Best 10 Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) Solutions For Enterprise (2026)
We reviewed the leading EDR platforms on detection accuracy, the quality of behavioral analysis, and how well automated response handles threats that require speed over manual investigation.
Written by
Caitlin Harris
Technical Review by
Laura Iannini
Quick Summary
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions provide continuous endpoint monitoring, behavioral threat detection, and automated response — replacing traditional antivirus with capabilities designed for modern attack techniques. Endpoint threats have an average dwell time measured in months when undetected; fast detection and automated response are the primary differentiators. We reviewed the top platforms and found ESET PROTECT Enterprise, Huntress Managed EDR, and ThreatLocker Detect to be the strongest on detection accuracy and response speed.
Endpoint detection and response feels straightforward until you’re actually deploying it. You need to see threats in real time, respond faster than attackers escalate, and do this across hundreds or thousands of endpoints without crushing your infrastructure or driving up false positives.
The real problem isn’t finding a tool that detects malware. The problem is finding one that surfaces threats faster than your team can actually respond to them, integrates smoothly into your existing security stack, and doesn’t require hiring additional analysts just to tune out the noise. Get it wrong, and you end up with alert fatigue that actually degrades security.
We evaluated 10 EDR and XDR platforms across Windows, macOS, and Linux environments, evaluating each for detection speed, false positive rates, investigation capabilities, integration depth, and deployment ease. We examined how each handles ransomware, alongside lateral movement and privilege escalation. We also reviewed how teams actually use them in production and where implementations stumble.
Our Recommendations
Your choice depends on whether you prefer unified bundled protection, managed threat hunting, or automated policy-driven response.
- Best For Bundled XDR and Encryption: ESET PROTECT Enterprise bundles endpoint protection, full disk encryption, and threat detection under a single console.
- Best For Managed Threat Hunting Without Headcount: Huntress Managed EDR pairs always-on monitoring with 24/7 human-staffed SOC that hunts threats and handles response.
- Best For Policy-Driven Automated Response: ThreatLocker Detect uses policy-based monitoring and automated remediation to catch unusual endpoint activity without manual intervention.
- Best For ML-Driven Enterprise Detection: Cisco Secure Endpoint uses machine learning and Talos Intelligence to detect, isolate, and respond to endpoint threats across mid-to-large enterprises.
- Best For Cross-Domain Threat Correlation: CrowdStrike Falcon Insight XDR extends EDR foundation into cross-domain detection, correlating threats across endpoints, cloud, and identity systems with MITRE ATT&CK mapping.
ESET PROTECT Enterprise is an XDR platform that bundles endpoint protection, full disk encryption, and threat detection for mid-sized to large organizations. Built for teams that want detection and response, plus encryption from a single console.
Machine Learning Detection With Live Response
The platform layers machine learning, behavioral analysis, and cloud sandboxing to catch known malware and zero-day threats. We found the adaptive scanning useful. It auto-adjusts alert sensitivity so your SOC team spends less time chasing false positives.
Live response options include one-click endpoint isolation and PowerShell remediation. The ransomware shield and brute force protection run natively alongside the detection engine. We saw clean integration with SIEM, SOAR, and ticketing tools through the public API, keeping it from becoming an island in your stack.
What Customers Are Saying
Detection performance holds up in production. Customers say ransomware attacks dropped significantly after deployment, and centralized policy management saves time across large endpoint groups. Definition updates run multiple times daily without manual intervention.
The friction points are real though.
Strong Detection if You Can Navigate the Rough Edges
If your priority is proven detection and you need XDR, encryption, and endpoint protection under one roof, this delivers. We think it fits mid-sized teams that value threat blocking over slick admin interfaces.
Strengths
- Adaptive scanning reduces false positives so your team focuses on real threats
- One-click endpoint isolation speeds up incident containment during active attacks
- Bundles XDR, encryption, and endpoint protection under a single management console
- Public API integrates with SIEM, SOAR, and ticketing tools without custom development
Cautions
- Some users report that management console feels dated and buries configuration options in nested menus
- According to customer feedback, support response times have slipped, with some tickets stalling for weeks
Huntress Managed EDR pairs always-on endpoint monitoring with a 24/7 human-staffed SOC that hunts threats and handles response. Built for teams that want enterprise-grade detection without standing up an internal SOC.
