Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) – What You Need to Know

endpoint detection and response
July 23, 2024

Recent research has found that 90% of successful cyberattacks and 70% of successful data breaches originate at endpoint devices.  This is where advanced endpoint detection and response solutions come into play.

Traditional antivirus solutions, anti-malware solutions, firewalls, and other security tools can help identify potential threats. However, as sophisticated attacks become more common, organizations need to adopt better security tools and procedures.

Understanding Endpoint Detection and Response Security Solutions  

Endpoint detection and response security solutions (or EDR security solutions) are at the cutting edge of security tools that will keep sensitive data and end users protected from malicious behavior and potential threats.  

It is much more advanced than other existing security tools. Additionally, EDR security tools can better detect threats, provide endpoint protection, and provide viable incident response solutions in case of data breaches or other attacks on your network connections.  

When detecting suspicious system behavior and sophisticated threats, EDR security tools are as advanced as the bad actors trying to enter your affected systems.  

Key Takeaways 
What is Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)?
How is EDR Different from Other Antivirus and Cybersecurity Solution?
How Does Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) Work?
Is There a Difference Between EDR tools and Endpoint Security Tools?
What to Look for in a Comprehensive EDR Security Solution
Establish a Customized Endpoint Detection and Response Solution

EDR Security Solutions for Enhanced Endpoint Protection 

Integrating detection and response (EDR) tools and best practices for centralized management requires expert guidance.  

Not all endpoint security solutions offer equal protection. Therefore, you need an EDR solution backed by the most advanced threat intelligence and knowledgeable security teams available. 

So, if you want to launch new EDR security solutions to protect your organization from known and unknown cyberthreats, read on.  This article will uncover the details of utilizing endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools as your frontline cybersecurity solution. 

endpoint security, endpoint detection and response

What is endpoint detection and response (EDR)? 

Endpoint detection and response (EDR) is a cybersecurity technology that monitors endpoints continuously throughout an organization. Endpoints are the devices connected to your network, such as  desktop computers. Endpoint protection is crucial to remediating threats, as the majority of cyberattacks and data breaches begin with access via an endpoint device. 

Detecting advanced threats and protecting endpoints is the first core function of endpoint detection and response.  However, advanced EDR tools are also designed to have many response capabilities for security incidents. A comprehensive EDR solution will excel at threat hunting. Nevertheless, it will also allow for immediate incident response by providing security teams with an optimal response solution and response tools correlated with every threat detection. 

How is EDR different from other antivirus and cybersecurity solutions? 

EDR security solutions represent a step above traditional antivirus technology that also focuses on endpoint security.  

Antivirus programs detect suspicious system behavior by checking for known cyberthreats from a broad threat database. They take automatic quarantine actions if the threat hunting is successful.

This can undoubtedly help with company-wide threat detection and response. However, EDR tools can hunt for unknown threats – and threats that evade perimeter defenses. This can be achieved by detecting and analyzing broader suspicious behaviors, also known as indicators of compromise (IOCs).  

Therefore, endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions give security teams enhanced visibility and automation to speed up incident response and prevent security incidents and advanced threats from spreading. 

protecting your data with endpoint detection and response security solutions

How does endpoint detection and response (EDR) work? 

EDR solutions may vary depending on the vendor or provider. Therefore, the best EDR solution providers can tailor a comprehensive endpoint security plan to align with an organization’s distinctive devices and systems, network traffic, and other threat detection and incident response requirements. 

However, EDR solutions work broadly in the same way, including the following threat intelligence and incident response elements.  

Constantly monitors all endpoints within an organization  

When the devices within your organization are initially onboarded, an EDR solution will typically install a type of software agent to ensure your entire digital ecosystem is visible to security teams. These are called managed devices. In addition, the software agent and correlating security teams can log relevant activity and suspicious behavior to conduct constant and managed threat hunting. 

Aggregates telemetry data 

An EDR solution is designed to uncover cyberthreats or IOCs that would otherwise be easy for security teams to miss.  Aggregating data is a big cornerstone of this threat detection process. All event logs, application use, authentication attempts, and additional and comprehensive data are constantly collected and is visible to security teams in real- time. 

Analyze and correlates data  

EDR solutions rely on artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance threat intelligence and continually make threat hunting more successful. These varying processes include distinctive endpoint security measures, behavioral analytics, and other various data analytics and techniques to fend off advanced threats and attacks against your organization. 

Automates remediation actions for security incidents  

EDR solutions flag these potential security incidents and send actionable alerts to your security teams, allowing security teams to conduct an immediate incident response. An EDR solution or EDR tool may also (and automatically) isolate a specific endpoint or otherwise contain endpoint data so that malicious activity does not spread through your entire system.  

Stores endpoint data for future use and perpetually enhanced threat detection  

When these security incidents occur, advanced EDR solutions and EDR tools keep a record of the corresponding endpoint data to provide even better threat intelligence in the future. Security analysts and security teams can then use this endpoint data to get a broader picture of prolonged or previously unknown threats and attacks.  

endpoint security and response

Is there a difference between EDR tools and endpoint security tools? 

Endpoint security solutions and endpoint detection and response solutions (EDR) are the two primary forms of advanced endpoint security. While these terms can be used interchangeably, the key differences between generalized endpoint security and EDR solutions lies in their incident response capabilities. 

