Somansa Privacy-i EDR/Antivirus
Safe Deployment Practices
Introduction
Somansa Privacy-i EDR is a next-generation endpoint detection and response solution that combines data loss prevention with advanced antivirus capabilities.
Deploying this agent on Windows 10 and Windows 11 desktops and laptops requires careful planning and adherence to security best practices.
This guide provides IT administrators with a comprehensive plan for safely and reliably rolling out Privacy-i EDR across an organization’s Windows endpoints.
Each section covers a critical phase of the deployment –
from preparation and installation to policy configuration, testing, conflict avoidance, monitoring, and rollback procedures.
The goal is to ensure a secure, low-risk deployment that minimizes disruption to users while maximizing the protection of endpoints.
(Use standard document formatting when implementing this guide in Word: e.g., Calibri font, 11 pt, 1-inch margins, and clear section headings for easy navigation.)
1. Preparation and Planning
Successful deployment begins with thorough preparation.
In this phase, administrators define the scope of the rollout, identify target systems,
and verify that all endpoints meet the necessary requirements for the Privacy-i EDR agent.
1) Define Deployment Scope:
Determine which departments, locations, or user groups will receive the Privacy-i EDR agent and in what order.
Establish whether the deployment will be organization-wide or phased by groups
(for example, start with IT or a pilot group, then expand). A clear scope definition helps in resource planning and sets expectations for the rollout schedule.
2) Inventory Target Systems:
Create an inventory of all Windows 10/11 desktops and laptops slated for agent installation.
Document each system’s specifications – including OS version/build, hardware configuration (CPU, RAM, disk space), and any existing security software present.
This inventory will verify that endpoints meet minimum requirements and will highlight any systems that might need upgrades or special attention.
Privacy-i EDR agents have modest hardware needs (e.g., ~1 GB RAM and 3 GB free disk space),
but ensuring each PC meets these prerequisites is essential for smooth operation.
Also, confirm that each target PC is running a supported Windows OS version with the latest service packs or updates applied.
3) Verify Compatibility:
Check for compatibility issues between Privacy-i EDR and the existing software/hardware environment.
For example, note any legacy systems, uncommon peripherals, or specialized applications in use.
Ensure the agent supports the platform (Windows 10 and 11 are supported; older OS like Windows 7/8 require older agent versions)
and that no hardware constraints (like low disk space or memory) will hinder the agent’s performance.
Also, identify existing security tools on each endpoint, such as third-party antivirus or device control software.
Early identification of these will help plan for conflict avoidance or removal of redundant solutions.
4) Network and Server Preparations:
If Privacy-i EDR uses a management server or cloud console, prepare that infrastructure in advance.
Ensure that endpoints can reach the server (appropriate network firewall rules or proxy settings might be needed)
and that licenses/activation for the Somansa EDR system are in place.
Verify server capacity if using an on-premise management server –
for example, the Somansa DLP/EDR server should handle the number of agents planned
(Somansa recommends around 3000 agents per server for optimal performance.
Planning server and network capacity upfront will prevent bottlenecks during rollout.
5) Deployment Plan and Timeline:
Develop a deployment timeline with milestones.
This should include time for a pilot deployment (covered in Section 4) and a schedule for phased rollout
(e.g., deploy to 100 machines per week or department by department).
Plan deployment during maintenance windows or low-usage periods if possible, to minimize user impact.
Also, plan communication with end-users or local IT staff:
users should be informed of the new security software and any expected effects (such as initial scans or prompts),
so they are prepared and cooperative during the transition.
By investing time in preparation and planning, you create a solid foundation for a trouble-free deployment.
Proper scoping, system checks, and scheduling will reduce surprises and
ensure that both IT staff and end-users know what to expect as Privacy-i EDR is introduced to the environment.
2. Agent Installation
Installing the Privacy-i EDR agent on Windows PCs can be done through various methods.
It’s crucial to choose an installation approach that fits your environment and to execute it
with administrative privileges and proper configuration so each agent registers correctly with the management system. Below, we outline safe installation practices:
1) Administrator Privileges:
The EDR agent installs deep into the system (including services, drivers, and registry changes),
so local administrator rights are required on each Windows PC for a successful installation.
If performing manual installs, run the installer as an admin user.
When using automated deployment, ensure the process executes in a system context or under an account with the necessary privileges.
This guarantees the agent can fully install its components (including any kernel drivers or background services) without being blocked by the OS.
2) Installation Methods:
Choose a deployment method that aligns with your organization’s size and management tools:
3) Manual Installation:
Suitable for very small deployments or ad-hoc testing. An IT administrator can run the Privacy-i EDR installer (.exe or .msi package) on each PC,
following on-screen prompts (Somansa offers a “Normal Mode” installer where the user can see the install process).
