The Power of Gartner Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPP)

As someone deeply immersed in the cybersecurity field for over 20 years, I have witnessed firsthand the impact of the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ analysis on technology vendors, service providers, and their customers. Throughout my career, I have held various roles, including Global Head of Security Engineering at Warner Bros. Discovery, CTO and Co-Founder of Trapezoid, Inc., and currently, Field CISO Americas at SentinelOne. Throughout these experiences, Gartner and its renowned research reports have consistently provided invaluable insights for evaluating and selecting reliable cybersecurity solutions, particularly in Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPP). Gartner is a tremendous resource that has assisted me in understanding current partnerships and competitive differentiation, ultimately allowing me to leverage their analysis to align organizational priorities with vendor solutions. In this article, I aim to share my expertise and insights gained, shedding light on what goes into the creation of a Gartner Magic Quadrant and the effect that it has had on my decision-making process.

Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPP)

Perimeters no longer exist, they haven’t for a long time now. From laptops and mobile devices to servers and containers, any system can become a target. Therefore, EPP’s primary objective is to prevent and protect against both known and unknown attacks by running a security agent on every endpoint and detecting malicious activity in real-time. With features like file-based and fileless exploits, living off the land, stealthy ransomware, and AI-based training, malware has become supercharged, giving attackers unprecedented capabilities. As defenders we need to understand which tools and vendors can help us keep up and how to best leverage them in our unique environments. Script and process control, behavioral analysis for threat detection, AI-powered detection mechanisms, automated remediation responses, and incident investigation capabilities are just some of the features that most EPPs must develop for us to have a fighting chance. Leaders in the EPP market have evolved to deliver a comprehensive security framework by incorporating next-gen EDR, AV, and XDR capabilities helping address these cutting-edge security threats.

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Power of the Magic Quadrants

The Gartner Magic Quadrant has become a trusted compass for organizations in selecting the right solution in almost every aspect of security. By evaluating vendors based on their ability to execute and completeness of vision, the Magic Quadrant provides valuable insights into a vendor’s capabilities, market understanding, product strategy, and innovation. As someone deeply involved in the industry, I have relied on the Magic Quadrant to make informed decisions and align my strategies with industry leading EPP vendors. Let’s break down the categories within the Magic Quadrant to provide a concise summary.

Leaders

• Demonstrate balanced progress in the ability to execute and completeness of vision.
• Offers holistic XDR platforms to streamline and consolidate security tools.
• Strong capabilities in advanced malware protection, detection, and response.
• Proven track record supporting large customers with complex environments.

Challengers

• Solid anti-malware products with detection and response capabilities.
• May be slower in introducing new features or lack a fully converged platform strategy.

Visionaries

• Bring innovative features to enhance security and management.
• Execution and market share may vary and lack consistency.

Niche Players

• Offer solid products in specific areas often targeting specific markets.
• May not lead in terms of features and functionality. 

Evaluating vendors across these categories allows organizations to identify unique strengths and choose the most suitable solution for their cybersecurity needs. By considering capabilities, agility, and specialization, organizations can make informed decisions and align their security strategies with the right vendor.

Choose Wisely, Don’t Compromise

Gartner’s evaluation criteria and vendor analysis provides insights into their vision, innovation, operations, ability to deliver, and alignment with the market, but does it fit your organization? Understanding your own risk, exposure, and priorities is critical—only then can you properly align those considerations with the findings delivered by Gartner’s recommendations. To even be considered for inclusion by Gartner in the Magic Quadrant for EPP there are certain criteria that must be met. This is particularly important because it saves customers tons of time researching and evaluating capabilities to come up with a few possible solutions. It is vital to consider the following core competencies when selecting an EPP vendor:

1. How well did they perform during independent testing such as those performed by AV-TEST, AV-Comparatives, MITRE, MRG Effitas and SE Labs?
2. What is the vendor’s track record of innovation and does their long-term vision align with the changing landscape of cybersecurity threats to your organization?
3. Does the pricing and scalability of the solution fit within your budget and growth plans?

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Conclusion

The Gartner Magic Quadrant for EPP is a guiding light for organizations seeking robust and reliable cybersecurity solutions. Time and again it has served as a starting point for me personally when taking steps towards selecting vendors for an evaluation of their technology. By comprehensively evaluating technology vendors, it empowers customers and managed service providers to make informed decisions. Drawing on my experiences in the field, I recognize the immense value of the Gartner Magic Quadrant as a decision support system and tremendous time saver for cybersecurity professionals.  

SentinelOne has been recognized as a Leader in Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms and ranks highest across all Gartner Critical Capabilities Use Cases. To experience the power of SentinelOne for yourself, check out N‑able Endpoint Detection & Response and N‑able Managed EDR both powered by SentinelOne.

Albert Caballero is Field CISO Americas, SentinelOne