In short
Absolute Persistence is technology embedded in device firmware by PC makers. It stays dormant until an organisation installs the Absolute agent, then repairs or reinstalls that agent if it is removed or damaged. Absolute Secure Endpoint's Resilience editions use that connection to self-heal other critical apps, such as antivirus and EDR agents, and to recover compromised devices.
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What Absolute Persistence is
Absolute Persistence is technology built into the firmware of many business laptops and desktops at the factory. Firmware (the BIOS or UEFI) is the low-level software that starts a computer before the operating system loads, so anything that lives there survives events that would wipe an ordinary application.
According to Absolute, Persistence stays dormant in the firmware until the Absolute agent is installed on the device. Once it is activated, it keeps a connection between the device and the Absolute platform: if the agent is removed, damaged, or the operating system is reinstalled or the drive replaced, Persistence repairs or reinstalls the agent. Absolute says this also holds when the firmware is updated or the BIOS is flashed.
When people search for the Absolute Persistence module, they usually mean this firmware component, often after seeing it listed in a laptop's firmware settings. Seeing it there does not mean the device is being tracked: it does nothing until an organisation installs and activates the Absolute agent. If you find it on a work device and want to know whether your organisation uses Absolute, ask your IT team.
The Absolute Secure Endpoint agent
The Absolute Secure Endpoint agent is the software that does the day-to-day work. It runs on Windows and macOS devices and reports to Absolute's cloud console, where IT can see each device's hardware, software, location and security posture, and act on it.
The agent on its own can be removed like any other software, which is exactly the weakness Persistence addresses. The two work as a pair:
- Persistence (in firmware) makes sure the agent comes back.
- The agent (in the operating system) provides visibility, control and, in the higher editions, resilience for your other software.
Persistence depends on the device maker building it in. Absolute works with a wide range of PC makers, including Dell, HP and Lenovo, so many business fleets already have it. We can help you check which of your devices support it before you buy.
Absolute is not antivirus: where it fits
Absolute Security does not detect or block malware, so it does not replace business antivirus or next-generation antivirus. What it does is make sure the tools that do protect you are actually present and working.
That gap is real. Endpoint protection only protects devices where its agent is installed, running and up to date. Agents disappear for ordinary reasons: a laptop is rebuilt from an old image, a software update fails, a user with admin rights removes something, or another tool conflicts with it. Attackers also try to switch security agents off before deploying ransomware. A device that looks protected on paper but is not is one of the hardest problems to spot.
Absolute's Resilience editions watch critical applications, which Absolute lists as including antivirus, EDR, encryption, device management (UEM) and SSE agents, and repair or reinstall them when they are missing, corrupted or not running. Because the Absolute agent is itself protected by Persistence, that repair can reach devices that are off the corporate network. It is a useful companion to products such as Sophos antivirus, SentinelOne, CrowdStrike or ThreatDown; we confirm which applications in Absolute's catalogue apply to your setup at quote.
Absolute fits the "keep defences in place" layer of ransomware protection for business, alongside endpoint protection, backup and a dedicated anti-ransomware agent such as Halcyon.
Absolute Secure Endpoint editions
Persistence is part of every Absolute Secure Endpoint edition. The editions differ in what you can do over that connection:
| Edition | What it adds |
|---|---|
| Visibility | Hardware and software inventory, device location, usage, encryption and anti-malware status, and discovery of sensitive data on devices |
| Control | Everything in Visibility, plus geofences, freezing lost or stolen devices, remote file deletion and wipe, and messages to users |
| Resilience | Everything in Control, plus self-healing of critical apps such as antivirus, EDR and encryption agents, device queries and remediation at scale, and Rehydrate recovery of compromised devices |
| Resilience for Security | Resilience plus patch management: scanning for and deploying operating system and third-party patches |
| Resilience for Automation | Resilience for Security plus automated vulnerability remediation workflows |
If your goal is keeping antivirus and EDR agents healthy, Resilience is the starting point. Visibility and Control are about knowing where devices are and acting on lost ones, which is valuable but does not repair your security tools. Patching and vulnerability remediation sit with the policy side of endpoint management; endpointsecurity.uk covers that area if you want to compare approaches.
Not sure which edition fits? Ask us
Tell us what you need and we will recommend the right edition for your organisation, with a quote.
Lost and stolen devices
Persistence also helps with a more everyday problem: keeping track of laptops that leave the building. That matters for data protection as well as asset value.