This method is straightforward but not scalable for many endpoints.
4) Silent/Scripted Installation:
The agent can be installed in silent mode (no user interface) for transparency to end-users.
This involves running the installer with appropriate command-line switches or using an installation script.
A silent install can be pushed via a software management tool or login script, ensuring no user intervention is needed.
Privacy-i EDR supports a silent mode where the user does not see the installation process, which is ideal to avoid confusing or alarming non-IT users.
5) Group Policy (GPO) Deployment:
In Active Directory environments, using a GPO startup script or software installation policy is a common,
centralized way to deploy the agent. With a startup script, the agent installer runs automatically when the machine boots,
ensuring the agent is installed before the user logs in.
GPO deployment can target specific OUs or security groups of computers, aligning with the scope defined in planning.
This method is well-suited for medium-sized networks or when SCCM/Intune are not in use.
It may require a reboot for the installation to take effect, so plan accordingly.
6) Endpoint Management Tools (SCCM/Intune):
Large enterprises typically leverage tools like Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (SCCM) or Intune to deploy software agents at scale.
These platforms can push the Privacy-i EDR agent package to hundreds or thousands of PCs, monitor installation status, and retry as needed.
Using such tools allows a smooth, silent rollout without manual installation on each machine.
For example, SCCM can deploy the .msi package to all Windows clients in a collection,
or Intune can distribute the app to enrolled Windows 10/11 devices.
This centralized approach improves scalability and consistency of installations.
7) Third-Party Deployment Solutions:
If your organization uses other software deployment or RMM (Remote Monitoring and Management) tools (like Ivanti, ManageEngine, or others),
those can also script the agent installation across endpoints.
The key is to use a centralized push so that the process is uniform and doesn’t rely on end-users to initiate anything.
8) Agent Configuration and Registration:
During installation (particularly for silent or mass deployment),
ensure the agent knows how to reach its management server and is associated with the correct customer account or site.
Somansa’s agent installer may require parameters such as the management server URL/IP, port, and possibly a registration key or credentials.
In a domain environment, a prepared installer package might embed these settings.
Verify that each agent successfully registers with the Privacy-i management console (often called DLP+ Center or EDR console) after installation.
The console should show the new endpoints appearing or an increase in the count of protected devices.
If the product ties an agent to a user identity, ensure that link is established by having the user log in or by pre-assigning the endpoint to a user account in the console.
Registration is critical for the agent to receive policies and send alerts/events to the server.
9) Installation Logging and Verification:
It’s good practice to enable or collect installation logs for the agent deployment.
Silent installations typically can output a log (e.g., using MSI logging parameters).
Review these logs on a sample of machines to confirm the installation completed without errors.
After installation, verify the agent’s status on each machine: check that the Privacy-i service is running and that an agent icon or process is present.
The agent may show a system tray icon (Privacy-i’s icon is described as a key-shaped icon in the tray on final installation) – this can indicate the agent is active.
Additionally, the management console can be used to verify that all intended endpoints are reporting in.
Any failures can then be troubleshooted (for example, if a PC didn’t get the agent due to being offline, or if a software conflict prevented installation).
Tip: In large deployments, a staggered or phased installation approach is wise.
Roll out the agent to a batch of machines at a time (for example, 100 PCs per night) rather than all at once.
This controlled pace makes it easier to support any issues that arise and avoids overloading the network or support resources.
Use your deployment tool’s scheduling features to orchestrate this pace.
By the end of the installation phase,
you should have all targeted Windows 10/11 endpoints successfully running the Privacy-i EDR agent and ready to enforce security policies.
3. Policy Configuration
Once the Privacy-i agents are installed and reporting in, the next critical step is configuring the security policies that they will enforce.
Initial policy setup should be done carefully to strike the right balance between security and usability.
Key areas to configure include malware handling (quarantine settings), scan schedules, and exceptions (exclusions) to avoid false positives or performance issues.
Below are best practices for initial policy configuration:
1) Baseline Security Policy:
Begin by defining a baseline EDR policy that will apply to the newly deployed agents.
This should include enabling real-time protection (so the agent actively monitors for malware and suspicious behavior at all times) and setting the quarantine behavior.
By default, Privacy-i EDR’s real-time engine will detect and quarantine malicious files immediately to prevent damage.
For initial deployment, you might configure the agent to automatically quarantine known malware (based on signatures or clear verdicts),
but consider using a “report only” action for suspicious or heuristic detections in the first phase.
This cautious approach (sometimes called detect-only mode) captures threats in logs without blocking until you validate the detection is legitimate.