Tradecraft Detection With Same-Day Deployment
The platform focuses on hacker tradecraft rather than just known malware signatures. Persistent foothold identification catches hidden backdoors. Malicious process behavior monitoring flags privilege escalation and lateral movement. We found the Ransomware Canaries approach smart for catching encryption attacks early before they spread across your environment.
Deployment is painless. Pre-built RMM scripts roll agents across endpoints same-day. We saw strong Defender integration, letting the platform manage Defender Antivirus centrally rather than requiring rip-and-replace. External Reconnaissance scans your perimeter for exposed ports automatically. Windows, macOS, and Linux all get dedicated agents with OS-specific detections.
Low Alert Fatigue, High SOC Praise
Customers say false positive rates are low, which cuts alert fatigue for stretched teams. Auto-remediation handles low-level threats without manual intervention, and the SOC team gets high marks for responsiveness during active incidents.
Users have flagged that isolation events lack detail on what triggered them, especially when closed as false positives. Some customers note friction when Huntress suspends O365 access, since reactivation requires jumping into Microsoft Entra rather than resolving within the Huntress console.
Managed Detection Without the Headcount
If your team lacks dedicated threat hunters or a 24/7 SOC, Huntress fills that gap well. We think it fits MSPs and mid-market teams wanting strong detection with minimal operational overhead.
Strengths
- 24/7 SOC handles threat hunting and response so your team doesn't have to
- Low false positive rates reduce alert fatigue and keep analysts focused on real threats
- Pre-built RMM scripts enable same-day deployment across large endpoint fleets
- Manages Microsoft Defender centrally without requiring a full agent replacement
- Ransomware Canaries catch encryption attacks early before widespread file damage
Cautions
- Some customer reviews note that isolation alerts lack detail on what triggered them, especially for false positives
- Some users mention that O365 suspension recovery requires manual steps in Microsoft Entra outside the platform
ThreatLocker Detect is an EDR solution that uses policy-based monitoring and automated remediation to catch unusual endpoint activity. It works best as part of the broader ThreatLocker Zero Trust platform, adding detection and response to an already locked-down environment.
Policy-Driven Detection With Automated Lockdown
The platform pulls telemetry from ThreatLocker agents and Windows event logs to spot threats in real time. We found the automated incident response policies practical. You define trigger conditions and the platform handles remediation, whether that means network disconnection or full endpoint lockdown. Configurable severity thresholds filter noise so your team focuses on what matters.
Integration with ThreatLocker’s wider Zero Trust stack is where it gets interesting. Application whitelisting, Ringfencing, and storage control work alongside Detect to create layered defense. We saw this combination limit lateral movement and restrict what applications can do even if something malicious lands on an endpoint.
What Customers Are Saying
Customers say the support team is a standout, with live assistance available almost immediately. The centralized console handles policy deployment across multiple organizations, which MSPs appreciate. Unified auditing makes tracking application installs and user activity straightforward.
Users have flagged a learning curve to fully understand the platform.
Best When Paired With Zero Trust
If your organization already runs ThreatLocker’s Zero Trust tools, adding Detect is a natural fit. We think it works best for MSPs and mid-market teams wanting policy-driven detection layered on top of application control.
Strengths
- Automated incident response policies handle remediation without manual intervention
- Configurable severity thresholds reduce alert fatigue and surface only meaningful threats
- Layered defense with application whitelisting, Ringfencing, and storage control in one stack
- Support team responds fast with live assistance and hands-on troubleshooting
Cautions
- Based on customer feedback, the learning curve to fully configure and understand the platform's depth of features is steep
- Some users have noted that frequent feature updates can make ongoing staff training harder to maintain
Cisco Secure Endpoint
Cisco Secure Endpoint is a cloud-native EDR solution that uses machine learning to detect, isolate, and respond to endpoint threats. It fits mid-to-large enterprises, especially those already invested in the Cisco security ecosystem.
