Endpoint detection and response (EDR) describes security solutions that provide continuous monitoring and collection of endpoint data to detect threats. Businesses use these solutions to detect and investigate suspicious activities on hosts and endpoints. EDR companies can also provide valuable cybersecurity investing opportunities.
This guide will examine endpoint detection and response in detail and help you understand why an EDR solution might be right for you.
What Is EDR?
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) is the ultimate endpoint security solution. It provides real-time surveillance of endpoints to anticipate, detect, and respond swiftly to an array of cyber threats such as ransomware or malware attacks. This advanced technology enables organizations around the globe protect their valuable assets from malicious intruders.
Gartner originally referred to EDR as endpoint threat detection response (ETDR) in 2013. Endpoints are remote devices that communicate with the network, including desktops, laptops, smartphones, servers, etc. Here’s what to keep in mind:
- A compromised endpoint can leave the whole system exposed before manual security even detects the threat.
- ETDR described security systems that used a high degree of automation to detect and evaluate these cyber threats on hosts and endpoints.
- Adoption of these solutions has grown by leaps and bounds since then.
- This is due in part to the rising number of endpoints attached to networks and increased sophistication of cyberattacks.
Endpoint detection and response is thus an essential security system that presents a viable cybersecurity investing opportunity. Some researchers project the global EDR market could be worth nearly $2.29 billion in 2021. This market is expected to reach $6.90 billion by 2026.
Understanding EDR
A clear understanding of how endpoint detection and response works is a must. This ensures cybersecurity investors can identify providers that deliver solutions that support the needs of modern businesses. There are a few basics to know, including that:
- Endpoint detection and response solutions record and store endpoint-system-level behaviors.
- They use data analytics techniques to detect suspicious system behavior, provide contextual details, and block cyberattacks.
- They also offer remediation suggestions to restore affected systems after a security incident.
- Many cyber threats can penetrate a company’s systems via endpoints.
- Having the right solution in place blocks these threats by providing always-on, always-available cyber protection.
- Endpoint detection and response solutions empower businesses to take a proactive approach to cybersecurity.
- They detect threats as soon as they reach an endpoint and block them, ensuring businesses can run approved programs, applications, and processes across their endpoints without disruption.
This also helps businesses save money. Detecting and blocking cyber threats as soon as they enter the endpoint allows security teams to immediately address the threat while it’s at arms-length from the network. This helps prevent downtime from cyberattacks as well as revenue losses, brand reputation damage, and compliance penalties that could stem from these incidents.
Endpoint detection and response can improve operational effectiveness, too, by empowering companies to take a “layered” approach to cybersecurity. They can be used in combination with other security tools to help businesses consistently defend their endpoints against cyberattacks. 
Why Is EDR Important?
The global cyber threat landscape is growing. No business is immune to cyberattacks, so everyone needs advanced security solutions to keep pace with current and emerging cyber threats. Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) is a critical component of any cyber security strategy. It provides organizations with the ability to monitor, detect, and respond to potential threats in real-time. EDR enables security teams to quickly identify malicious activity and pinpoint the exact source of the attack. By being able to quickly identify and isolate suspicious activities, security teams can reduce their exposure to cybersecurity risks.
Businesses once used antivirus software and other traditional security solutions to combat cyberattacks. These solutions offered a “basic” level of cyber protection in comparison to EDR, which provides real-time insights into all endpoints across a business. For companies that rely on digital assets, it is essential that they have robust endpoint detection solutions in place. EDR solutions provide visibility into user behavior on endpoints like computers, laptops, phones, and tablets. They are designed to detect malicious code before it has the chance to affect systems or data. With the right solutions in place, companies can limit or eliminate damage caused by attackers who exploit vulnerable systems or networks.
Endpoint detection and response solutions detect and protect a business against malware, phishing, advanced persistent threats (APT), and other cyber threats. These solutions often include machine learning algorithms that spot unknown types of cyber threats and constantly get better at it. The combination of advanced detection capabilities and machine learning put their capabilities far beyond classic anti-virus solutions.
Beyond its vital role in preventing malicious activity from infiltrating sensitive systems and networks, Endpoint Detection and Response also provides insights into user behavior on devices – such as whether they are using insecure applications or websites. This helps organizations monitor employee behavior across multiple endpoints and apply proper device control policies as needed. Additionally, EDR solutions can alert security teams when abnormal behavior is detected so they can take swift action if necessary.
What Should You Look for in an EDR Solution?
No two solutions are exactly the same. Their features and capabilities can vary greatly, so it’s important to understand what sets different systems apart. Look at these seven features to better understand the system you’re investing in:
Real-Time Visibility
Real-time visibility ensures you can keep a close eye on all system endpoints. You can view cyberattacks and stop them as they’re happening.
Threat Database
Cyber threat data is collected 24/7. A threat database allows the EDR solution to access information from known threats, new and old, to spot and respond to the signs of a cyberattack.
