Summary of Key Points

• Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) is a proactive cybersecurity technology that monitors endpoints to protect data and streamline incident response.
• Key benefits include enhanced network visibility, improved compliance, reduced risk, faster incident response, cost savings, unified management, and scalability.
• Vital for safeguarding against evolving cyber threats and ensuring data security in remote work environments.

Any business that operates online understands the importance of protecting its data. The more employees we have logging on remotely from a myriad of personal devices, the more opportunity there is for cyber criminals and other bad actors to access our networks. If you’re looking to beef up your level of protection, endpoint detection and response should be at the top of your to-do list.

Endpoint detection and response, or EDR, benefits organizations in a number of ways. From monitoring endpoints to streamlining incident response processes, there is a lot to be excited about. Let’s look at what endpoint detection and response is, as well as some of the top ways that this simple security concept can both increase your data protection levels and save your organization time and money. 

What is EDR?

Endpoint detection and response is an evolved cyber security technology designed to proactively protect your important files and data. Most traditional technologies like antivirus and antimalware software will only alert us once a breach has occurred. EDR services, on the other hand, monitor multiple reference points associated with endpoint activity, alerting system administrators and security teams to anomalies before the threat even has a chance to infiltrate the network.

What are Endpoints?

Basically, we all log on to our organizational networks through endpoints. These endpoints may include cell phones, tablets, personal computers, laptops, or any other device employees might use while performing their work for the organization. Endpoints are top targets for hackers, particularly due to the fact that human behaviors and BYOD policies can make them vulnerable.

BYOD Policies

With the rise of remote workers, many organizations allow employees to use their own devices. These policies are known as BYOD or Bring Your Own Device. Allowing the use of personal devices makes it more difficult for the organizations to control those devices, meaning they aren’t always as well protected as a company device would be without a significant time and resource investment.

Human Behaviors

The way we use our devices also comes into play. If organizations haven’t set up robust security measures on employees’ personal devices or users are using easy-to-guess passwords, this could present potential weaknesses when it comes to data security. Considering the fact that around half of all internet users rely on memorized passwords, login information security is something that needs to be addressed.

By continually monitoring endpoints and the activities surrounding them, EDR benefits organizations by providing advance notice that a threat may be out there, and giving them the tools they need to respond appropriately.

How does EDR work?

EDR solutions monitor multiple reference points, such as memory, running processes, network activity, and common attack rule sets. It continually collects and analyzes endpoint data in real time, alerting analysts to anything that seems amiss, and initiating investigation and response processes. If the threat proves credible, unaffected portions of the network are isolated and the threat is addressed.

This workflow allows us to identify most threats before they become a bigger problem, and in the case of novel threats that operate outside established attack rule sets, allows us to investigate how the attack occurred and quickly respond.

EDR software is not considered a standalone threat protection product, however. EDR benefits are most apparent when used to complement other security solutions. The best protection is provided through multiple layers of security solutions, and EDR systems are a powerful ally. 

How EDR Benefits Organizations

If you’ve already got a security system in place, you may wonder why you would need to add EDR to that system. As a complementary product, EDR benefits organizations like no other single security product can. Here are some of the top benefits of endpoint security that have organizations around the globe choosing EDR solutions to protect their sensitive data.

Increased Network Visibility 

Protecting against threats is difficult when we don’t have visibility into the weak spots in our defenses. EDR monitors and logs detailed endpoint information, vastly improving network visibility. Through continually monitoring user activity, processes, and application activity at organizational endpoints, EDR benefits network visibility like few other security products can.

Improved Compliance

Exposing data to hackers can spell disaster for any organization, but when your data contains personally identifiable information, the repercussions can multiply. Many industries that utilize this kind of data have their own compliance standards that every organization must adhere to, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). EDR benefits organizations by helping to keep them compliant with these standards.

Reduced Risk

Active threat hunting, as opposed to sitting back and waiting for an attack to occur, results in reduced risk to organizations and their data. By actively monitoring endpoints in real time and hunting for threats, we are able to quickly detect and respond to threats, reducing the likelihood that those threats translate into attacks that can cost companies big bucks and reputational points.

Reduced False Positives

Some security products alert users every time they see a perceived threat. This can feel overwhelming if many of those alerts prove to be false positives. This type of overreporting is dangerous because it can lead to complacency. 

EDR solutions investigate and analyze threats to make sure they are credible prior to alerting your security team. This can lead to significant time savings. If a threat does prove to be credible, EDR benefits us by reducing response times.

Fast Incident Response Times

Responding to attacks through traditional methods can take a long time. Countless hours are spent identifying the cause of the breach and isolating the rest of the system to keep it protected. EDR significantly reduces response times through a combination of automated processes and manual analysis.

By logging every activity at each endpoint, analysts have all the information they need to quickly identify the cause of the breach and prevent compromised data throughout the rest of the network. Of all the benefits of EDR, this one may provide the biggest benefit when it comes to cost savings.

Cost Savings

Dealing with security incidents can get expensive quickly. Not only do we have to identify how the incident occurred, but we must repair any damage that was done. Not only that, but we may also incur fines or penalties as a result of data breaches. Proactively hunting threats and protecting against attacks reduces risk and can deliver big cost savings in the long run.

Unified Management

Utilizing cloud-based solutions like EDR benefits organizations through simplified, unified network management. Managing each endpoint manually burns a lot of time and resources and opens the door to possible mistakes and mismatched settings. By managing them through a centralized, cloud-based system, we ensure that every endpoint on the network has the same configuration.

Scalability

This is another EDR security benefit directly tied to the cloud. As we add more employees and endpoints to our networks, having a scalable security solution becomes an absolute necessity. Cloud-based EDR solutions provide a simple way to add and remove endpoints as necessary, reducing the need for manual changes.

Explore our Endpoint Detection and Response Services

VirtualArmour offers a host of network and security products to keep your data safe, including managed EDR solutions. We have been serving the needs of businesses, enterprises, and organizations globally since 2001. That experience fuels the expertise with which we design and deploy each of our security solutions. If you’d like to learn more about EDR benefits or receive a customized quote, reach out to set up a free discovery call.