ML-Driven Detection With Talos Intelligence
Machine learning drives behavioral monitoring, catching fileless malware and ransomware that signature-based tools miss. We found the one-click endpoint isolation useful for fast containment during active incidents. Over 200 pre-defined search queries give your team a head start on investigations without building custom filters from scratch.
Cisco Talos powers the threat intelligence layer.
What Customers Are Saying
Customers say detection depth and early threat visibility are strong points. The platform runs quietly without disruptive notifications, and initial agent setup is straightforward. Integration with other Cisco security tools extends coverage without adding standalone management overhead.
Users have flagged that the management console feels complex, particularly for investigations and policy creation.
Enterprise-Grade for Cisco Shops
If your organization already runs Cisco security tools, Secure Endpoint slots in naturally. We think mid-to-large enterprises with dedicated security teams will get the most value here.
Strengths
- Talos threat intelligence shares global detection data across all endpoints automatically
- One-click isolation contains active threats fast without disrupting your wider network
- Over 200 pre-built search queries accelerate investigations without custom filter setup
- Continuous endpoint recording gives forensic teams full attack context and timeline
Cautions
- Some customer reviews highlight that management console is complex, with investigations and policy creation requiring a learning curve
- According to some user reviews, reporting and dashboards lack visual depth, making quick insight extraction harder
CrowdStrike Falcon Insight XDR
CrowdStrike Falcon Insight XDR delivers extended detection and response through a single lightweight agent. Built for mid-to-large organizations that need real-time threat monitoring without slowing down endpoints.
MITRE Mapping and AI-Driven Triage
Behavioral analytics run continuously, catching threats that signature-based detection misses. We found the MITRE ATT&CK mapping valuable for triage. It maps alerts to known attack techniques so your team understands context without digging through raw event data. AI-driven threat intelligence adds another layer, helping prioritize which incidents need attention first.
The response toolkit is strong. Real-time investigation and containment actions let your team act fast during incidents. We saw the single-agent architecture keep deployment simple, covering Windows, macOS, Chrome OS, and Linux from one install. The API opens cross-platform visibility when you connect other security products into the ecosystem.
What Customers Are Saying
Customers say the platform runs quietly and protects endpoints without noticeable performance impact. The centralized console makes monitoring large endpoint fleets manageable, and support gets consistent praise for responsiveness.
Users have flagged that advanced features feel overwhelming initially, and onboarding takes longer than expected across large deployments.
Enterprise XDR Without the Agent Sprawl
If your organization needs enterprise-grade XDR with minimal endpoint overhead, CrowdStrike belongs on your shortlist. We think it fits security teams that want deep visibility and fast triage without managing multiple agents.
Strengths
- MITRE ATT&CK mapping adds attack context to alerts, speeding up triage decisions
- Single lightweight agent covers multiple OS platforms without noticeable performance impact
- Real-time containment actions let your team isolate threats during active incidents
- API-based integrations extend visibility across your broader security stack
Cautions
- According to some user reviews, advanced features overwhelm new users, and onboarding large deployments takes time
- Some users report that Endpoint offboarding from the console is not always immediate or well-automated
Heimdal Endpoint Detection and Response
Heimdal EDR bundles next-gen antivirus, privileged access management, application control, patch management, DNS filtering, and encryption into one platform. It targets organizations that want layered threat prevention across multiple vectors from a single dashboard.
Modular Security With Built-In PAM
Machine learning drives the detection engine, catching malware, vulnerability exploits, and social engineering attacks proactively. We found the unified dashboard practical for teams managing threats across email, endpoint, web, and identity layers without switching tools. Automated remediation workflows handle response actions so your team spends less time on manual cleanup.
Consolidated Security Beyond Traditional EDR
If your organization wants a consolidated security platform that goes beyond traditional EDR, Heimdal is worth evaluating. We think it fits teams looking to reduce vendor sprawl across endpoint protection, PAM, and patching.
Smooth Deployment, Limited Feedback Depth
Customers say deployment is smooth and the platform catches threats that previous antivirus solutions missed. The central console gets praise for clear analytics that help quantify organizational risk. Support earns positive marks for resolving issues quickly.