It ensures that you don’t inadvertently quarantine an essential file due to a false positive when you first roll out the system.
After gaining confidence in the agent’s alerts, you can tighten policies to quarantine or block more aggressively.
2) Scanning Schedule:
Configure scheduled scans on endpoints to complement the real-time protection.
Even though Privacy-i EDR monitors the system continuously, periodic full scans help catch dormant or missed threats.
As a best practice, schedule comprehensive scans during off-peak hours (for example, overnight or weekends) so they don’t impact user productivity.
A common approach is to run a weekly full system scan outside business hours, and perhaps a daily quick scan during lunchtime or another low-usage period.
(Laptops that aren’t always on overnight might instead do weekly scans at a set daytime hour when they’re likely powered on but idle.)
These scans will thoroughly examine files and system areas that might not be actively used and therefore could harbor hidden malware.
In scheduling, ensure that scans run only when the machine is powered on and, if possible, on AC power for laptops (to avoid battery drain).
Also, stagger scan times if too many machines are running a scan simultaneously would strain the network or disk resources
(for example, randomize the start time within a window).
The goal is to keep endpoints secure with regular scans while minimizing the impact on performance by running them at optimal times.
3) Exclusions and Allowlists:
Define initial exclusions to prevent known safe files or applications from being flagged by the EDR.
This is crucial for performance and avoiding false positives.
Common exclusions might include directories used by other security or IT tools, large software development folders,
or enterprise applications that perform suspect-like behaviors.
For instance, if you have another anti-malware or software deployment tool that writes many temporary files,
you might exclude its working directories to avoid redundant scanning.
Microsoft even recommends adding Defender to the exclusion list of third-party security solutions (and vice versa) to prevent conflicts.
In Privacy-i EDR’s policy, add any trusted processes that might be mistakenly caught by behavioral rules to a whitelist (allowlist).
Also, exclude files like large databases, archives, or VMs if scanning them causes performance issues and they are known to be safe.
Careful allowlisting of known good software, combined with gradually tuning out noisy detections,
will reduce alert fatigue and ensure the EDR focuses on genuine threats.
Be conservative but pragmatic: exclude only what you must for smooth operations,
and regularly review these exceptions (as too many exclusions can become blind spots).
4) Device Control and DLP Policies:
(If applicable) Privacy-i is a unified agent that also offers data loss prevention (DLP)
capabilities such as USB control, file transfer monitoring, and content scanning.
In the initial configuration, review these settings.
For safe deployment, you may want to start by monitoring only or auditing mode for DLP rules, too.
For example, instead of outright blocking USB drives from day one, set the policy to log usage of USB and alert if sensitive files are copied, but allow the action.
This gentler start avoids disrupting users’ tasks unexpectedly.
You can tighten the controls (like blocking unauthorized USB write operations or preventing certain file uploads) after the agents are proven stable in your environment.
Similarly, define which data patterns to scan for (e.g., personal identifiable information) and ensure those rules are tested.
The initial content scanning policy might focus on a limited set of sensitive data to reduce noise, and then expand as needed.
Always align these settings with your company’s security policies and compliance requirements.
5) Default vs. Custom Policies:
Leverage any default policy templates provided by Somansa as a starting point.
Privacy-i EDR likely comes with recommended defaults for malware protection and DLP
(as noted in documentation, it has many pre-defined detection patterns and rules for sensitive data and typical threats).
Import these and review their settings. Customize where necessary for your environment
– for example, set the quarantine folder location if you prefer it on a non-system drive, adjust the alerting thresholds,
or tailor the remediation actions (quarantine, delete, or notify) based on severity.
If your organization has specific requirements (like log retention or notification workflows), configure those in the policy as well.
Privacy-i’s console allows you to apply policies to specific groups or machines;
ensure that the correct policy is linked to the pilot group versus the broader population if you plan on different settings during testing.
After initial configuration, deploy the policies to the agents and verify they are applied.
You can usually confirm on a test machine that the policy took effect by checking the agent’s status or logs
(for example, see that scheduled scan times reflect your settings, or that a test malware EICAR file is caught and quarantined to confirm real-time protection).
The initial policy setup is a delicate balance: it should provide solid protection immediately,
but also be tuned not to hinder user productivity or flood the SOC with alerts.
Remember that policy configuration is not a one-time event –
it will be refined over time, especially after feedback from the pilot phase and ongoing monitoring, which we address next.
4. Pilot Testing
Before rolling out Privacy-i EDR to every Windows PC in the organization, it’s prudent to conduct a pilot test deployment.
A pilot involves installing and running the agent on a small, controlled subset of systems to validate its behavior, performance, and compatibility within your real environment.
