Now more than ever, enterprises' networks are connected with several endpoints potentially vulnerable to cyberattacks. In addition, unlike before when businesses have their staff working at their site, employees are now working remotely, minimizing the efficiency of security teams when accessing their endpoints.

This current climate makes it challenging for businesses to stay on top of malicious activities within the network, compromising the entire operations and services.

However, through endpoint detection and response (EDR) security, organizations can now improve the visibility of endpoints even if they are outside their premises. Before choosing which EDR tools suit your needs, you must know the answer to questions like, “what is EDR security and why do you need it.”

In this article, you will have a better understanding on:

  • What is an Endpoint?
  • What is EDR security
  • What threats can EDR detect?
  • How does EDR work?
What is EDR Security?

What is an Endpoint?

All devices connected to your network are endpoints. Internet of Things (IoT) devices that can access or work within your network are endpoints. These include laptops, desktops, smartphones, tablets, routers, printers, servers, virtual environments, or anything connected with your network.

Meanwhile, each device is also an entry point for infection. Moreover, businesses must know that endpoint vulnerability is doubled by the number of applications on each device and whether each app complies with security policies. It is why most organizations block multiple sites and apps on their employees' devices, as attackers can use these platforms to penetrate the network.

Enterprises should also ensure that their endpoints run on the latest operating system and updated installed applications.

When ensuring optimum protection, businesses should find the best (Endpoint Detection Response) EDR solution that suits their needs, unique situation, and budget.

What is EDR Security?

Endpoint detection and Response security refer to practices used to protect endpoints against possible attacks. To make this possible, it has enhanced security features that monitor endpoint activity, identify threats and suspicious activities, and respond to attacks through automatic actions on the endpoint device.

It also alerts the security team to detect any malicious movement within the network. Hence, it allows immediate investigation and containment of cyberattacks.

To better understand what (Endpoint Detection Response) EDR security is, here are its main objectives and features to protect enterprises' networks 24/7:

  • Monitor every activity happening on each endpoint
  • Collect data from each endpoint that indicate a threat or abnormal activity
  • Intelligently respond to identified threats
  • Remove or contain attacks
  • Notify the security team about the attack
  • Provide the security team with all the information collected about the threat
  • Analyze threats and search for suspicious activities

Meanwhile, here are the three fundamental mechanisms of EDR tools:

  • Continuous endpoint data collection
  • Real-time detection engine
  • Forensic tools for data recording

What is EDR Security and What Threats Can EDR Detect?

EDR (Endpoint Detection Response) vendors equipped their solutions with security capabilities to improve your endpoints' visibility. These allow EDR solutions to protect your business against threats that a typical anti-virus tool cannot detect.

Here are the threats that an EDR detects and fights to keep your network safe, secure, and protected:

  • Malware that can evade legacy AV or NGAV
  • Fileless attacks
  • Insider threats and compromised accounts

So, even if there are attacks that EDR cannot block, it can help businesses to detect if their endpoints are compromised. As a result, it can minimize the cost of the attack brought upon by the service disruption.

What is EDR Security and How Does EDR Work?

Now that you have a brief understanding of EDR security, it's about time to discuss how it works.

EDR (Endpoint Detection Response) solutions work by identifying a security threat and helping the IT security team mitigate it. The process includes:

  • Monitor endpoints - it has real-time continuous monitoring and collection of endpoint data.
  • Use behavioral analysis to detect suspicious activities and anomalies - it sets a behavior benchmark for each endpoint. It allows the tool to see action that does not show standard patterns. It also identifies malicious activities.
  • Contains affected endpoints and processes - as soon as it identifies a threat, it intelligently isolates the endpoint device and stops it from running any operation.
  • Traceback the attack's initial point of entry - collects data on the potential entry points which might be vulnerable to attacks. It also provides more detailed context about the threat beyond the activity on the current endpoint.
  • Provide data about the attack and suspected breach - delivers all the critical analysis on everything a security team needs to investigate.

Key Takeaways

Choosing suitable EDR security is vital to ensure protection against cyberattacks, which are bound to happen any time of the day if you let your guard down, even just for a second. Open EDR® is one of the best solutions that offer unrivaled protection.

Contact us to learn more about Open EDR®. You can also book a complimentary, no-obligation consultation to see which Open EDR® solutions suit your business best.