Customer feedback is limited in depth for this product. Available reviews focus on deployment ease and general satisfaction but lack detail on edge cases or performance under load. That makes it harder to surface operational pain points that matter during evaluation.
Strengths
- Bundles EDR, PAM, patching, DNS filtering, and encryption under a single management console
- Modular architecture lets you add capabilities over time without platform changes
- Automated remediation workflows reduce manual response time for your security team
- Catches threats that previous antivirus solutions missed after initial deployment
Cautions
- Based on customer reviews, limited detailed customer feedback makes it harder to assess real-world edge cases
- Some customer reviews flag that pricing is not publicly available, requiring direct vendor engagement to evaluate cost
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is Microsoft’s EDR platform covering Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and IoT devices. Built for organizations already running Microsoft 365 and Azure that want endpoint protection woven into their existing stack.
78 Trillion Signals and Cross-Service Correlation
The platform processes over 78 trillion daily signals through Microsoft’s global intelligence network. We found the cross-service signal correlation valuable. A phishing email flagged in Outlook gets connected to lateral movement on an endpoint automatically, giving your team attack context fast. Copilot for Security adds AI-assisted alert prioritization and natural language queries on top.
Device discovery covers managed and unmanaged endpoints, providing a single view of your attack surface.
What Customers Are Saying
Customers say the Microsoft ecosystem integration is the strongest selling point, with unified investigation across endpoints, identities, cloud apps, and email. Setup is smooth for teams already familiar with Microsoft tooling. Automated response capabilities get consistent praise.
Users have flagged that managing policies across Entra, Intune, Defender, and Purview creates confusion about where settings live.
Best Value Inside the Microsoft Stack
If your organization is committed to Microsoft’s cloud stack, Defender for Endpoint is a natural choice. We think it delivers the most value paired with the broader Defender XDR suite.
Strengths
- Cross-service signal correlation connects email, identity, and endpoint threats automatically
- 78 trillion daily signals feed real-time threat intelligence across all protected endpoints
- Device discovery maps both managed and unmanaged endpoints into one attack surface view
- Copilot for Security adds AI-assisted triage and natural language investigation queries
Cautions
- Based on customer feedback, policy management spans Entra, Intune, Defender, and Purview, creating portal confusion
- Some users have noted that detection quality on macOS and Linux still trails the Windows experience
Palo Alto Cortex XDR
Palo Alto Cortex XDR is an analytics-driven EDR platform that correlates endpoint, network, and cloud telemetry to detect and respond to advanced threats. Built for security teams that need deep investigation capabilities and fast incident response.
Alert Grouping and Visual Attack Chain Analysis
Behavioral analytics and machine learning power the detection engine, catching evasive threats that signature-based tools miss. We found the intelligent alert grouping and incident scoring effective for cutting through noise. Instead of drowning analysts in individual alerts, Cortex XDR clusters related events and ranks them by severity. MITRE ATT&CK mapping adds investigation context out of the box.
The response toolkit includes Live Terminal, Search and Destroy, and Host Restore. We saw the visual investigation tools and root cause analysis help analysts trace attack chains without switching consoles. Process tree analysis digs into command-line activity and TTPs at a granular level. Deployment and updates run from a single web console.
What Customers Are Saying
Customers say the platform reliably detects advanced threats including malware, ransomware, and targeted attacks. Integration with native Palo Alto apps and Broker VM works smoothly. Endpoint setup is straightforward with real-time alerting.
Users have flagged that tuning policies and customizing detections involves a steep learning curve.
Enterprise-Grade Investigation for Dedicated Teams
If your security team needs deep forensic investigation and cross-telemetry correlation, Cortex XDR is a strong contender. We think it fits enterprise teams with dedicated analysts who can invest in tuning.
Strengths
- Intelligent alert grouping clusters related events to reduce analyst fatigue
- Cross-telemetry correlation connects endpoint, network, and cloud signals in one view
- Visual investigation tools with root cause analysis trace full attack chains
- Live Terminal and Host Restore enable fast hands-on remediation during incidents
Cautions
- According to customer feedback, policy tuning and detection customization involve a steep learning curve
- Some users have reported that false positives on common applications require early attention and manual adjustment
SentinelOne Singularity XDR
SentinelOne Singularity XDR uses behavioral AI to detect and remediate threats across Windows, macOS, Linux, and IoT devices. Built for organizations of all sizes, particularly teams with limited security resources that need automated protection.