Because the agent survives a reinstall, a device that is lost or stolen and then wiped can still report in when it next connects. From the console, the Control edition and above let you:
- See where it is: device location on and off the network.
- Freeze it: lock a lost or at-risk device on demand or automatically by policy, and set geofences that alert you when a device leaves an agreed area.
- Remove data: delete specific files remotely, or wipe a device at the end of its life.
- Tell the user: show an on-screen message, for example asking for the device to be returned.
For UK GDPR purposes, being able to show that a lost laptop was encrypted, that its anti-malware was running and that sensitive files were deleted can help when you assess and report the incident. Visibility shows the encryption and anti-malware status; Control adds the actions.
Rehydrate: recovering compromised devices
Self-healing repairs individual applications. Rehydrate goes further: Absolute describes it as recovering devices back to a fully trusted and compliant state after an IT issue or cyber attack, for example by re-imaging from a trusted operating system image or applying targeted remote fixes.
The practical benefit is that a compromised laptop in someone's home does not have to be couriered back to the office and rebuilt by hand. Because Persistence keeps the Absolute agent reachable, recovery can start remotely. Rehydrate comes with the commercial Resilience editions.
Rehydrate is a recovery tool, not a backup: you still need separate backups of the data people work with, as covered in our ransomware protection guide.
Is Absolute Persistence the right fit for you?
We will check it against your systems and requirements and recommend the right option.
How Absolute is licensed and how we help
Absolute Secure Endpoint is sold by edition, and each covered device needs a seat. You can run different editions for different groups of devices, for example Control for most laptops and Resilience for those holding sensitive data. Through Forever Systems the subscription can be billed monthly, the seat unit, count and term are confirmed on your quote, and the editions are tiered so you can move up later.
Prices depend on edition and quantity, so ask us for a quote. Our licensing site has the edition-by-edition detail on Absolute Secure Endpoint licensing.
How we can help:
- Check your fleet: we help confirm which devices have Persistence in firmware and which features apply to each operating system.
- Choose the edition: we match it to the problem, whether that is asset tracking, lost devices or keeping your security agents running.
- Deploy: we can push the agent with your existing management tool, such as Microsoft Intune, and set up policies and alerts in the Absolute console.
- Pair it with protection: if you are also reviewing antivirus, our vendors page compares the endpoint products we supply.
To find out whether Absolute suits your estate, Contact us.
How Forever Systems helps with endpoint protection
We are an independent UK IT and cyber security provider. We supply business antivirus and endpoint protection from several vendors, so we can recommend what fits your devices, your team and your budget rather than pushing one product.
- Review what you have: we look at your current antivirus, your Microsoft licences and the devices you need to cover before suggesting anything new
- Compare the options: next-generation antivirus, EDR and managed services from vendors including CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, ThreatDown, Bitdefender, Trend Micro, Sophos, Check Point, WatchGuard and Acronis
- Licensing and quotes: the right edition and licence count for your Windows, Mac, Linux, server and mobile devices, with pricing confirmed at quote
- Deployment and migration: we can help roll out agents, set policies and remove the old product cleanly
- Support after go-live: help with policy tuning, alerts and renewals, with the scope agreed at quote
We can also help with the rest of your security, from endpoint security and EDR to Cyber Essentials and security awareness training.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Absolute Persistence module?
It is Absolute's technology embedded in the firmware of supported laptops and desktops by the device maker. It stays dormant until an organisation installs the Absolute agent, then repairs or reinstalls that agent if it is removed or damaged, even after the operating system is reinstalled.
Is Absolute Persistence active on my laptop?
Not unless an organisation has installed and activated the Absolute agent on it. Absolute says Persistence stays dormant in the firmware until then. If it is a work device and you are unsure, ask your IT team whether they use Absolute.
Is Absolute an antivirus?
No. Absolute does not detect or block malware. It gives visibility and control of devices and, in its Resilience editions, keeps critical apps such as your antivirus, EDR and encryption agents installed and running. You still need an endpoint protection product.
What is the Absolute Secure Endpoint agent?
It is the Absolute software installed on Windows and macOS devices that reports to Absolute's cloud console. It provides inventory, location, security posture and remote actions, and Persistence in the firmware restores it if it is removed.
Which Absolute edition self-heals antivirus and EDR?
The Resilience editions: Resilience, Resilience for Security and Resilience for Automation. Visibility and Control report on security tools but do not repair them.
Still have a question about Absolute Persistence?
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