The digital landscape is constantly changing. As new and emerging technologies gain prominence across business and consumer markets, cyber threat actors are gaining new vectors to levy against individual users, businesses, and government entities. Understanding the potential security threats posed by these growing and emerging technologies—such as cloud computing infrastructures and the Internet of Things (IoT)—will equip at-risk entities with the information needed to make well-informed cybersecurity plans and adopt effective defensive measures. Both Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) and Managed Endpoint Detection and Response (MEDR) are rapidly growing areas of cybersecurity that aim to mitigate these threats.
While neither the Cloud nor the Internet of Things is new per se, the list of devices connecting to and accessing these systems continues to expand and diversify every year rapidly. While the growing number of connected devices may not present itself as an issue at first glance, as more devices connect to your company’s systems, attackers gain more entry points into your network.
How EDR Protects Your Data
Endpoint Detection and Response—commonly referred to as EDR—is a relatively novel category of cybersecurity tools and techniques. Originally coined by Gartner in 2013 as Endpoint Threat Detection and Response, this area of cybersecurity focuses on detecting and reporting suspicious activity originating from the various endpoints connected to your network.
Some of the most common endpoints include:
- Laptops
- Tablets
- Smartphones
- Digital printers
- Kiosks
- Workstations
- Other IoT devices
Endpoint Detection and Response solutions work by recording the activity taking place on your network and storing it in a central database. Many EDR systems use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to help analysts sort through and analyze the collected data. Over time as the software begins to “learn” from the network data it collects, it can determine a normal regular activity for various endpoints across your network.
Once a baseline activity is determined, an EDR solution can detect abnormal activity on your network and flag it for analysis. In addition, some EDR solutions are capable of automatically quarantining the endpoint before analyst review to ensure potential threats are unable to penetrate the network further. Analysts must then review the event and determine whether or not there is a breach.
Following a suspicious event, EDR solutions store and analyze the data to be used in the future. This is useful for two reasons. First, when your EDR solution encounters a previously unencountered attack, it can help prevent similar attacks from occurring in the future. Second, the EDR can use the information gained from analysis to determine if similar threats have been lurking on your network undetected.
The Benefits of EDR
Endpoint Detection and Response offers a robust, modern solution to the various cybersecurity threats we face today. In addition, EDR solutions enhance your cybersecurity in several ways. For example, EDR provides automation tools that help your teams prioritize threats, help you secure your workforce even when it’s remote, and can even work in conjunction with other security programs.
Automated Response Systems
As previously mentioned, the number of endpoints that are being connected to networks is quickly growing. In addition, as mobile applications continue to grow in the workforce and employees subsequently use their phones, laptops, and other devices to connect to your network, even small businesses can have thousands of endpoints. As a result, as your EDR solutions search for potential threats, your cybersecurity team could have hundreds of flags show up throughout a single day.
While neither AI nor ML is advanced enough to put human analysts out of a job just yet, they can help sort through and analyze the numerous potential threats your network faces. If your solution can set up triage, your analysts will spend more of their time studying threats deemed to be high-priority. In addition, these automated systems allow your teams to respond to potential incidents quickly.
Secure Your Remote Workforce
Remote work is here to stay. To stay afloat during the lockdowns of 2020, businesses across the nation—and the globe—had to adopt remote work solutions virtually overnight. While the workforce has begun to trickle back into the office, many companies have found that their employees prefer fully remote and hybrid work-from-home models. It’s estimated that 25% of the workforce will be working remotely by 2025. Yet, according to a Pew Research survey, the number of fully remote workers pre-2020 was only 7%.
This growing trend presents a challenge for many companies whose security systems are ill-prepared to protect an entirely remote workforce. Securing devices within a corporate office is much easier than securing at-home connections. And, less secure connections and less access between workers and IT has left the door open for phishing and malware attacks.
Using personal devices to connect to company networks also means the security systems typically used to defend against cyberattacks are largely bypassed. However, an EDR solution can make securing the remote workforce easier. Securing each endpoint allows your security team to mitigate the risks of the virtual work environment.
Works In Conjunction With Other Security Products
Endpoint Detection and Response does what the name implies. It detects potential breaches in your security and responds accordingly. This means that it does not stop violations but rather eliminates a threat from spreading across the network. While quarantining a threat can prevent it from island hopping or making lateral attacks, the attack must occur before EDR systems can respond.