This phase is crucial for uncovering any issues and building confidence in the solution before full-scale deployment. Here are the best practices for an effective pilot:
1) Select a Representative Pilot Group:
Choose a limited number of machines (for example, 50–100 endpoints or roughly 5-10% of your environment) for the pilot.
These should ideally represent the diversity of your organization’s endpoints – include different hardware models (desktops and laptops),
various user profiles (e.g., some power users, some regular staff), and systems from multiple departments that run distinct software.
Including IT department machines is wise (IT staff can provide informed feedback and tolerate minor disruptions).
The pilot group should also include at least one system with any critical applications that you worry might conflict with the EDR, so you can observe those interactions early.
2) Deploy with Pilot-specific Settings:
In the pilot, you might run the Privacy-i EDR agent with slightly relaxed settings, as discussed in the Policy section.
For example, enable a “detect-only” mode or audit mode during the pilot test.
This means the agent will log detections of malware or policy violations but not block or quarantine aggressively.
Running in detect-only (no enforcement) for the pilot period allows you to see what the agent would block or quarantine, without the risk of disrupting users if it were a false alarm.
It’s a safe way to evaluate the agent’s sensitivity and accuracy in your environment.
You can then adjust policies (tune down noisy rules, add exclusions for known safe events, etc.) before enforcement is turned on.
3) Monitor and Log Everything:
During the pilot, closely monitor both the Privacy-i EDR management console and the endpoints themselves.
IT administrators should track the agent’s alerts and logs on the pilot systems every day.
Look for any detection events – are they true positives (actual malware or sensitive data events) or false positives?
For each event, decide if policy adjustments are needed (for instance, if the agent flagged an internal application as suspicious, consider allowlisting it).
Also monitor system performance metrics on pilot PCs: CPU usage, memory usage, disk I/O, and user feedback about any slowness or issues.
Privacy-i EDR’s agent includes a self-diagnosis or status view – check that on pilot machines for any error indicators.
The pilot group users should be encouraged to report any unusual behavior (applications crashing, system freezes, network issues, etc., however rare).
This feedback is invaluable to catch incompatibilities.
4) Test Use Cases:
Actively test the EDR functionality in the pilot environment.
For example, attempt to open the EICAR test antivirus file on a pilot machine to see if Privacy-i EDR catches and blocks it.
If you have safe sample malware or scripts (or use a red-team tool in a controlled manner), see if the agent detects the activity.
Similarly, test DLP features if applicable: try copying a dummy confidential file to a USB or emailing it,
and observe if the agent logs or blocks it according to policy.
Testing these scenarios ensures the agent is actually doing what is expected and helps fine-tune the response
(maybe you find that a certain ransomware simulator wasn’t caught – an indicator to adjust behavior rules or ensure the agent’s definitions are updated).
5) Evaluate System Impact:
One major goal of the pilot is to ensure the agent does not negatively impact the user experience.
Use the pilot period to measure how the Privacy-i agent affects system boot time, application launch times, and overall responsiveness.
It’s normal for an EDR agent to use some CPU and memory, but it should be within reasonable bounds.
During heavy scanning (like an initial full disk scan or during malicious activity detection), the agent might spike resource usage.
Check that this doesn’t render the system unusable. Privacy-i has features to limit CPU usage for scanning to maintain performance,
so verify if those are properly configured by simulating a scan during the pilot and seeing if the throttling works.
If any pilot users report slowness, gather details: Is it constant or only during certain tasks?
Use Windows Performance Monitor or Task Manager to see if the Privacy-i processes are the cause.
If needed, adjust the policy (e.g., enable CPU throttling, adjust scan schedules) to alleviate the impact.
It’s better to discover and address these issues now than after full deployment.
6) Document Pilot Findings:
Throughout the pilot, maintain a log of any issues encountered and the resolutions or changes made.
For instance, “Pilot finding: Agent flagged exe as malware – resolved by adding SHA-256 to allowed list” or
“Noted 20% CPU constant usage on older PC model – resolved by enabling scan throttling setting.”
These notes will guide the final policy tweaks and provide a troubleshooting reference for the broader rollout.
They also serve as evidence of due diligence, which management or compliance teams may appreciate, showing that the new security tool was vetted properly.
7) Decision to Proceed:
At the end of the pilot testing period (often one to two weeks, or sufficient time to see normal user behavior), review the results.
If no critical issues were found and the agent performed well, great, you are ready to roll out to all targeted systems.
If there were issues, decide if they have been adequately resolved or if an extended pilot or vendor consultation is needed.
It’s not uncommon to iterate: adjust some policies or get a patch from the vendor, then re-run the pilot on the same group for a few more days to verify the fix.
