In the era of remote work and increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks, traditional antivirus software just can not keep up. The reality is that modern threats, such as fileless malware and sophisticated ransomware, often slip past perimeter defenses. When they land on a laptop, server, or mobile device (endpoints), you need more than a simple firewall. You need a solution that watches, analyzes, and is ready to fight back. This is the job of Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR).
Investing in cybersecurity for your business ensures end-to-end protection against malware, viruses, data breaches, and ransomware. With Windes’ explanation of endpoint security, you can better understand this modern approach to digital security and choose the right security features for your business.
What is Endpoint Detection and Response?
Endpoint detection and response (EDR) is a next-generation security service that monitors a company’s endpoints (devices such as desktops, laptops, mobile phones, and tablets) for malicious activity. EDR protects against threats by combining endpoint data analytics and rule-based automated response.
EDR relies on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to quickly detect, investigate, contain, and eradicate cybersecurity threats and other abnormal behavior. While it is impossible to prevent every security breach, EDR ensures you are aware of all anomalous endpoint behavior and provides better protection than traditional security tools like antivirus software and firewalls.
EDR gives a company a direct lens into its security environment, invaluable in a climate that prioritizes information security. Companies can use EDR to:
- Uncover stealthy attackers automatically
- Integrate with cyber threat intelligence
- Proactively defend by threat hunting
- Enable quick and decisive remediation
- Provide real-time and historical visibility
- Speed up investigations
6 Reasons to Include EDR in Your Security Strategy
Explore the top six reasons why including EDR in your current security strategy is vital to protecting your business:
1. Prevention by itself cannot ensure 100% protection
Despite preventive measures, most cyber attackers generally find a way to penetrate your defenses, leaving your organization in the dark. Without EDR to identify them, attackers can linger and navigate inside your network.
2. Attackers remain inside your network and come back
When an attacker enters your network unnoticed, they can remain in your environment for weeks and create backdoors that allow them to return at any time. Without EDR, your company may not learn about the breach until a third party, like law enforcement, intervenes.
3. Gives you visibility to monitor your endpoints
Without EDR, it can take months to discover and remediate a breach. The visibility EDR provides lets you understand attacks as they occur, enabling you to strategize preventive measures for future breaches.
4. Access to actionable intelligence
Unlike many traditional security methods, EDR enables organizations to record, store, and access relevant security information immediately when needed.
5. Data is only part of the solution
Collecting data is futile if you cannot use it. EDR makes it easy for companies to analyze and capitalize on accumulated data.
6. Remediation can be costly and protracted
Without actionable intelligence from EDR, organizations can waste valuable time deciding what to do. Sometimes, your only recourse is to reimage machines, which tends to degrade productivity and disrupt operations.
EDR 4 Stages of Protection
EDR happens in four stages, each offering a different level of protection. These levels are as follows:
- Stage 1. No EDR exists: Your business is vulnerable and relies on existing defense technologies.
- Stage 2. Limited EDR: Your IT team may recognize a suspicious event but lack the training and expertise to deal with the breach effectively.
- Stage 3. Smart EDR: Your IT team uses intelligent EDR to automatically detect events in real-time, analyze them, and perform custom searches.
- Stage 4. MDR (managed detection and response): The highest level of security, enabling companies to proactively look for anomalous behavior without passively waiting for detections.
What are the Differences Between EDR and EPP?
EDR and EPP (endpoint protection programs) are security solutions that detect and mitigate cybersecurity threats. While EDR provides operational tools and increased visibility that enable security teams to respond to a cyberattack, EPP helps prevent threats before they reach the endpoint.
For this reason, many security experts recommend combining EDR and EPP for optimal endpoint protection, and some vendors even combine the two into a single system.
Is Endpoint Detection and Response Enough?
Although an essential network security tool, EDR has its limitations. Though EDR’s environmental analysis uses artificial intelligence, security professionals must still investigate and act on the alerts generated by EDR tools.
Additionally, companies with small IT teams may find it challenging to respond to EDR alerts quickly and may end up swamped with data and notifications.
EDR also does not offer insights when event logs are blocked, which can occasionally take devices offline inadvertently.
What is a SIEM Tool?
The technology used in threat detection, compliance, mitigation, and security incident management is called security information and event management (SIEM) tools.
Using SIEM tools, a security team can pull information from firewalls, endpoint detection, cloud applications, and network appliances for a more holistic security picture. SIEM tools also work collaboratively, providing a centralized dashboard that makes security investigations more efficient.
Many security experts believe SIEM tools go further than EDR, leading to better data and more efficient and effective security responses.
What is Managed Detection and Response?
Managed detection and response (MDR) build on EDR for an extra high level of security. This approach lets you proactively search for suspicious behavior in your cyber landscape. Typically, MDR includes a round-the-clock security operations center (SOC) that monitors your environment in real-time, including technology, processes, and people within your organization.
MDR may use the following modalities to detect and deter threats actively:
- Security Incident Event Monitoring (SIEM)
- Endpoint Threat Detection and Response (EDR)
- User and Entity Behavior Analysis (UEBA)
- Digital Forensics Analysis
Your business needs MDR if you have multiple endpoints and retain sensitive data. You might also need MDR if you cannot manage EDR in-house with your current IT infrastructure or want to increase your cybersecurity protections. Most businesses can benefit from MDR, especially private businesses that deal with sensitive financial or medical data and do not have robust cybersecurity in-house.
Do You Need MDR and EDR?
While you can use one or the other, combining MDR and EDR gives you comprehensive cyber protection. MDR uses EDR to protect against viruses, while EDR needs MDR due to its real-time, in-person threat-detection monitoring. With both EDR and MDR, you can:
- Detect anomalies and mitigate the threat immediately
- Have peace of mind so you can focus on other areas of the business
- Stay compliant with various acts and entities such as the GLBA (Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act), PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection), HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and Electronic Documents Act)
- Meet requirements to obtain insurance for your industry
Bolster Your Business’s Cybersecurity with Windes
Windes offers IT Governance services to help you assess, manage, and respond to digital threats. Our comprehensive menu of cybersecurity services ensures your business is protected from cyber threats and prepared to handle cybersecurity challenges that may arise.
Contact our Tech & Risk Team today to schedule a free cyber health check with our cybersecurity professionals to identify your digital vulnerabilities and develop a robust security strategy to keep your data safe.