Storyline Technology and Behavioral AI
The behavioral AI engine monitors endpoints in real time, catching threats based on activity patterns rather than signatures alone. We found the Storyline technology useful. It chains related events into a visual narrative so your analysts understand how an attack unfolded without manually piecing together logs. MITRE ATT&CK mapping adds standardized investigation context on top.
Automated remediation is the headline capability. The platform detects, isolates, remediates, and rolls back changes without waiting for analyst intervention. We saw this cut response times for teams lacking 24/7 SOC coverage. Three tiers ship as Core, Control, and Complete, with full EDR and USB/network management in the top package. Data residency options span US, EU, and APAC.
What Customers Are Saying
Customers say the platform makes threat detection clearer, with alert context that speeds up response. Smaller security teams praise centralized visibility across endpoint, network, cloud, and identity telemetry. Alert correlation reduces fatigue by surfacing real incidents over noise.
Customer feedback is largely positive but light on specific friction points.
Automated Protection That Scales
If your team needs automated detection and response without heavy analyst overhead, SentinelOne fits well. We think it works best for organizations wanting strong out-of-the-box protection with room to scale.
Strengths
- Storyline technology visualizes full attack chains so analysts skip manual log correlation
- Automated remediation with rollback handles threats without waiting for analyst intervention
- Cross-telemetry correlation spans endpoint, network, cloud, and identity in one view
- Data residency options across US, EU, and APAC support regional compliance requirements
Cautions
- Some users have reported that limited critical customer feedback makes it harder to assess real-world operational challenges
- According to customer feedback, the platform's depth of features creates a learning curve for teams new to advanced EDR tooling
Sophos Intercept X Endpoint
Sophos Intercept X Endpoint uses deep learning AI to detect threats and provides automated ransomware recovery with file rollback. Built for organizations with IT or security resources that want scalable endpoint protection across Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Deep Learning Detection With Ransomware Rollback
Deep learning powers the detection engine, identifying malware variants that traditional signature-based tools miss. We found the anti-ransomware capability a standout. It detects encryption behavior, blocks the attack, and automatically rolls back affected files. Behavior analysis and malicious traffic detection add extra layers without requiring separate products.
Sophos Central ties everything together. Endpoints, servers, firewalls, and mobile devices manage from one console. We saw the unified dashboard keep policy management straightforward even across larger deployments. Application controls, alongside peripheral device management and web traffic filtering are built in. Live response gives your team real-time remediation when automated actions need a human touch.
What Customers Are Saying
Customers say detection is sharp and the console is clean and intuitive. Teams praise deployment ease and integration with existing tools. The Intercept X engine gets strong marks for catching threats previous solutions missed.
Users have flagged that scans slow down older hardware, causing delays with large files.
AI-Driven Protection for Growing Teams
If your team wants AI-driven detection with built-in ransomware rollback, Intercept X is worth evaluating. We think it fits mid-market organizations that want strong protection without managing multiple point solutions.
Strengths
- Ransomware rollback automatically restores encrypted files to their pre-attack state
- Deep learning detection catches new malware variants that signature-based tools miss
- Sophos Central manages endpoints, servers, firewalls, and mobile from one console
- Live response provides real-time remediation access when automated actions fall short
Cautions
- Some users report that scans and threat hunting slow down older hardware, especially with large files
- Based on customer feedback, false positives on legitimate applications require manual whitelisting by IT staff
Other Endpoint Security Services
Offers endpoint protection with EDR capabilities, focused on threat prevention, detection, and response.
Offers a suite of endpoint protection, including detection and response capabilities.
An endpoint security solution that includes EDR capabilities to enhance threat detection and response.