While general endpoint security focuses on advanced threat detection, implementing an automated and/or strong incident response sets EDR solutions apart. For this reason, the response capabilities are far more advanced than tools and platforms designed for endpoint security alone. 

After all, powerful and advanced threat detection in endpoint security is only helpful if there is a reliable solution to protect your systems and prevent data breaches. When a threat is detected, these response capabilities are crucial to an organization. Furthermore, the best EDR solutions focus on endpoint security and the actions required to restore affected systems and mitigate damage.  

In other words, to simplify the distinction, endpoint security tools and endpoint protection platforms are designed to prevent when it comes to security incidents, whereas EDR solutions are designed to be proactive.  

cyberattack, cyberthreat, EDR solutions

What to look for in a comprehensive EDR security solution 

As stated, not all EDR solutions and EDR tools are created equal. So, if you search for “EDR security,” you’ll be flooded with options for detection and response platforms, tools, and providers. 

On that note, when first investigating the EDR solutions available, look for some key elements to ensure an effortless system and advanced threat detection. These will also provide reliable incident response across all devices in your organization. 

Seamless integration  

When it comes to security and response capabilities, it’s essential to choose an EDR solution that can integrate seamlessly with your existing security tools.  This will simplify your security stack instead of making it more complicated.  

Several EDR tools like Cisco Secure Endpoint and Palo Alto Networks’ Cortex XDR combine a simplified user interface with solid detection and response capabilities. However, a comprehensive managed detection and response (MDR) and endpoint detection and response (EDR) provider like DartPoints can help you filter through all the threat intelligence integration options.  Together, our experts will help you determine the best EDR solutions for your unique organization. 

Broad visibility and detection 

User behavior and network traffic across all your devices and systems are always evolving and ensuring that every connection to your organization is secure is not an easy task.  

Look for detection and response tools that collect the most comprehensive data possible and provide visibility across your enterprise. Machine learning and AI-driven data analytics in an EDR solution will go a long way in evolving endpoint detection as new user behavior or shifts in network traffic. This continuous learning provides enhanced threat detection well into the future.

Simplified and more effective investigations 

Security team personnel are often flooded with flags of incident reports. However, not all these alerts are viable and require an incident response. As such, you want an EDR tool to provide your security team with a complete picture of possible threats and security incidents.   They can quickly review the root cause, the sequence of events that led to the alert or attack, and the threat intelligence details from all sources, all in a simplified user interface.  

An EDR tool with incident scoring or other measures to rate threats to endpoint security is especially helpful in this vein. It allows a security team to identify threats and events that matter the most and may require a more immediate incident response. 

Proactive threat hunting 

Not all security incidents are automatically blocked or detected by an organization’s endpoint security solution. An EDR tool should provide support and features that enhance threat hunting. This helps security teams more proactively analyze and search for potential suspicious behavior. 

Ironclad endpoint security  

The best EDR security solutions incorporate multi-faceted approaches, including antivirus and endpoint security capabilities to block every stage of a cyberattack. Before choosing an EDR tool, determine if it can block any exploits by technique, block malware files by utilizing machine learning, and effectively stop malicious behavior, and stop it fast.  

The best endpoint security tools should effectively block attacks and ransomware. They can also prevent data breaches and unauthorized access with built-in features such as host firewall, device control, and disk encryption. 

Automated response for faster incident responses 

When it comes to response capabilities, timing is everything. For this reason, the best endpoint detection and response solutions have automated processes to provide an immediate incident response. Additionally, it protects a security issue discovered in one device from spider webbing throughout your network traffic.  

It’s essential to evaluate an EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) solution provider’s capability to integrate various automated features to enhance endpoint security comprehensively. One key feature is automated patch management. This involves monitoring and continuously updating the software, drivers, and firmware to ensure improved protection with minimal effort.  

Integrated security response 

A security team should not have to switch to different contexts to analyze a threat and provide a rapid and thorough incident response. Instead, your endpoint detection and response solution should allow security teams and analysts to immediately take action without reviewing all of the associated evidence of a potential threat. 

Multiple incident response options 

The best and most appropriate response to a cyberthreat varies. An effective EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) security solution should provide security teams and analysts with a variety of incident response options. These options include deciding whether to eradicate or quarantine a specific infection or cyberattack.  

 A wide range of response capabilities will eliminate any cyberthreats or cyberattacks as quickly as possible. In addition, a lightning-fast response to security incidents should be one of the key capabilities of any endpoint detection and response solution. 

cybersecurity, endpoint detection and response, EDR solutions

Establish a Customized Endpoint Detection and Response Solutions for Your Organization with DartPoints 

Find the best path forward with DartPoints for an endpoint detection and response strategy and solution. Your business needs to start with a resource that effortlessly combines managed detection and response (MDR), endpoint detection and response (EDR), security orchestration, automation and response (SOAR), extended detection and response (XDR), and much more. 

A single EDR tool can have gaps in its capabilities. Platforms designed for endpoint security alone vastly differ from tools designed for endpoint detection and response. 

Reach out to our team of security experts today to start the conversation. We’ll work together to find an endpoint detection and response solution that goes far beyond the basics, allowing your organization to address cyberthreats proactively instead of reactively.  

With DartPoints as your resource, you can secure all traffic and activity within your organization. The protection guards against an evolving wave of cyber threats.

Ready to secure your business? Contact us today!