Learn More About Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) Software
What is endpoint detection and response (EDR) software?
EDR software is used to help companies identify and remediate threats related to network-connected endpoints. EDR solutions inform security professionals of vulnerable or infected endpoints and guide them through the remediation process. After incidents have been resolved, EDR tools help teams investigate issues and the vulnerable components that allow an endpoint to become compromised.
Continuous monitoring is one of the core capabilities of endpoint detection technologies. These monitoring features provide complete and continuous visibility across a company’s network-connected endpoints. Individuals can monitor behaviors, vulnerabilities, and activity for abnormalities. When abnormalities are identified, the detection portion of EDR technology transitions to the response portion.
Endpoint response begins with alerting and containment. Security professionals are alerted of threats present to their systems and isolate potentially compromised endpoints from further network access; this helps prevent one infected endpoint from becoming hundreds. Once systems are properly organized to contain malware and threat actors, security teams can work to remove malware and prevent future access from actors to endpoint devices.
EDR platforms store threat data related to security incidents, improving a team's ability to defend against threats in the future by helping them identify root causes and threat actors. Additionally, zero-day exploits may be identified, and other vulnerabilities may be remediated as a result. This will help prevent third-party privilege escalation, malware injection, and unapproved endpoint control from occurring in the future. Some EDR products provide machine learning capabilities to analyze events, improve threat hunting, and reduce false positives by automating protection and remediation processes.
Key benefits of EDR software
- Monitor endpoints and detect issues or security incidents
- Remediate present threats to endpoints
- Investigate incidents to identify causes
- Contain threats and restrict access to other endpoints or networks
Why use endpoint detection and response solutions?
Endpoints are some of the most vulnerable components of a business' network structure. One vulnerable endpoint could cause a company’s entire network, databases, and sensitive information to become exposed or stolen. EDR systems will help secure individual endpoints, detect issues as they arise, and contain threats that make their way beyond traditional security structures.
Endpoint protection is even more relevant considering the growing popularity of bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies. When employees are in complete control over downloads, applications, and updates, security must be a priority. Every day professionals are not the most security-savvy individuals and may unintentionally compromise their devices or put business information at risk.
Zero-day threats—While traditional prevention tools such as antivirus software or firewall technology are helpful as the first line of defense, zero-day threats are bound to occur. The nature of these threats means they have yet to be discovered and, therefore, cannot be defended against. EDR solutions will help identify new threats as they arise and remediate them before damage occurs.
Visibility and control—Continuous monitoring and endpoint visibility help defend against traditional malware and sophisticated threats. Monitoring can help identify known threats as they arise and detect minute details that indicate the presence of advanced threats. Hackers are always developing new ways to enter networks undetected through fileless malware or malicious code injection. Monitoring capabilities will improve a team’s ability to detect anomalies caused by outside actors and threats.
Analysis and deterrence — EDR software improves a security organization’s ability to review the data associated with security events, data breaches, and network attacks. The data collected from these events can be reviewed back to the initial onset and used to identify the vulnerability or exploit used. Once identified, security teams and software developers can work collectively to resolve flaws and prevent similar attacks from occurring in the future.
What are the common features of EDR products?
Detection—Detection capabilities result from monitoring practices. Monitoring collects information about properly functioning systems and can be applied to identify abnormal behavior or functionality. Once identified, IT and security professionals are alerted and directed through the review and resolution processes.
Containment — Once threats are present within an endpoint device, access must be restricted from the greater network and additional endpoints. Often referred to as quarantine features, these capabilities can help protect a network when a threat is detected.
Remediation—As threats are discovered, they must be dealt with. EDR software allows individuals and security teams to track incidents back to their onset and identify suspicious actors or malware.
Investigation—After incidents occur, EDR tools collect large amounts of data associated with the endpoint device and provide a historical record of activities. This information can be used to quickly identify the cause of an incident and prevent its reoccurrence in the future.
Additional EDR features
Behavioral analysis—Behavior analysis capabilities allow administrators to gain valuable insights into end-user behavior. This data can be used as a reference for monitoring features to compare against and detect anomalies.
Real-time monitoring — Real-time and continuous monitoring capabilities allow security professionals to constantly monitor systems and detect anomalies in real time.
Threat data documentation— Event data recording capabilities automate the collection and curation of incident data. This information can alert security teams of the performance and health of a company's endpoint-enabled devices.
Data exploration — Data exploration features allow security teams to review data associated with security incidents. These data points can be cross-referenced and analyzed to provide insights on better protecting endpoints in the future.
Potential issues with EDR solutions
Endpoint variety—Endpoints come in many shapes and sizes, from laptops and servers to tablets and smartphones. A business should ensure that all types of endpoints connected to its network are compatible with a chosen EDR solution. This is especially important for businesses with a large number of BYOD devices that run different operating systems and applications.
Scalability — Scale refers to the size and scope of your network of connected endpoints. It’s a major consideration because some EDR tools may only facilitate monitoring on a specific number of devices or limit the number of concurrent investigations or remediations. Companies with large pools of endpoints should be sure the solutions they consider can handle the number of endpoints and provide adequate monitoring for the scale of their business and projected growth.
Efficacy — Efficacy refers to the actual functional benefit of using a software solution. Companies may be wasting their time if security teams are inundated with false positives or conflicting results. This is a key identifier in user reviews and third-party evaluations that buyers should consider when evaluating a product.
Administration and Management — Companies adopting EDR for the first time should be sure they have sufficient staff equipped with skills relevant to using EDR software. Smaller, growing businesses may not be best suited for adopting complex security systems and may be better served using managed services until the need for security matches their ability to deliver.
