CoSoSys Endpoint Protector is one of the more established names in endpoint DLP. It bundles device control, content-aware protection, enforced encryption, and eDiscovery into a single appliance-based platform. It's a full data loss prevention solution — and that's both its strength and its trade-off.
If your primary goal is controlling USB devices on your endpoints, here's how Endpoint Protector and PortGuard compare.
Feature Comparison Table
| Feature | PortGuard | Endpoint Protector |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Cloud SaaS (no servers) | Virtual appliance (OVF/AWS AMI) or SaaS |
| Primary Focus | USB device control | Full DLP (device control + content protection) |
| Policy Push Speed | Real-time via MQTT (<1 sec) | Agent heartbeat / polling |
| USB Block / Allow | ✓ | ✓ |
| Device Whitelisting | ✓ | ✓ |
| Content-Aware Protection | ✗ USB-focused | ✓ (PII scanning, regex, file type) |
| Enforced USB Encryption | ✗ | ✓ (EasyLock) |
| eDiscovery | ✗ | ✓ |
| REST API | ✓ Full API | ~ Limited |
| Agent Size | < 4 MB | ~30–60 MB |
| Server Required | ✓ None (SaaS) | ✗ Virtual appliance or hosted instance |
| Setup Time | Under 5 minutes | Hours (appliance deploy + config) |
| Cross-Platform | Windows (macOS planned) | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Pricing Model | Per device/month, public | Per endpoint, annual license, quote required |
| Free Tier | ✓ Up to 5 devices, free forever | ✗ Demo only |
| Multi-Tenant (MSP) | ✓ Built-in | ~ Separate appliances per client |
Where PortGuard Wins
1. No Appliance, No Infrastructure
Endpoint Protector's traditional deployment model requires spinning up a virtual appliance — typically an OVF deployed on VMware, Hyper-V, or a cloud AMI. You need to allocate compute resources, storage for logs and file shadows, and maintain the appliance OS. Even their hosted option requires initial setup and configuration time.
PortGuard is pure SaaS. There's nothing to host, nothing to maintain, and nothing to patch on the server side. Sign up, deploy agents, and you're managing USB policies in minutes. Your IT team spends time on security outcomes, not infrastructure management.
2. Purpose-Built for USB Control
Endpoint Protector bundles device control with content-aware DLP, enforced encryption, and eDiscovery. If you only need USB device management, you're licensing and deploying a platform whose core value proposition is data loss prevention — a much broader (and more complex) problem than USB access control.
PortGuard is built from the ground up for USB device control. Every feature, every screen, and every API endpoint is focused on helping you manage which USB devices can connect to which machines. You get a tool that does one thing exceptionally well instead of a platform where device control is one module among many.
3. Instant Policy Enforcement
PortGuard pushes policy changes to endpoints via MQTT in under one second. When a security incident requires locking down USB ports across your fleet, there's no delay. Endpoint Protector agents poll the appliance at configured intervals, meaning there's a window between when you make a change and when every endpoint enforces it.
4. MSP-Native Multi-Tenancy
Managed service providers using Endpoint Protector typically need a separate appliance instance for each client to maintain data isolation. That's a significant infrastructure burden as your client count grows.
PortGuard was built for MSPs. Manage all your clients from a single platform with complete tenant isolation, per-client policies, and unified billing. No appliance sprawl, no per-client infrastructure.
5. Pricing That Won't Surprise You
PortGuard pricing is public: free for up to 5 devices, $2/device/month for Starter, $5 for Pro, $8 for Enterprise. Pay monthly, scale up or down as needed, no annual commitment required.
Endpoint Protector requires contacting sales for pricing. Licenses are typically annual, per-endpoint, and the total cost depends on which modules you need. For teams that want to evaluate cost before starting a sales process, that's a friction point.
Where Endpoint Protector Wins
Full Data Loss Prevention
Endpoint Protector's content-aware protection can scan files being transferred to USB devices for sensitive data — credit card numbers, social security numbers, custom regex patterns, and more. It can block transfers based on content, not just device identity. If you need to prevent sensitive data from leaving endpoints regardless of the USB device used, Endpoint Protector's DLP capabilities go significantly beyond what PortGuard offers.
Enforced USB Encryption
Through its EasyLock module, Endpoint Protector can enforce encryption on USB storage devices. Approved devices can be required to use encrypted containers, ensuring data-at-rest protection even if a USB drive is lost. PortGuard controls which devices can connect but does not manage encryption on the devices themselves.
Cross-Platform Support
Endpoint Protector supports Windows, macOS, and Linux endpoints. PortGuard currently supports Windows with macOS on the roadmap. If you have a heterogeneous fleet that includes Linux workstations, Endpoint Protector covers more of your environment today.
Compliance and eDiscovery
For organizations in regulated industries (healthcare, finance, legal), Endpoint Protector's eDiscovery and content scanning capabilities help meet compliance requirements around data handling and PII protection. These are capabilities that go well beyond USB device control.
The Verdict
Choose PortGuard if USB device control is your primary requirement and you want it deployed instantly, managed from the cloud, and priced per device with no annual lock-in. It's the right fit for IT teams and MSPs that need effective USB security without the complexity and cost of a full DLP platform.
Choose Endpoint Protector if you need comprehensive data loss prevention — content-aware scanning, enforced USB encryption, eDiscovery — alongside device control. It's a strong choice for regulated industries where DLP is a core compliance requirement, and your team has the resources to manage an appliance-based deployment.
Switching from Endpoint Protector to PortGuard
PortGuard can run alongside Endpoint Protector with no agent conflicts during your evaluation period. The transition is straightforward:
- Sign up for a free PortGuard account at app.portguard.tech
- Deploy the lightweight PortGuard agent (< 4 MB) to a pilot group
- Recreate your USB device policies — block, allow, or whitelist by device ID
- Validate enforcement and review real-time device events in the console
- Expand fleet-wide and retire the Endpoint Protector appliance
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