Only once you are confident that Privacy-i EDR is stable and effective in the pilot group should you green-light the full deployment to the remaining PCs (per your deployment plan).
Remember, the pilot’s purpose is to learn and adapt – use those lessons to ensure the broader deployment is smooth and surprise-free.
By following these pilot best practices, you significantly increase the likelihood that your organization’s full EDR deployment will be successful.
You’ll move into the production rollout with refined policies, awareness of how the agent behaves, and assurance that user impact is minimized.
5. Conflict Avoidance
When introducing a new security agent like Privacy-i EDR onto endpoints, it’s vital to ensure it coexists peacefully with other software, especially other security tools.
Running multiple endpoint protection solutions without proper configuration can lead to conflicts, degraded performance, or even system instability.
This section outlines how to avoid interference between Somansa Privacy-i EDR and existing antivirus/system software on Windows PCs.
1) Antivirus and EDR Conflicts:
If the machines already have an antivirus program (such as Windows Defender or a third-party AV),
decide on the strategy: will Privacy-i EDR replace the existing AV or run alongside it?
Running two real-time anti-malware engines on one system is generally not recommended without special configuration.
In many cases, organizations choose to replace Microsoft Defender (or another AV) with the new EDR as the primary protection to avoid the overlap.
Privacy-i EDR is a full next-gen AV solution in its own right, so maintaining two active AVs is usually unnecessary.
If you opt to replace, use management tools or group policies to disable or uninstall the old antivirus once Privacy-i is deployed
(Windows Defender will typically disable itself when a third-party antivirus is registered, but double-check this).
2) If Running Alongside Defender:
If, for policy reasons, you must run Privacy-i EDR alongside Microsoft Defender Antivirus (Defender),
you must configure one of them in passive mode to prevent competition.
On Windows 10/11, when a third-party antivirus is installed and registered in the Security Center, Defender should automatically go into a disabled or passive state.
Verify this on a test machine: open Windows Security > Virus & Threat Protection and ensure it indicates that another provider (Somansa, etc.) is active.
If Windows Defender is still active, you may need to manually disable its real-time protection via Group Policy or registry,
because two active antiviruses will conflict and impact performance (both will attempt to scan and lock the same files).
Microsoft documentation warns that having multiple AV engines concurrently is not supported due to these conflicts.
Thus, ensure only one AV is in active protection mode at a time on each endpoint.
3) Mutual Exclusions:
Regardless of whether you run one or multiple security agents, it’s good practice to set up exclusions so that security tools don’t scan each other.
In the Privacy-i EDR console, add the processes and directories of any remaining antivirus or endpoint agents to the exclusion list
(so Privacy-i doesn’t mistakenly flag the other security tool’s files or real-time activities).
Conversely, configure the other tool (if it remains) to exclude Privacy-i’s install directory and processes.
For example, if Windows Defender is kept for periodic scans or as a secondary layer, add Privacy-i’s program folders to Defender’s exclusion list.
Microsoft specifically advises adding Defender for Endpoint to third-party AV’s exclusion list if used together, which implies the reverse as well.
By excluding each other, you prevent scenarios where, say, Defender tries to quarantine Privacy-i’s quarantine files or vice versa.
This avoidance of “security-on-security” scans will reduce false positives and performance hits.
4) Firewall and Network Considerations:
Privacy-i EDR agents need to communicate with the Somansa management server (on-premises or cloud).
Ensure that any local firewall or network security software on the endpoint does not block the agent’s traffic.
The agent typically uses specific ports (check Somansa documentation for which ports, e.g., TCP port for agent-server communication).
If you have third-party firewall software on endpoints or strict network firewall rules, update them to permit Privacy-i traffic to the EDR server.
This prevents the agent from being cut off or marked as rogue by other protective software.
Also, if the endpoint firewall is managed by group policy, create rules to allow the Somansa agent service executable to communicate.
5) Other System Software:
Identify if there are any other agents or sensitive software that might conflict.
For instance, disk encryption software, backup agents, or software that hooks into file I/O or system calls could conceivably conflict with an EDR’s operation.
In the pilot phase, you should monitor for any such issues.
Typically, modern EDRs are designed to coexist with most software, but remain vigilant.
If a specific application is known to conflict (e.g., two different DLP agents fighting over a USB device control), you may need to retire one of them or adjust settings.
Avoid duplicate functionalities running simultaneously; if Privacy-i provides a feature (like device control or vulnerability scanning),
consider turning off the equivalent feature in other software to streamline operations.
6) System Performance and Resource Use:
Conflicts aren’t only direct software clashes; they can also be resource contention.