Behavioral Detection
Suspicious endpoint activities can correspond to indicators of attack (IOA), i.e., signs that show what a cybercriminal is trying to accomplish. You’ll be notified any time suspicious activities arise that indicate a breach may be underway.
Threat Intelligence
Threat intelligence with context helps you figure out why a cyberattack is happening and its impact. You can use these insights to determine how to address the issue.
Immediate Response
Stopping a cyberattack in its early stages is key. The longer an attack goes undetected, the more damaging it becomes. A system that responds immediately, even without human input, gives you the best chance to stop the threat before it infects your network.
Integration With Multiple Tools
Security doesn’t operate in a vacuum. Any solution you use should seamlessly integrate with your existing cybersecurity toolset to build a seamless response suite.
Fast Investigations
Real-time and historical data can both be used to analyze endpoint activities and investigate cyberattacks. Your EDR system should access all of this data and produce incident reports that give you a head start on the next steps of the investigation.
The ideal solution can help a business guard against cyberattacks now and in the future. It can deliver immense value, particularly for companies that properly implement these tools.
10 Tips for Optimizing the Value of an EDR Solution
Finding the ideal endpoint security solution can be difficult enough. It is essential to make sure the system is installed and used for maximum protection. Here are 10 tips companies should follow to get the most value out of their endpoint detection and response solutions.
1. Deploy the Solution Across All of Your Endpoints
Set aside time to implement your solution across all devices and operating systems to minimize interruption of work. The implementation process should only take a few hours to complete; after it is finished, all device and OS endpoints will be protected against cyber threats.
2. Prioritize Ease of Management
Develop a training strategy. Your IT personnel should know the ins and outs of endpoint detection and response and how it can be utilized to secure endpoints across the business.
3. Monitor Files, Users, and Networks
Track your files, users, and networks, along with your endpoints. This gives you full visibility into your IT environment.
4. Prioritize Threat Detection
Threat detection is arguably the most important piece of any EDR solution. The quicker attacks are found and neutralized, the safer your company will be. This piece also provides insights into cybercriminal activities across your endpoints and the methods hackers are using to try to access your systems.
5. Perform Behavioral Analysis
Use behavioral analysis to go beyond only known indicators of compromise (IOCs) and signs that a cyberattack is in progress. Behavioral analysis provides a full picture of endpoint activities and helps protect against previously unknown threats.
6. Eliminate False-Positive Alerts
Track network traffic as well as file and user behaviors. Leverage machine learning and behavioral analysis to eliminate false-positive security alerts.
7. Automate Remediation
Employ automated remediation actions and rules. We talked about how endpoint threats often happen too quickly for a manual response, or even traditional anti-virus tools. Defining automatic remediation actions and rules speeds up incident response and ensures threats are contained in time.
8. Conduct Forensic Investigations
Investigate threat evidence across your endpoints and any related processes, users, and network traffic following a cyberattack. Review this information, conduct an in-depth incident investigation, and find ways to prevent recurring issues.
9. Set Up Threat Intelligence Feeds
Correlate your solution’s behavioral and interaction indicators and anomalies from as many intelligence feeds as you can. This lets you use a wide range of threat intelligence to get timely, relevant, and accurate security alerts.
10. Take Advantage of Security Support
Employ a security operations center (SOC) team to provide additional support. This team can include cyber analysts who watch over your endpoints 24/7. It can also free up your IT staff to focus more time and energy on high-value tasks.
Implementing an EDR solution and maximizing its value requires careful planning. Those who prepare for the implementation process will avoid problems that otherwise hamper their solution’s effectiveness.
Common Pitfalls of Using an EDR Solution
EDR solutions are not plug-and-play. Businesses must determine which solution best suits their security operations, then implement it accordingly.
Part of that implementation process is putting the processes and people in place around the solution to make sure it succeeds. The planning process requires businesses to account for these factors:
- Time and resources required for solution integration
- The potential of a managed security services provider (MSSP) to handle the integration
- Triage, investigation, and response processes associated with endpoint detection and response
- Metrics used to assess a solution’s effectiveness
An endpoint detection and response solution requires ongoing attention. You must track the performance of your solution, keep it up to date, and ensure it delivers the intended results. It can also be beneficial to meet with a cybersecurity expert. This allows you to get answers regarding whether now is the right time to invest in an EDR provider.
Contact an Expert With Questions About EDR
Endpoint detection and response is a top choice for businesses that want to maintain round-the-clock protection against cyberattacks. Those who want to invest in cybersecurity may find many lucrative opportunities in the EDR market.
Option3Ventures is a cybersecurity investment advisor that specializes in finding and developing attractive investment opportunities. Our team includes cybersecurity investment, operations, and technology experts who can teach you about the EDR market. Contact Option3Ventures for more information or tips about cybersecurity investing.