EDR System Endpoint Detection and Response System (EDR) tools collect telemetry from all endpoint devices on your network, aggregate this data, and then analyze it to help security analysts discover trends or identify malicious activity.
An effective EDR solution utilizes correlated telemetry to link environment context with event data for visibility, providing security teams with the means to search and investigate incidents quickly.
Detection
EDR tools collect telemetry data from endpoints and combine it into one view for security teams to quickly detect threats and automate certain response activities, thus relieving security analysts of some workload burden.
An effective EDR solution monitors endpoints by collecting information about file transfers, processes, and activity and consolidating it into one view. An effective EDR can detect and prevent infections and alert security staff of suspicious behaviours; additionally, it may isolate infected systems for remediation back to a clean state.
EDR solutions that feature advanced analytics can detect anomalous and malicious behaviours that might otherwise go undetected, allowing security personnel to “shoulder surf” an adversary by watching what commands they execute and techniques they employ when breaching networks or moving about within them.
As part of their existing security stack, businesses should select an EDR tool that integrates easily and provides extensive capabilities to cover every aspect of the network. Such features should include an agent, console for managing, NGAV capabilities and MDR. Ideally, deployment should be flexible enough to be on-premises or cloud, providing good ROI and seamless operation.
Investigation
EDR tools gather telemetry data from endpoints–employee workstations and laptops, servers, mobile devices and IoT systems–connected to the network and store it centrally so analysts can investigate and respond to potential threats. EDR systems also offer automated remediation actions like disabling suspicious processes or blocking suspect IP addresses, as well as manual measures like deploying software agents or remotely wiping and reimaging infected machines.
As part of their security toolset, EDR solutions offer businesses an effective tool for combating cybersecurity. However, before investing in them, businesses must understand what EDR solutions can and cannot do before deciding. EDR solutions often pair well with Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPP), which utilize preventative measures like antivirus to stop malware before reaching endpoints.
EDR solutions can detect file-less malware attacks, credential theft – often missed by traditional antivirus – and advanced threats evading basic protective mechanisms. With this knowledge, organizations can prioritize detecting such threats and take more proactive measures against them in response to them. With the increased visibility of security threats comes more efficiency when responding to them – ultimately decreasing breach dwell time and strengthening the overall information security posture. It should be remembered, however, that even with adequate EDR solutions in place, breaches may still happen; adversaries with sufficient motivation or resources may find ways around them over time.
Response
An EDR system is a technology designed to continuously monitor devices to detect cyber threats like ransomware and malware, recording and analyzing related security threat-related information from computer workstations and other endpoints to detect breaches as they happen and respond swiftly. EDR systems may be deployed as standalone programs or included as part of endpoint protection solutions such as managed detection and response (MDR) tools or next-generation antivirus software solutions.
Effective EDR solutions should offer real-time visibility into the state of all endpoints and workloads from a central dashboard, with advanced threat detection features such as correlated telemetry data mapping, suspicious activity validation, threat hunting capabilities, and automated response/remediation while having minimal performance impact.
No matter the size of your business, attackers have access to the resources and motivation necessary to gain entry to your network. That is why it is vitally important that a strong EDR strategy is in place; an ideal solution should proactively detect malicious files, record all activity associated with them and remediate affected parts of the network as quickly as possible. It must also identify its source, how it entered, what files or applications it interacted with and replicate across networks if applicable.
Prevention
EDR solutions use continuous monitoring to detect suspicious activity, enabling security teams to take swift action before damage is caused. EDR tools also offer visibility into past and ongoing attacks for security teams to strengthen their security posture. They may also be integrated with an Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP), which blocks malware and malicious activity from entering networks or executing on endpoints.
EDR technology typically includes an agent that collects endpoint data, sends it to a centralized console for analysis and alerts security teams of potentially suspicious activity, such as files infected with malware or processes compromised. Furthermore, this console can contain and quarantine infected devices to reduce threats.
Advanced EDR tools use AI and machine learning to detect malicious behaviour and alert security teams of potential incidents. Furthermore, these tools can analyze historical and current situational data to spot trends while automating certain incident response activities, such as blocking threats or stopping suspicious processes.
Auto-detecting and responding to incidents allows enterprises to reduce dwell time for attackers within networks, minimizing business disruption and loss. Enterprises can streamline their incident response processes by consolidating detection, investigation, and response tools into one tool.