It started over 16 years ago. Cisco Secure Client, then known as AnyConnect, quickly rose to prominence as the go-to VPN solution for organizations worldwide. It became synonymous with reliable, secure remote connectivity, helping businesses bridge the gap between their teams and the resources they needed.
But technology never stands still. As threats evolved and workforces became more dynamic, so did Cisco Secure Client. Over the years, it transformed from a trusted VPN client into a multifaceted security tool, offering a range of advanced services through its modular design. Its ability to adapt to modern demands made it an indispensable part of enterprise security.
For much of its journey, deploying Cisco Secure Client followed a familiar pattern. Administrators used tried-and-true methods: pre-deploying via software management systems, delivering it through Cisco VPN headends, or directly installing it on individual endpoints. These methods were reliable and effective, standing the test of time as organizations relied on them to keep users connected and secure.
But, as with the client itself, the way organizations manage and deploy it is evolving. Enter the next chapter in the Cisco Secure Client story—where cloud-first strategies, integrated tools, and streamlined deployment pave the way for a new era of endpoint security.
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Revolutionizing Endpoint Security: Cisco Secure Client and XDR
Managing endpoint security in today’s landscape is no small task. Enter the Cisco Secure Client, now deployable and manageable through Client Management in Cisco XDR. For those not using XDR, the standalone Secure Client Cloud Management (CSCCM) tool offers similar functionality, with a shared, simple deployment process.
How Cisco XDR Transforms Your SOC
Sam, a Security Analyst, and Remi, an Incident Responder, work in a busy Security Operations Center (SOC), constantly managing threats and incidents. They are often overwhelmed by the volume of alerts and the complexity of observed attacks. But with Cisco XDR, their roles become more focused and effective.
Cisco XDR provides Sam with a unified view of security across Cisco and third-party sources, eliminating blind spots. Sam no longer needs to switch between tools or worry about missing critical threats. With AI-driven insights, Cisco XDR speeds up detection and response, helping Sam identify potential risks faster and more accurately.
When an incident occurs, Remi benefits from Cisco XDR’s integration with MITRE ATT&CK mappings, which provides detailed context about the attack. This helps Remi understand the tactics and techniques being used by adversaries, allowing him to quickly close security gaps and respond with precision.
The power of noise reduction and task automation in Cisco XDR also helps Sam and Remi stay focused. By filtering out irrelevant alerts and automating routine tasks, they can spend more time addressing high-priority incidents, improving their productivity and response times.
For Sam and Remi, Cisco XDR isn’t just a tool—it’s a game-changer that makes their SOC more efficient, proactive, and better equipped to handle the evolving threat landscape.
Simplified Management
The integration of AMP for Endpoints (Cisco Secure Endpoint) into Cisco Secure Client means fewer clients to manage and a more intuitive interface. Moving from SecureX to XDR or CSCCM is seamless, ensuring a smooth transition without losing critical capabilities.
With Cisco Secure Client in XDR, you’re not just managing endpoints—you’re building a secure, efficient, and resilient future.
Configuration Familiarity for administrators
Lin, the Endpoint Administrator, is tasked with deploying the Cisco Secure Client to remote endpoints. She starts by either creating new profiles using the built-in profile editor or uploading pre-configured profiles from previous deployments.
Next, Lin sets up the deployment configuration by selecting the required modules—such as the AnyConnect VPN module, Umbrella, and NVM—and associates the appropriate profiles with each module to be installed.
The deployment results in two installer options:
- Network Installer: A lightweight installer that includes only the Cloud Management client. During installation, it automatically fetches the remaining necessary components.
- Full Installer: A larger package that contains all configured profiles and modules, including the Cloud Management client, for complete installation.
After selecting the appropriate installer option, Lin downloads the installer and distributes it to the endpoints using the same method as any other software deployment. This could involve a systems management solution like Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (MECM), formerly known as SCCM; Mobile Device Management (MDM), or Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) solutions.
Insight into your cloud-deployed endpoints
A key advantage of cloud deployment—whether through XDR or CSCCM—is the Client Inventory. Lin, the Endpoint administrator, benefits from the fact that endpoints deployed via the cloud regularly sync with the management platform, ensuring the inventory stays accurate and up to date in real time.
The Clients page offers Lin a centralized, detailed view of all Secure Client devices across the organization. With both chart and table formats, it provides an intuitive overview of deployed endpoints, making monitoring easier and streamlining the management of the entire endpoint ecosystem.
Managing Endpoints with Ease: A Unified View
One of the key advantages of cloud deployment—whether using XDR or CSCCM—is the Client Inventory. Kit, the IT administrator, and Lin, the network administrator, both benefit from this feature, as endpoints deployed via the cloud automatically sync with the management platform. This ensures the inventory stays accurate and up to date in real time, providing them with valuable insights into endpoint status and security.
The Clients page offers Kit and Lin a centralized, detailed view of all Secure Client devices within the organization. With both chart and table formats, it provides an intuitive, at-a-glance overview of deployed endpoints. This simplifies monitoring and helps streamline the management of the entire endpoint ecosystem, enabling both administrators to efficiently coordinate and address any issues that arise.
Ongoing Administration of Deployments:
After the initial deployment, Kit, the IT administrator, and Lin, the endpoint administrator, may identify a group of endpoints that need additional modules or updated profiles for the existing configurations. To address this, Lin can create a new deployment, select the relevant clients from the inventory, and use the Move Deployment feature. Once the selected endpoints connect to the cloud again, they will automatically transition to the new deployment and install the updated modules and profiles.
This streamlined process ensures that endpoints remain current with the latest configurations, enabling the team to quickly respond to evolving requirements without the need for manual intervention.
When and When Not to Make Changes
Every endpoint will have a Cloud Management Module and a Cloud Management Profile. The Cloud Management (CM) profile directs the endpoint to how often to contact the cloud for check-ins. If there have been any changes to the endpoint’s current deployment, these changes will be applied during the check-in process.
The check-in Interval sets how often each Secure Client endpoint checks in with the cloud for new product versions and updated profile settings. Shorter check-in intervals result in more network traffic, while longer intervals mean that your endpoints will not receive updates as quickly.
The Product Update Window allows you to choose to let product updates happen whenever they’re available or specify a time range for them to be installed. This allows you to restrict updates to your off-hours or more convenient times.
Centralized Access to Essential Logging and Device Events
The Audit Logs provides a detailed record of actions taken in the system, capturing who performed each action, when, and how. It tracks tasks such as creation, modification, and deletion carried out by administrators. Each entry includes essential information—IP address, action (message), operation type, target, timestamp, and user details—offering clear visibility into recent changes and admin activity within the system.
The Device Events page offers key information such as Host Name, Last Updated timestamp, OS Type, OS Version, and UID. Expanding each event entry reveals deployment activity details, including Event Time, Event Type, Timestamp, and IP Address. Additionally, admins can view full endpoint details by pivoting through the clickable UID link.
Conclusion
Cisco Secure Client has evolved from a traditional VPN solution into a unified, comprehensive security client that adapts to diverse security needs with its modular architecture. This single-agent approach not only enhances operational efficiency by consolidating multiple security functions but also simplifies deployment and management for Security, Network, and IT teams.
With new cloud-based management options, such as Client Management in Cisco XDR and the standalone Cisco Secure Client Cloud Management (CSCCM) tool, administrators gain greater flexibility and control over deployment workflows. These innovations underscore Cisco’s commitment to delivering robust, scalable, and versatile security solutions tailored to the complexities of today’s dynamic IT environments.
References
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