Security
Like a plane’s black box, EDR security monitors and records dozens of data points during a cyberattack. This telemetry analyzes what contributed to the attack and prevents future incidents.
Effective EDR solutions use behavioral approaches that search for indicators of attack to alert you of suspicious activity before a breach occurs. They also include threat intelligence, providing context like attribution and other details about the attacker.
Detection
The threat detection capabilities of an EDR solution are a vital component in a comprehensive endpoint security strategy. Unlike traditional security solutions focusing on network protection, EDR is designed to detect and monitor malicious files and activity on endpoints. The result is a faster response time to incidents and more visibility into the attack lifecycle.
Advanced threats are stealthy and require precise detection to be evaluated and stopped before they spread. An EDR solution can provide a range of detection techniques, including signature-based detection, machine learning algorithms, and heuristics, to identify anomalous activities. By correlating telemetry data from multiple sources, it can detect the lateral movement of a malicious file and alert security teams.
Once a malicious file is detected, an EDR solution can contain and remediate the file to prevent further damage to the network. This includes restoring the file to its original state, stopping lateral movement, and eliminating malware infecting other endpoints. EDR also provides visibility into the incident, including the point of entry, network files and applications affected, and how it replicated throughout the network.
While most of these functions are given in an EDR security solution, it is essential to note that the most crucial part is to detect and respond to cyberattacks and to develop insights into why the attack penetrated the environment. Analyzing an attack chain can help IT teams develop mitigation strategies based on the attacker’s motivations, tools, tactics, and procedures (TTPs).
Containment
EDR security solutions detect threats and take action to block or contain them. This may include quarantining the infected device, deleting malicious files, or blocking access. EDR solutions also provide reporting and alerts, helping security teams stay informed of possible threats.
The ability to quickly isolate endpoints is a critical security feature, especially in the face of sophisticated attacks. EDR tools can use network segmentation to trap attackers where they are, preventing them from traveling laterally across your network and reducing the damage they can cause.
EDR systems collect significant data, so it is essential to ensure they are scalable and perform excellently without impacting performance. They can also produce a high volume of alerts, and security teams must be able to triage and prioritize them effectively.
Continuous file analysis and machine learning help EDR solutions identify threats that traditional antivirus software may miss. For example, fileless malware operating in memory and not writing to disk can be complex for antivirus solutions to detect. Behavioral analysis allows EDR solutions to flag these processes as suspicious and trigger the appropriate response. Additionally, many EDR solutions integrate with cyber threat intelligence platforms to enable broader detection and investigation capabilities. This enables security teams to see the complete picture of an attack, including its initial reconnaissance phase and other early activities.
Investigation
A threat detection and response solution must have deep and comprehensive visibility into the network. Visibility is achieved through aggregating endpoint events in a centralized database. From here, abnormal activity can be detected by comparing events to known threat signatures and behavioral baselines (e.g., regular log-in times or acceptable file access patterns).
If an unknown attack has passed your defenses, you need to understand how it got through so that the same issue doesn’t occur again. This is what EDR security enables you to do with per-incident investigation. Think of it like the black box on a plane. As the investigators review the dozens of data points recorded by the black box in the wake of a crash, they can discover contributing factors and prevent similar crashes in the future.
An EDR security solution that combines threat intelligence and machine learning with behavioral analytics and continuous file analysis will be able to detect advanced threats, such as zero-day attacks and fileless malware. Additionally, you can use these tools to detect misconfigurations and eliminate pathways for an attacker to enter your network. The best way to ensure these capabilities are working correctly is to have a robust incident response plan. This plan outlines who is responsible for responding to incidents and how they will work together to detect and mitigate attacks quickly.
Elimination
Once a threat has infiltrated an organization’s perimeter, detecting it as quickly as possible is vital. EDR security collects and analyzes data from multiple sources, including endpoints, users, applications, and network connections, to identify abnormal activity and suspicious behavior patterns. This allows analysts to identify threats that would have otherwise gone unnoticed, including zero-day attacks and insider threats.
Once an EDR solution has detected a potential threat, it takes action. In many cases, this involves preventing the threat’s execution and deleting it and any traces it may have left behind. In addition, it can isolate an infected endpoint to prevent malware from spreading.
Depending on the type of threat, a thorough investigation might be necessary. This can reveal valuable insights for improving the organization’s overall security measures. For example, the danger might have quickly gotten through the network’s perimeter because of certain weaknesses in specific hardware devices.
To better detect cyberattacks, many EDR solutions use machine learning and advanced analytics to sift through large amounts of data collected from endpoint devices and highlight irregularities. They also leverage information about the tactics used by hackers, such as the knowledgebase and framework. Adding this to the mix enhances detection and investigation capabilities.