What To Look For: EDR and XDR Solutions Checklist
Evaluating EDR and XDR platforms requires careful attention to detection quality, operational burden, and integration depth. Here are the essential criteria:
- Detection Quality and False Positive Rate: How does the platform catch ransomware, lateral movement, and privilege escalation? Does it use behavioral analysis, machine learning, or both? What percentage of alerts are false positives? Can you find independent third-party testing data?
- Automation and Response Capabilities: Can the platform automatically isolate infected endpoints without analyst approval? Does it handle remediation actions like process termination or file rollback? How much manual effort remains for your team?
- Investigation and Forensics: Does it provide full process trees and command-line activity visibility? Can you reconstruct attack chains without manual log correlation? Are there pre-built search queries and analysis templates? How intuitive is the investigation interface?
- Platform Coverage: Does it handle Windows, macOS, and Linux equally well? What about mobile devices or IoT? Does a single agent cover everything or do you need separate agents? How does it integrate with your identity and cloud monitoring?
- Deployment Simplicity: How long does agent deployment take across a large fleet? Are there RMM integrations? How disruptive is the rollout to production systems? Can you automate policy updates?
- Integration and Ecosystem: Does it integrate with your SIEM, ticketing system, or security orchestration platform? Are there APIs for custom workflows? How well does it work with your existing security stack, cloud email, identity, firewall?
- Cost and Scaling: Is pricing per-endpoint or per-user? How does it scale as your organization grows? Are there licensing tiers with different capabilities? Do you understand the true cost of ownership including onboarding and ongoing administration?
Weight these based on your environment. Teams with limited security resources should prioritize automation. Organizations with dedicated analysts should focus on investigation depth. Teams already invested in specific ecosystems should evaluate integration quality.
How We Compared The Best Endpoint Detection And Response Solutions
Expert Insights is an independent editorial team that evaluates endpoint detection and response platforms. We do not accept payment for favorable reviews. Our scores reflect product quality only.
We evaluated 10 EDR and XDR solutions across Windows, macOS, and Linux endpoints. We evaluated detection accuracy across ransomware, lateral movement, and privilege escalation scenarios. We examined false positive rates, automation capabilities, alongside investigation tools and deployment ease. Each solution was deployed in simulated enterprise environments representing real-world complexity.
Beyond hands on testing, we conducted vendor interviews and reviewed extensive customer feedback to understand operational realities. We examined how teams actually use these platforms during active incidents and where implementations stumble. We analyzed detection performance reports from independent security researchers where available.
This guide is updated quarterly. For complete details on our methodology, visit our How We Test & Review Products.
The Bottom Line
EDR and XDR platforms differ significantly in approach. Your choice depends on team size, security maturity, and whether you prioritize automation or investigation depth.
For lightweight enterprise XDR with strong triage, CrowdStrike Falcon Insight XDR delivers on a single agent. MITRE mapping speeds investigation. Real-time containment actions move fast during incidents.
If automated remediation is your priority and analyst availability is constrained, SentinelOne Singularity XDR detects, isolates, remediates, and rolls back without waiting. Storyline technology visualizes attacks. Three tiers let you match capabilities to your needs.
For teams fully committed to Microsoft 365 and Azure, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint processes 78 trillion daily signals and correlates threats across your entire stack. Best value paired with the broader Defender XDR suite.
If deep investigation and cross-telemetry correlation matter most, Palo Alto Cortex XDR excels. Alert grouping and visual attack chain analysis reduce analyst friction. Best for enterprise teams with dedicated forensics capability.
For MSPs and lean teams wanting managed detection without internal staffing, Huntress Managed EDR pairs 24/7 human hunting with low false positives. Pre-built RMM scripts deploy same-day.
Read the individual reviews above for deployment specifics, detection capabilities, and the trade-offs that matter for your environment.
FAQs
Everything You Need To Know About Endpoint Detection and Response (FAQs)
Endpoint detection and response (EDR) is a type of software solution that enables IT and security teams to identify endpoint threats such as malware, viruses, fileless attacks and the misuse of legitimate applications—be that malicious or mistaken. But not only do EDR security solutions help organizations to detect these threats; they also help them to remediate security incidents and analyze them, to help prevent the same thing from happening in the future.
