Endpoints are as hard to define as they are to protect. The term traditionally referred to desktops and laptops, but endpoints now encompass smartphones, tablets, point-of-sale machines, bar code scanners, multifunction printers and practically any other device that connects to the company network. Without a well-conceived strategy, keeping track of and securing these devices is difficult and frustrating.

via Sharpening Endpoint Security – Dark Reading.

Some IT shops buy cleverly marketed products that promise off-the-shelf endpoint security using anti-malware and sandboxing. In most cases, attackers can easily bypass those defenses