Ad Image

What is Endpoint Detection, and How Can It Help Your Company? 

Endpoint Detection

The editors at Solutions Review have defined and summarized what endpoint detection is and how EDR security solutions can help companies maintain their security.

Endpoint protection or endpoint detection and response (EDR) security solutions collect and analyze threat data from endpoints connected to a network to facilitate real-time identification of malicious events like breaches and attacks. Also, EDR helps companies continuously monitor endpoint devices and respond to detected cyber threats as they occur. Typically, an EDR solution has four primary functions—monitor endpoints, collect threat data, apply data analytics to see threat patterns, deploy automatic responses to mitigate identified threats, and forensics analysis to investigate incidents further. 

How Endpoint Detection Solutions Work


EDR software and applications are designed to record events occurring in all workloads and endpoints, thus providing security teams with complete visibility of what’s happening in a network. Full visibility of all endpoint activities is vital to uncovering adverse incidents that could cause data loss, intrusions, or malware attacks.

For example, an EDR solution can pinpoint unusual activities, such as unauthorized file transfers or unusual login attempts from unknown devices and during suspicious hours. Therefore, based on this intelligence, security teams can move quickly to thwart potential threats that can compromise a system or data integrity, availability, and confidentiality. 

Our Free Endpoint Detection & Response Buyer’s Guide helps you evaluate the best solution for your use case and features profiles of the leading providers, as well as a category overview of the marketplace.

In addition, when your company deploys EDR technology, it leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to analyze user activities and behaviors and builds the knowledge continuously. As such, an EDR technology can detect when a specific user exhibits different behavior that appears suspicious, such as attempting to access resources without sufficient privileges. The EDR solution can flag such occurrences as potentially harmful events and immediately alert security teams for further investigations and action.  

EDR solutions also protect a network or system from different types of threats. For example, the technology can protect against malicious scripts, stolen login credentials, and fileless malware. In addition, a robust EDR solution can also track malicious adversaries’ procedures, tactics, and techniques. More importantly, not only can an EDR solution learn the methods attackers use to break into a network, but it can also track the attack path and trace it to the entry point. Therefore, EDR is a multifaceted solution developed to maintain a healthy cybersecurity posture. 

Common Endpoint Protection Use Cases  

1) Mobile Device Security 

At least 87% of organizations permit employees to use personal mobile devices in the workplace. Thus, managing and securing mobile devices is one of the most vital EDR use cases for companies today. On the one hand, BYOD policies assist employees to be more productive, especially when 77% of employees feel more productive when working remotely. However, on the other hand, personal devices often lack hardened security, contain outdated applications, and may be shared with multiple users. Such factors increase the risks of data breaches and attacks. Fortunately, EDR solutions extend security to all devices accessing corporate networks, monitor them, and respond promptly to detected threats. 

2) Protecting Against Evolving Threat Environments  

Gone are the times when an antivirus solution could sufficiently protect businesses from most malware attacks and cyber threats. The current threat landscape is plagued by more complex, faster, and stealthier attacks that require proactive security solutions. For example, Ransomware as a Service affiliate programs has caused so much havoc to the extent that ransomware gangs are demanding record-breaking ransoms amounting to tens of millions. Ultimately, deploying an EDR solution provides enhanced security. It leverages advanced algorithms and threat knowledge to detect new threats instead of traditional solutions that rely on signature-based detection methods. With an EDR security solution, there are slim chances of undetected threats. 

3) Overcoming Investigation Challenges  

Experts have reiterated that proactive security is the best approach to preventing attacks than a reactive security technique. Proactive security requires companies to anticipate security threats and implement robust countermeasures before attacks occur. That said, EDR software is the perfect solution for achieving proactive cybersecurity since it provides advanced threat hunting and threat intelligence capabilities. Essentially, EDR deployments continuously collect threat data from all endpoints, leverage complex AI-based data analytics to detect threats, and alert security teams in real-time to respond appropriately. Besides, EDR solutions can also initiate response measures automatically to mitigate detected threats.  

How EDR Can Help Your Company 

A recent study by the Ponemon Institute found that 68% of organizations have been victims of endpoint attacks that led to more serious data breach incidents and damage to IT infrastructure. Also, additional research revealed that endpoints are among the most targeted, with 81% of companies reporting malware having infected their devices. Furthermore, Verizon found that password dumpers, a method where hackers compromise endpoints and harvest stored passwords, are increasingly preferred for executing malware attacks and breaching secure networks/systems. The bottom line is endpoints will continue being targeted and compromised unless organizations implement sufficient endpoint detection and response systems. 

Luckily, new services and features position EDR solutions as the right fit for detecting and responding to threats in all endpoints. For instance, your company can use EDR threat intelligence services to enhance threat detection capabilities in deployed endpoints. In addition, threat intelligence can provide your company with a pool of data relating to current threats and their attributes, which goes a long way towards identifying exploits. At the same time, EDR solutions contain AI capabilities that enable automated investigation processes that play a vital role in determining the root cause of adversarial incidents and inform required countermeasures.  

Moreover, as in-house security professionals continue facing increasing and sophisticated cyber threats and challenges in monitoring an increasingly diverse number of endpoints, EDR solutions can provide automated analysis, monitoring, and investigation to ensure timely detection and response to malicious incidents. Increased speed and visibility of deployed endpoints, combined with contextualized, integrated intelligence, enables security professionals to track sophisticated attacks and uncover harmful incidents.

Finally, real-time alerting and response can help your security teams to understand the threats facing your company and determine the most appropriate response measures without disrupting your daily operations. Endpoint detection solutions can protect your company from attacks saving you from ruined reputations and costly outcomes resulting from breaches. 


NOW READ: The Best Endpoint Security Vendors and Solutions


Download Link to Endpoint Security Buyer's Guide

Share This

Related Posts