In 2024, Kaspersky decided to update its portfolio of enterprise security solutions with the goal of making it simpler to use. This update introduced significant changes and explained the reasons behind them, marking a step toward enterprise security made simple with Kaspersky Next.
The evolution of protection
The cyberthreat landscape is constantly changing, which forces organizations to adjust their corporate security strategies. A decade ago, endpoint protection platforms (EPP) were enough to protect companies from most cyberattacks. However, as attack methods have grown more sophisticated, these tools are no longer enough to detect malicious activity.
Today, modern cyberattacks can disguise themselves as legitimate processes, without needing to use malware. To confront these threats, companies need to collect and correlate endpoint data, identify suspicious activity across the infrastructure and, more importantly, take fast action, such as isolating suspicious files, stopping malicious processes and cutting off network connections. This has made advanced tools such as endpoint detection and response (EDR) and, ideally, extended detection and response (XDR) indispensable.
That said, EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) does not replace EPP (Endpoint Protection Platform), since the two are complementary solutions that address different problems. An effective protection infrastructure requires both to work together. To simplify this, Kaspersky launched a new product line that integrates EDR and XDR capabilities as the core of the security tools needed in today's world.
Simplifying the product line
Another reason behind the portfolio refresh was the excessive variety of solutions on offer, which forced customers to spend valuable time studying a wide range of products. To solve this, Kaspersky simplified its portfolio and structured Kaspersky Next into tiers that cover the main needs of different groups of corporate users. This approach lets the company optimize resources to develop tools that implement the XDR strategy, such as expanding a single console for products that protect different assets, improving integration for cross-threat detection and launching new products that refine its XDR even further.
The new approach also seeks to provide maximum transparency about product capabilities. Depending on the relevant threats and the maturity level of each company's security team, customers can choose among three basic Kaspersky Next tiers and, if necessary, extend the capabilities with additional services for specific protection and professional support.
What happens to the old licenses?
Kaspersky stated that it will not abandon customers using its existing solutions and does not plan to discontinue their sale immediately. At least until the end of 2024, companies will be able to continue buying both the old and the new products. Although licenses for the legacy solutions will eventually stop being sold, the company will keep renewing them for as long as necessary, understanding that an abrupt transition to new software could disrupt companies' workflows. For this reason, the final retirement of the legacy products will be gradual.
For more information about Kaspersky Next, those interested can visit the official Kaspersky page.
