malware collected for research purposes. Each was stored in a password-protected ZIP file and was extracted individually. The virus samples, when extracted, were detected immediately. Out of 142 malware variants, all items were flagged and quarantined.

To test protection against harmful websites, a random selection of the newest 10 websites were selected from PhishTank, an open community that reports known and suspected phishing websites. None of the URL’s were recognized as malicious despite them being obvious PayPal or banking frauds.

Symantec Endpoint Protection Cloud’s

To test Symantec Endpoint Protection Cloud’s response to ransomware, I used a set of 44 ransomware samples, including WannaCry. None of the samples made it past extraction from the ZIP file. This is not terribly surprising since each of the samples has a known signature. That being said, the response was decisive and prompt.

The executables were promptly flagged as ransomware and removed from disk. KnowBe4’s ransomware simulator RanSim was also flagged as a ransomware instance as well. Since it’s likely these were picked up via known signatures, I proceeded with a more direct approach by simulating an active attacker.

All Metasploit tests were conducted using the default settings of the product. Since none of them succeeded, I felt confident in skipping any settings of a more aggressive nature. First, I used Metasploit to set up an AutoPwn2 server designed to exploit the browser. This launches a series of attacks that are known to succeed on common browsers such as Firefox and Internet Explorer. Symantec blocked the exploits without issue.

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The next test used a macro-enabled Microsoft Word{/ZIFFARTICLE}} document. Inside of the document contained an encoded app that a Microsoft Visual Basic Script (VBScript) would then decode and attempt to launch. This can often be a tricky condition to detect when various masking and encryption techniques are used. The file produced an error when opening, indicating that the attack failed.

Lastly, I tested a social engineering based attack. In this scenario, the user downloads a compromised installer of FileZilla using Shellter. On executing it, it will execute a Meterpreter session and call back to the attacking system. The exploit was blocked within seconds and removed from disk, demonstrating that even with an encoded exploit, the system was able to recognize the malicious behavior of the app and shut it down.

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AV-Test, an independent lab that tests antivirus software, conducted a test in July/August 2018 to evaluate a series of endpoint security software packages. Their results gave Symantec Endpoint Protection Cloud a protection score of “6 out of 6” and a performance score of “6 out of 6.” In addition, MRF-Effitas , in its Q2 2018 “In the Wild 360 / Full Spectrum” test, cited Symantec as automatically blocking 99.7 percent of the malware samples presented, with the remaining 0.3 percent detected base on behavior.

In addition, it was able to completely block all 29 ransomware samples. This was on par with our Editors’ Choice entries, including Bitdefender GravityZone Elite, ESET Endpoint Protection Standard, and Sophos Intercept X Endpoint Protection.

Overall, Symantec Endpoint Protection Cloud is a powerhouse that can steamroll over attempted attacks. While it lacks the ability to detect phishing websites, it excelled in all other protections. It has recently gained some additional support for Mac OS as well, which is a bonus. On the other hand, Linux is still not welcome to the party. The reporting is somewhat lackluster and, while good-looking, does not capture the full gamut of things I’d like to see.

It does have some nice MDM features, however, and has an excellent price. Symantec Endpoint Protection Cloud is not a bad choice for any small business looking to protect its network. If you want better reporting with the same level of defense, then consider one of our Editors’ Choice products, such as Bitdefender GravityZone Elite(165.00 Per Year for 5 Devices at ESET), ESET Endpoint Protection Standard, or Sophos Intercept X Endpoint Protection.

Conclusion

Symantec Endpoint Protection 15 Cloud is an affordably priced and intuitively designed business protection platform. Featuring ease of use and various protection options, it lags behind competitors in anti-phishing and reporting.