For example, scheduling a heavy task (like a software inventory scan from another agent) at the same time as Privacy-i’s scheduled scan could bog down a PC.
Coordinate schedules between endpoint management tasks to avoid such stacking.
Ensure that any system optimization tools or cleanup utilities are aware of Privacy-i’s files (so they don’t delete its logs or quarantine store).
In summary, the principle of conflict avoidance is to have a single primary security agent for each function on an endpoint.
Use Privacy-i EDR as the main AV/EDR solution, and if anything else remains active, configure it so that they do not overlap in real-time scanning.
Validate after deployment that Windows reports only one antivirus active.
By taking these steps, you maintain system stability and performance while running Privacy-i EDR, and you eliminate the risk of “dueling antiviruses,”
which could leave the system less protected or slow it down.
6. Monitoring and Maintenance
Deploying Privacy-i EDR is not a “set and forget” endeavor.
Ongoing monitoring and maintenance are vital to ensure that the agents continue to protect effectively and to quickly address any issues that arise post-deployment.
This section describes how to monitor the EDR deployment’s health and performance,
keep the agents and policies up-to-date, and tune the system over time for optimal results.
1) Agent Status Monitoring:
Regularly check the management console dashboard for overall agent status.
Privacy-i’s central console (DLP+ Center) provides a view of all registered endpoints and their state.
Set up alerts or reports for agents that go offline or haven’t checked in recently.
Immediately investigate offline agents – the PC might be powered off, or there could be an issue (user tampering, network problem, etc.).
Ensure each new machine added to the network gets the agent (integrate deployment of the agent into the onboarding process for new PCs).
The console may offer an “Agent Installation Report” or similar, which can enumerate which endpoints have the agent and which do not,
helping you catch any stragglers or installation failures. Maintaining 100% coverage is key
– every intended endpoint should have a functioning, up-to-date agent at all times.
2) Security Event Monitoring:
Use Privacy-i EDR’s logs and alerting features to keep tabs on security incidents.
The console will log malware detections, blocked behaviors, and DLP events. Establish a routine (daily or real-time via email/SIEM integration) to review these alerts.
This enables your security team to respond swiftly to any threats the EDR catches. Additionally, monitor for any unusual patterns
– for example, if many machines suddenly report the same detection (could indicate an outbreak that needs containment)
or if an endpoint has repeated policy violations (might indicate a user in need of training or a compromised machine).
Many EDR systems can forward events to a SIEM; if used, integrate Privacy-i with your SIEM for centralized monitoring.
Also, take advantage of the MITRE ATT&CK mapping or kill-chain analysis that Privacy-i provides – it can help interpret events in context.
Regular auditing of these logs and events helps ensure no incident goes unnoticed.
3) Performance and User Feedback:
After full deployment, continue to observe the impact on endpoints.
Solicit feedback from users periodically – do they notice any slowness or issues since the agent was installed?
Monitor system performance metrics on a sample of PCs, especially during heavy usage and scheduled scan times.
If some endpoints show high resource utilization by the Privacy-i agent, use the agent’s settings to adjust. For instance,
tune the CPU utilization of the agent’s scans or data searches.
Privacy-i has the capability to adjust CPU allocation for scanning tasks to maintain user performance.
If you hadn’t already enabled that, consider doing so globally: this ensures that even during a full disk scan,
the agent yields enough CPU for the user’s applications (by scanning slower or when idle).
Keep an eye on memory usage as well – if the agent’s memory footprint grows unexpectedly (potential memory leak), engage Somansa support for a patch.
4) Updates and Patches:
Keeping the Privacy-i EDR up-to-date is critical for security.
There are typically two kinds of updates: threat definition updates (malware signatures, behavioral models, etc.) and agent software updates (new versions or patches).
Ensure that the agent is regularly pulling the latest threat intelligence from Somansa.
This might be through the management server (which itself updates from the Somansa cloud) or directly via the internet if it’s a cloud-managed agent.
Configure automatic updates of signatures if possible, or schedule regular updates (daily or more frequently).
For agent software version updates, monitor Somansa’s releases.
It’s wise to test any new agent version on a small set of machines (much like the initial pilot) before broad deployment,
as occasionally updates can introduce issues.
Plan for periodic updates – for example, quarterly agent version upgrades if they include important improvements or fixes.
Likewise, update the management server or console software when new versions are available (preferably in a maintenance window).
Keeping the ecosystem updated ensures you have the latest detections and software fixes, maintaining a strong security posture.
5) Policy Maintenance:
After the initial rollout, you will likely need to refine your security policies based on real-world data.
Use the first few weeks of full deployment to identify any recurring false positives or overly restrictive rules.
If a particular detection alert turns out to be benign across many machines, adjust the rule or add an exclusion as needed.
