What is Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR)?

Endpoint detection and response (EDR) is a form of endpoint protection that is an integrated endpoint security solution. EDR collects data from endpoint devices, combines real time continuous monitoring to understand how cyber threats behave and the ways that organisations would respond to cyberthreats. EDR is more holistic approach to endpoint protection platform that are entirely based on blocking threats.

EDR focuses on real-time continuous monitoring, collection of endpoint data and rigorous data analysis enabling security teams to quickly identify and respond to threats. It assist to detect and investigate suspicious activities, zero day attacks on hosts and endpoints. This allows security teams and organisations to gain a better understanding of how one threat infects an endpoint and the mechanisms by which it spreads across a network.

Instead of remediating threats offhand, organisations can use the insights gained via #EDR to harden security against future attacks and reduce dwell time for a potential infection.

Next Generation endpoint attacks

On an average, IT department manages a few thousand endpoints across its network. These endpoints include desktops, servers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, internet of things (IoT) devices, and even smart watches and digital assistants. The SANS Endpoint Protection and Response Survey reports that 44% IT teams manage between 5,000 and 500,000 endpoints. Each of these endpoints can become an open door for cyberattacks; therefore, endpoint visibility is critical.

While today's antivirus solutions can identify and block many new types of #malware, hackers are constantly creating more. Many types of malware are difficult to detect using standard methods. For example, file less malware—a recent development—operates in the computer's memory, thus avoiding malware signature scanners.

To bolster security, an IT department may implement a variety of endpoint security solutions, as well as other security applications, over time. However, multiple standalone security tools can complicate the threat detection and prevention process, especially if they overlap and produce similar security alerts. A better approach is an integrated endpoint security solution.

The primary functions of an EDR security system are to:

1. Monitor and collect activity data from endpoints that could indicate a threat

2. Analyse this data to identify threat patterns

3. Automatically respond to identified threats to remove or contain them, and notify security personnel

4. Forensics and analysis tools to research identified threats and search for suspicious activities

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How does EDR work?

Endpoint detection and response is broadly defined by three types of behaviour.

Endpoint management. This refers to EDR’s ability to be deployed on an endpoint, record endpoint data, then store that data in a separate location for analysis now or in the future. EDR can be deployed as a standalone program or included as part of a comprehensive endpoint protection solution. The latter has the added benefit of combining multiple capabilities into a single endpoint agent and offering a single pane of glass through which admins can manage the endpoint.

Data analysis. EDR is able to interpret raw telemetry from endpoints and produce endpoint metadata human users can use to determine how a previous attack went down, how future attacks might go down, and actions that can be taken to prevent those attacks.

Threat hunting. EDR scans for programs, processes, and files matching known parameters for malware. Threat hunting also includes the ability to search all open network connections for potential unauthorised access.

Incident response. This refers to EDR’s ability to capture images of an endpoint at various times and re-image or rollback to a previous good state in the event of an attack. EDR also gives administrators the option to isolate endpoints and prevent further spread across the network. Remediation and rollback can be automated, manual, or a combination of the two.

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Why do companies need EDR?

According to many published reports in 2020, due to global pandemic attacks on organisations went up manifolds. The biggest threat at the moment is ransomware. #Ransomware detections on business networks are at an all-time high, due largely to the Egregor, Darkside, GrandCrab, and Sodinokibi ransomware strains. Not to mention #Trojans like Emotet and Gootkit, which carry secondary ransomware payloads. Organisations of all sizes are being targeted by cybercriminal gangs, lone wolf threat actors, hacktivists, and state-sponsored hackers looking for big scores from companies with caches of valuable data on their networks. Again, it’s the value of the data, not the size of the company. Local governments, schools, hospitals, and managed service providers (MSPs) are just as likely to be the victim of a #databreach or ransomware infection.

According to the 2019 IBM “Cost of a Data Breach Report” the average cost of a data breach is at $3.92 million. In the US the number is even higher at $8.19 million.

With this sobering data in mind, Endpoint Detection and Response solution , is crucial to protecting your endpoints, your employees, your data, the customers you serve, and your business from a dangerous array of cyberthreats and the damage they can cause. Speak to our expert for a detailed and thorough end point security risk assessment to safeguard your organisation from the unknown threats.