81% of businesses have experienced an attack involving some sort of malware, and 53% of organizations were hit by a successful ransomware attack in the last year alone. It’s clear that organizations need to protect their endpoints against threats such as these, and implementing an EDR tool is one of the ways in which they can do that.
Endpoint detection and response solutions enable IT and security teams to more efficiently identify malicious activity across their organizations’ endpoints, and then quickly and effectively remediate that activity.
EDR solutions monitor each endpoint—be it a desktop, laptop, mobile device, cloud system or server—in real-time for suspicious or unusual behavior that could indicate the system has been compromised. When a threat is detected, the solution can either initiate a response automatically to contain and remediate the threat, or provide suggestions to the security team to help inform their manual threat response processes. The level of automated remediation available varies from solution to solution, and is usually configurable so that system admins can integrate the platform’s remediation actions with the organization’s existing security tools and workflows.
As well as helping organizations to identify and respond to threats, many EDR tools also offer threat intelligence functionality, which helps security teams work out exactly how each threat entered their system and what actions allowed it to spread. This enables them to fix the root cause of the problem and prevent repeat attacks.
EDR solutions monitor a company’s endpoints—including desktops, laptops, mobile devices, cloud systems, and servers— in real-time for anomalous behavior that might indicate that the endpoint has been breached. When the solution detects anomalous or malicious activity, it either automatically responds to it as per admin-configured remediation workflows, or it alerts admins to the activity so that they can respond to it manually.
Some EDR products also offer threat intelligence features. These help SOC teams to identify the root cause of the attack so that they can fix the vulnerability and prevent any repeat attacks in the future.
There is a, seemingly, endless list of acronyms in the world of cybersecurity, so it is worth breaking down how EDR is different to MDR and EPP:
- EDR vs. EPP: EDR tools differ from traditional endpoint protection platforms (EPPs), or endpoint security solutions, as they provide heightened threat intelligence and automated incident response.
- EDR vs. MDR: Managed detection and response (MDR) solutions offer the same functionality as EDR products, but the management of the solution—including the remediation of any threats it detects—is taken care of by a team of security experts external to your own company, who work for the MDR provider. This can be a strong option for businesses that don’t have the in-house resource to manage an EDR system or respond to incidents themselves. Some EDR providers offer managed response as an add-on to their core EDR technology.
EDR solutions allow businesses to identify endpoint threats such as viruses, malware, fileless attacks, the use of illegitimate applications, and the misuse of legitimate applications. They also help you to remediate threats and provide in-depth analysis on how each incident began and spread, so that you can take steps to prevent future attacks.
Endpoint attacks are some of the most common threats—and in the case of ransomware, the most expensive—that business today are facing, so it’s important that you’re able to identify and remediate them when they do occur. Due to their frequency and severity, we recommend that every business invest in some type of endpoint security solution. However, you need to analyze the needs of your business when choosing which type of solution to go for.
If you don’t have too many endpoints to manage and your team has sufficient resource to respond efficiently to any incidents that they’re alerted to, then you may just want an endpoint protection platform.
If you have a large network with a diverse range of endpoints to monitor, and a security team that can dedicate their time to threat monitoring and incident response, you may wish to consider an EDR tool.
If you don’t have the in-house resource to investigate alerts and conduct incident response, however big or small your endpoint fleet is, an MDR solution might be better suited to your needs.
There are five key features that you should look out for when choosing an EDR solution:
- Effective threat detection.
This is the “D” in “EDR”. Once you’ve deployed your EDR tool, it should use machine learning and behavioral analytics to create a baseline of “normal” activity for each endpoint, including user interactions such as logins and process executions. The EDR solution can then use this baseline to highlight any anomalous (and therefore potentially malicious) activity across your endpoints. If an EDR solution can’t do this effectively, it isn’t an EDR solution.
- Automated threat response.
There are several ways in which an EDR tool can offer incident response. “Guided remediation” usually means that the solution will give your SOC team suggestions on how to respond to a threat. “Automated incident response” usually means that your SOC team can create incident response workflows that enable the platform to automatically remediate or contain certain types of threat on your behalf. “Managed threat hunting” usually means that the EDR provider will also offer you a dedicated SOC team that will guide your own in-house team through the entire incident response process—though this often comes at an additional cost.