Using an EDR solution in conjunction with other security systems such as an Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) will help reduce the likelihood of severe data breaches. An EPP solution is meant to stop threats from installing on your endpoints, and an EDR system detects and quarantines any threats that happen to breakthrough.
In addition, having multiple defense systems in place gives your security team the best possible chance at stopping a malicious attack before it has a chance to steal your data and damage your brand.
Enhance Your Solution With Managed EDR
Even though EDR systems often come equipped with automation tools and can even handle some threats independently, they still require expert support to achieve their full potential. This is where Managed EDR solutions come in.
Managed Endpoint Detection and Response solutions provide companies with the expert analysis and support needed to secure their networks effectively. By opting to partner with an IT firm to manage your EDR security for you, your company will receive the talent and tools necessary to protect your networks efficiently.
Avoiding The Talent Gap
Cybersecurity professionals are in exceedingly high demand, yet these sought-after professionals are in woefully short supply. Currently, there is a global cybersecurity shortage, and data suggests that this shortage won’t be ending anytime soon.
In the United States alone, there are nearly 500,000 unfilled cybersecurity positions, according to research from CyberSeek in partnership with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education. More than 36,000 of these vacant positions belong to the public sector, while the other 400,000+ positions are private.
This shortage can have significant implications for companies looking to implement or expand their in-house cybersecurity teams. Not only are there not enough cybersecurity professionals, but you’ll be competing with thousands of other companies to hire the most experienced individuals in the field. Opting to implement a managed endpoint detection response solution allows your company to circumvent competing for additional professionals to run the solution.
Improve Your Existing Team’s Efficiency
One of the challenges of effectively implementing an endpoint detection and response solution is locating actual breaches while ignoring false flags. Unfortunately, cyber threat actors have vastly improved their ability to misdirect security teams while strengthening their hold against an enterprise’s network.
Stopping cyber threats can be a slow process. Currently, it takes an average of 200 days for a company to identify a network breach, according to Veronis. To make matters even worse, it can take upwards of two months to contain these breaches once they’re identified.
When you partner with Syntax for your managed endpoint detection and response, our Security Operations Center (SOC) can help empower your team with the data needed to respond to security threats promptly.
Detect Advanced Security Threats
While cybersecurity technology is constantly evolving to prevent cyber threat actors from breaching networks, these same criminals are continually updating their tactics and finding new methods of exploiting your endpoints. Zero-day exploits are one form of advanced threats which are especially hard for security teams to detect because they lack a known antivirus signature. Once one of these exploits identifies a weakness in your firmware or software, it breaches your network and gives hackers access to your data.
Other advanced threats include fileless malware and ransomware, which can leave your company unable to do business. At Syntax, we offer managed EDR, which can help you detect and block these threats before they have a chance to take control of your network and hold it hostage.
The Syntax Advantage
When you partner with Syntax, you gain immediate cover from our Security Operations Center, which will begin analyzing your network for preexisting compromises. If our teams discover an indication of compromise, they’ll provide you with a detailed remediation plan to handle the breach.
At Syntax, our strategies are designed to cover every endpoint that accesses your company’s servers. However, we know that infecting endpoints is only the beginning for cybercriminals; that’s why we combine our strategies with our 24×7 SOC and cutting-edge tools to stop your assailants from breaching your Virtual Private Network (VPN) and obtaining more valuable data.
The Right Tools For The Job
When the unthinkable happens, and your company’s data is being held hostage, having the right tools for the job makes all the difference. That’s why Syntax has developed a long-standing partnership with CrowdStrike. As a CrowdStrike partner, we can deploy CrowdStrike’s advanced tools to show your vulnerabilities and help prevent future attacks from occurring.
Rely On An Experienced Partner
When your company’s network is under attack, you need an experienced partner to fight alongside you. Syntax has been through cyberwarfare, and we have developed Ransomware Response Services to guide you through the attack. When you contact our first responder teams, they will recommend immediate actions for you to take. Our teams will also help with ransomware remediation and incident response procedures.
When you partner with Syntax for Managed Endpoint Detection Response services, you’ll be partnering with a team that understands what’s at stake when criminals attack your networks. We’re here to equip you with the best tools in the industry and help you navigate the cybersecurity landscape. Contact us today to discuss how implementing Syntax’s Managed Endpoint Detection and Response Protection will benefit your business.