Conversely, if new threats are observed, you might tighten policies (e.g., block certain PowerShell behaviors if you see suspicious usage).
It’s recommended to schedule periodic policy reviews – perhaps monthly or quarterly –
to incorporate feedback from security analysts and to adjust to the evolving threat landscape.
Over time, as confidence grows, you might enable stricter policies that were initially in detect-only mode.
Maintain documentation of policy changes and the rationale, in case you need to revert or audit the changes later.
6) Regular Health Checks:
Perform routine health checks of the entire EDR setup.
This includes verifying the management server (if on-premise) is healthy – check disk space for logs, CPU load, database status
(Somansa uses a PostgreSQL DB for logs/policy storage, ensure it’s maintained).
Check that the backup of the EDR server (if any) is running, so you don’t lose logs or configurations.
Confirm that critical events like agent tampering attempts or agent uninstalls (which shouldn’t happen without authorization) are being flagged. Essentially,
make sure all components in the chain (agent, network, server, console) are functioning as intended.
7) User Awareness and Training:
Even the best EDR can raise alerts that require user context.
Train helpdesk and IT staff on the basics of Privacy-i EDR – how to check the agent status, how to collect logs,
what common notifications mean (e.g., if an end-user sees a pop-up that something was quarantined).
This will facilitate smoother support.
Also consider informing end-users about any visible impacts (for instance, if a file was blocked, let them know how to request it to be restored if it’s a false positive).
A well-informed user base can assist in monitoring by promptly reporting anomalies that might be related to the agent.
8) Continuous Improvement:
Adopt a continuous improvement mindset for your EDR deployment. Use the data gathered to improve your overall security stance:
for example, if Privacy-i logs show many attempts of a certain malware on USB drives, maybe that informs stricter USB policies or user education about USB usage.
Periodically, do an audit of the deployment: Are all endpoints still covered?
Are there any “orphaned” agents (agents installed, but the PC is retired or the user has left)?
Retire or reassign those as needed to keep the management console tidy and accurate.
Also, ensure endpoint patch management runs in tandem – EDR is one defense layer,
but keeping Windows and other software patched will reduce actual incidents.
By actively monitoring your Privacy-i EDR deployment and performing regular maintenance,
you ensure that the investment in security continues to pay off.
You’ll catch and address small issues before they become big problems, keep protection levels high against new threats,
and maintain the trust of users and management that the endpoints are both secure and running efficiently.
7. Rollback and Recovery
Even with careful planning and testing, unforeseen issues can arise during or after deployment.
It’s important to have a rollback and recovery plan in case the Privacy-i EDR agent causes system problems or if you need to safely remove it from endpoints.
This section provides guidelines for uninstalling or rolling back the agent with minimal disruption and risk.
1) Plan for Uninstallation Control:
Somansa Privacy-i EDR agents are typically designed with tamper-resistance – meaning end-users cannot arbitrarily uninstall the agent on their own.
This is a security feature to prevent malicious or unauthorized removal.
As an administrator, ensure you have the proper means to uninstall if needed. Somansa provides an Uninstall Password mechanism:
the admin generates a one-time password (often via the console’s “Uninstall Password Generator”),
which is required to remove the agent from a PC. Before deployment, configure and secure this process.
Decide who in the IT team will hold the uninstall passwords or access to the generator tool.
Document the procedure to generate and apply the password.
In a crisis where a quick mass-uninstall is needed, you don’t want to be scrambling to figure out how to get these passwords.
Have them readily accessible to authorized personnel only (since they are powerful).
2) Test the Uninstall Process:
It’s wise to do a trial uninstall on a test machine before you ever need to do it in production.
Install the agent on a sacrificial PC, then practice the removal: use the official method
(for example, run the uninstall utility or msiexec /x command with the password if it’s a Windows installer package).
Verify that the removal is clean – the agent’s services stop, its files are removed, and any system changes (like drivers or registry entries) are rolled back.
Ensure that after uninstall, the machine’s security is handed back to the previous solution
(for instance, Windows Defender should re-enable itself once Privacy-i is gone, to avoid leaving the PC unprotected).
Knowing the exact steps and time required for uninstallation will help you script or automate it if you ever need to do many machines.
Also, confirm what user reboot might be required upon uninstall, so you can plan user communication.
3) Emergency Uninstall Triggers:
Define what conditions would warrant a rollback or uninstall.
Examples might include: widespread system instability attributed to the agent (e.g., blue screens or application crashes on many users’ PCs),
a critical incompatibility with software that couldn’t be resolved quickly, or a faulty update that caused malfunctions.
In such events, timely decision-making is key.