- Intuitive, prioritized alerting.
No matter what your solution’s level of automated incident response is, it needs to alert your security team to any incidents it discovers. The best solutions also triage these alerts, so that your team knows which ones they need to prioritize. Ultimately, this helps them to reduce their mean-time-to-respond (MTTR) and the overall damage caused by the attack.
- Threat intelligence.
This is one of the biggest differences between EDR and EPP solutions: an EDR solution should use the behavioral data it’s collected to create a full trail of the attacker’s activities within your network. This begins at the moment the account was breached, and all of their movements after that. This can help you prevent future breaches of the same nature and fix any vulnerabilities that enabled the attack to spread.
- Intuitive, customizable management.
The best EDR tools not only provide powerful protection but make it easy for your team to manage that protection by offering a user-friendly interface and high levels of customization. This not only enables security teams to gain clearer visibility into their endpoint data, but also to fine-tune the solution to their environment, which can help reduce false positives.
Some of the common threats identified by EDR security solutions are listed below.
Multi-Stage Attacks
As an EDR solution collects endpoint data from across your entire network, it has complete visibility into the threats you face. It can correlate data and events that seem isolated and benign on their own. When taken together, EDR can uncover evidence of multi-stage attack patterns. This might include evidence of “reconnaissance”, where a series of smaller breaches are used to probe a network and find vulnerabilities. By identifying these indicators early, an attack can be prevented before it comes to fruition, thereby keeping you safer.
Zero-Day Threats
The term “zero-day threat” is used to describe a threat that has never been seen before. As such, there is no predefined route to respond to the threat. In these cases, EDR solutions must react proactively to isolate the threat from the wider network and monitor behavior to identify the best way to resolve it. It is important to ensure that the threat has not replicated or hidden, and that the threat is fully resolved.
Fileless Malware
Fileless malware is a form of malware attack that does not require any new software to be installed on a user’s device in order to carry out the attack. It will modify native, legitimate tools and software on the user’s device. As there is no malicious code being installed, legacy AV, sandboxing, and allow-listing tools may struggle to detect fileless malware. Attackers may use exploit kits, memory-only malware, or stolen credentials to gain access to a device.
It is essential that an EDR solution gathers as much data as possible and analyzes it in an effective way. This ensures that it can provide comprehensive network coverage and respond at the earliest sign of a threat. Understanding how the threat entered your network, and predicting its future movements through behavioral analysis, can help to ensure that remediation efforts are targeted and effective.
With this data ingested and analyzed, EDR is able to perform effective remediation.
Written By
Caitlin Harris is the Deputy Head of Content at Expert Insights. As an experienced content writer and editor, Caitlin helps cybersecurity leaders to cut through the noise in the cybersecurity space with expert analysis and insightful recommendations.
Prior to Expert Insights, Caitlin worked at QA Ltd, where she produced award-winning technical training materials, and she has also produced journalistic content over the course of her career.
Caitlin has 8 years of experience in the cybersecurity and technology space, helping technical teams, CISOs, and security professionals find clarity on complex, mission critical topics like security awareness training, backup and recovery, and endpoint protection.
Caitlin also hosts the Expert Insights Podcast and co-writes the weekly newsletter, Decrypted.
Technical Review
Laura Iannini is a Cybersecurity Analyst at Expert Insights. With deep cybersecurity knowledge and strong research skills, she leads Expert Insights’ product testing team, conducting thorough tests of product features and in-depth industry analysis to ensure that Expert Insights’ product reviews are definitive and insightful.
Laura also carries out wider analysis of vendor landscapes and industry trends to inform Expert Insights’ enterprise cybersecurity buyers’ guides, covering topics such as security awareness training, cloud backup and recovery, email security, and network monitoring. Prior to working at Expert Insights, Laura worked as a Senior Information Security Engineer at Constant Edge, where she tested cybersecurity solutions, carried out product demos, and provided high-quality ongoing technical support.
Laura holds a Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity from the University of West Florida.