Looking for an alternative to Symantec Endpoint Protection?

“There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind.”

 C.S. Lewis

I’m sure C.S. Lewis was writing about something very profound when he wrote these words but it’s hard to resist using a quotation from a fellow Belfast-man even if we’re talking about something, some may think (not me!) mundane like security. However, endpoint security is the foundation of your organization’s defense strategy, so I’m sure if you are a Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP) customer, the changes at Symantec must be concerning for you. The good news is better things are available from Bitdefender.

We started to hear back in March last year about a major change in Symantec’s strategy after its acquisition by Broadcom leaving many of its current customers looking for alternative security solutions.

Since then, at Bitdefender, we’ve been happy to welcome many new, ex-Symantec, customers.

Why should you choose Bitdefender to replace your Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP)?

On Gartner Peer Insights™, Gartner’s platform for rating and reviewing technology by the product’s users for potential users, one recent review stated that Bitdefender’s solution is "Incredibly comprehensive and effective endpoint security in one package”.

Your first benchmark for a security solution should be its effectiveness and Bitdefender consistently ranks number 1 in industry tests that rate the prevention of security threats by endpoint protection platforms. Bitdefender’s comprehensive protection combines over 30 technologies, including tunable machine learning, sandbox analyzer, anti-exploit and behavioral analysis.

Cyber-criminals are growing ever more sophisticated and today’s advanced attacks are increasingly difficult to detect. Using techniques that individually look like routine behavior, an attacker may access your infrastructure and remain undetected for months, significantly increasing the risk of a costly data breach.  Bitdefender also offers Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) to provide the advanced attack visibility and response required to combat these threats. Bitdefender EDR continuously monitors your endpoints and securely sends insights and suspicious events to our GravityZone cloud.

In GravityZone, the Threat Analytics module collects and distils endpoint events into a prioritized list of incidents for your additional investigation and response. It sends suspicious files for detonation in the Sandbox Analyzer then uses the sandbox verdict in EDR’s incident reports. The EDR real-time dashboard can be accessed from any device to enable you to see alerts and visualizations, then investigate and respond effectively to threats.

Unlike Symantec, Bitdefender EDR is managed from the same console you use to manage your endpoint protection and uses the same endpoint agent, making it much easier to deploy, manage and respond to incidents.

Furthermore, there are additional capabilities that can be managed from the Bitdefender cloud-delivered management console. Only one console is required to manage risk, security, full disk encryption, patching and email security reducing the operational burden that dealing with your multiple Symantec product consoles posed.

On the topic of risk, something unique to Bitdefender that your Symantec solution doesn’t offer, is the ability to analyze endpoint and human risk. Bitdefender provides a graphical representation of risks in your environment – highlighting risks such as operating system and application misconfigurations and staff using company credentials over insecure channels. These risks are prioritized, making it easier for you to take action quickly to reduce your attack surface exposure.

Change can be daunting and endpoint security touches every device in your organization. However, switching from Symantec to Bitdefender doesn’t have to be difficult. Many customers have been impressed with just how straightforward this can be. Don’t just take my word for this, here’s what Kevin Schokora - Director of IT Operations at Great Expressions Dental Centers says about his upgrade from Symantec to Bitdefender:

"I’m the kind of person who likes to push and get things done quickly. My technical team installed Bitdefender and removed Symantec across our entire environment [of 275 dental locations in 10 states] in three weeks when I had allocated two months. How often does that happen?"

Of course, we’ve got a global network of highly capable partners and Bitdefender professional services that can help you with your migration if you prefer.

So, what’s the best alternative to Symantec for your business?

Well, I hope I’ve convinced you to consider Bitdefender. With stronger protection, that single console and a seamless upgrade, what’s stopping you?

Find out more about why Symantec customers are switching to Bitdefender - discover their opinions on the advantages they’ve gained. Better things are ahead!