If only a small subset is affected, you might selectively remove the agent from those machines while troubleshooting with the vendor.
If a large population is impacted, a broader rollback might be necessary.
Having a communication plan ready (to notify users that the agent will be temporarily removed and what that means for their protection)
is also important to maintain transparency and trust.
4) Rollback Strategy:
If the decision is made to rollback, use your deployment tools to your advantage.
For instance, if you deployed the agent via SCCM or Intune, you can create an uninstall package or script and push it to the relevant devices.
With Group Policy, you could remove the installation policy and possibly use a startup script to run the uninstaller.
The goal is to automate the removal, similar to how installation was automated, to do it efficiently.
Always monitor the progress of the uninstall jobs – confirm in the console which agents go offline as they are removed,
and verify directly on a few PCs that the agent indeed is gone and the system is stable.
It’s also a good idea to keep a backup of the previous security state.
For example, if Windows Defender was off during Privacy-i usage, ensure you have a GPO or script to turn Defender back on as part of the rollback,
so the endpoints are not left with no protection.
5) System Restore and Backups:
In rare worst-case scenarios (like a deployment causing OS corruption or the machine not booting properly),
having Windows System Restore points or full disk backups can be a lifesaver.
As part of deployment preparation, you might encourage creating a restore point on representative machines
(or ensure your corporate laptops have volume shadow copy enabled periodically).
If a Privacy-i update or install ever rendered a machine unbootable (very unlikely but not impossible in the tech world),
the fallback would be to boot into Safe Mode.
Determine if the agent can be uninstalled in Safe Mode
(maybe via a command line with the password). Somansa support can guide on manual removal steps if needed (like deleting certain files or registry entries).
The key is to be prepared with that knowledge.
Document the manual removal steps provided by Somansa support in case you need to use them under time pressure.
6) Engage Vendor Support:
If deployment issues are severe enough to consider rollback, definitely involve Somansa Support early in the process.
They might offer a patch or a fix that avoids the need to uninstall everything.
The Somansa support team can assist in diagnosing problems (they may ask for agent logs or memory dumps).
The vendor might also have a specialized uninstaller tool to clean up the agent if the normal method fails.
According to Somansa documentation, if Privacy-i needs to be uninstalled, they direct you to contact their support team for guidance.
This implies they want to be involved to help (and to understand why removal is happening).
Don’t hesitate to use that resource – it can save time and ensure you do the rollback correctly.
7) Redeployment Considerations:
After a rollback or uninstall, take time to analyze what went wrong before attempting to redeploy.
Perhaps the issue was a specific module – you might exclude that feature next time, or wait for a patched version.
If the decision is to abandon the product, ensure all remnants are removed (including any leftover agent files or policies on the server side are noted as inactive).
If the rollback is temporary (for example, you rolled back an upgrade due to a bug),
maintain close contact with the vendor for a fix, and schedule the re-deployment when ready, again starting with a small pilot to verify the problem is resolved.
8) Documentation and Lessons Learned:
Document the rollback event thoroughly – what triggered it, who authorized it, how it was executed, and the outcome.
This serves both as an internal post-mortem for process improvement and as a knowledge base for similar situations that arise.
It can also be useful for audit or compliance records, demonstrating that proper procedures were followed even in rolling back security software.
In summary, while we hope never to use the rollback plan, having one is a mark of prudent IT management.
By controlling the uninstallation process (with passwords or tools), testing it beforehand, and having clear criteria for when to invoke a rollback,
you ensure that you can back out of the Privacy-i EDR deployment safely if ever necessary.
This ability to recover gives the IT team and stakeholders peace of mind that the security of endpoints can be maintained or restored under any circumstance,
completing the full lifecycle of safe deployment practices.
Conclusion
Deploying Somansa Privacy-i EDR on Windows 10 and 11 PCs can significantly strengthen an organization’s security posture,
providing advanced threat detection and data protection in one solution.
By following these safe deployment practices
– thorough preparation, careful agent installation, prudent initial policy configuration, pilot testing, conflict avoidance, active monitoring, and having a rollback plan –
IT administrators can ensure the rollout is smooth and successful.
The keys are planning ahead, minimizing surprises through testing, and maintaining control over the process at every stage.
A successful deployment will result in all endpoints being protected in real-time without hindering users, integrated seamlessly with existing systems,
and managed centrally with minimal overhead.
Remember that deployment is not a one-time task but an ongoing commitment:
continuously update and tune the system as needed, and remain vigilant to respond to new challenges.
With the guidelines in this document, administrators should feel confident in executing a secure and
reliable Privacy-i EDR deployment on their Windows desktops and laptops,
thereby creating a safer computing environment for the entire organization.
