The Need for Speed: Second Generation EDR
Endpoint security plays an integral role in modern security architecture. While initially focused on protecting individual endpoints from malware and other known threats, modern endpoint security solutions have grown to utilize multiple detection techniques capable of preventing or detecting both known and unknown threats while helping security and IT teams respond to broader threats involving multiple endpoints.
But even with the use of advanced machine learning and behavioral analytics, endpoint security solutions still are not able to prevent 100% of threats. This leaves a gap for security teams, who need a mechanism to detect and respond to threats that make it through preventative controls. Security teams have rallied around endpoint detection and response tools (EDR) as the primary mechanism to address this gap. According to recent ESG research, EDR was the most often cited priority when organizations were asked what their biggest endpoint security investment priorities are for the next 12-18 months.1
EDR solutions have evolved dramatically since first entering the security scene almost 8 years ago. While first created as a digital forensics investigation tool for only the most expert of security professionals, modern EDR solutions are highly automated and can be utilized by most security analysts to effectively close the gap where prevention solutions fall short.
Second generation EDR offers multiple advantages for security teams, including reduced alerts, accelerated threat understanding, and playbook-driven automated response actions. These second generation EDR solutions strengthen prevention, reduce the noise, speed response, and enable more security analysts to redirect their efforts to stopping the most sophisticated threats.
These important advancements in EDR are enabling security teams to more rapidly close the gap left by endpoint protection solutions, keep up with the adversary, and stop threats before damage occurs—all while reducing stress on the security analyst.
The Bigger Truth
Today’s diverse threat landscape will continue to challenge industry-leading endpoint security solutions to prevent every attack, leaving organizations with the task of closing this gap with a combination of humans and automated threat detection and response tools.
Endpoint detection and response tools have come a long way since their initial introduction. Advancements in EDR solutions are enabling security teams to implement proactive risk mitigation strategies, leveraging second generation EDR solitions to reduce excessive noise levels, automate and speed response, and enable security professionals to quickly investigate and stop attacks.
Second generation EDR sets the stage for new levels of automated detection and response, resulting in a more resiliant, self-healing environment where security analysts can refocus their time on mitigating the most important, sophisticated threats. 34% of surveyed IT professionals who recently switched endpoint security vendors or plan to switch cited the need for better threat detection and response as one of the drivers of the switch.
With the addition of these advanced automation capabilities, second generation EDR solutions should enable organizations to detect and respond faster, stop more threats, and do so more efficiently, requiring less effort from highly skilled security analysts. And when events require a security analyst’s attention, threats can be disarmed while investigations take place, limiting business disruption.
Organizations that are investing in EDR should strongly consider second generation solutions that include more automated detection, response, and remediation capabilities that can accelerate response, ensure endpoint resiliance, and enable existing security teams to keep up with the modern endpoint threat landscape.