WHAT IS EDR?

• June 26, 2023

EDR stands for “Endpoint Detection and Response” and is a security technology used to record, detect and respond to security events occurring at the endpoints of a system. EDR is a security approach used in organizations, regardless of whether they are small or large. It focuses on end-user devices (computers, laptops, mobile devices, etc.) in the system.

EDR solutions collect and analyze data from endpoints to detect events such as malware, infiltration attempts, data leaks, and other security breaches. EDR solutions generally use an agent-based architecture and detect, record and analyze events thanks to agents installed on endpoints. These agents monitor activity on endpoints, detect attempts to attack the system, block malware, and react to prevent malicious activity.

EDR technology is an important tool for detecting and responding to advanced threats. EDR solutions are widely used to increase the security of endpoints in the network, detect attacks and respond quickly.

How Did EDR Come About?

EDR emerged in relation to the evolution and change of security threats in computer networks. Traditional security measures (firewall, antivirus software, etc.) have become insufficient over time and have become ineffective against advanced threats. This situation has become even more evident as attackers shift their targets towards endpoints.

Endpoints (computers, laptops, mobile devices, etc.) are the most vulnerable points on the network and can easily be targeted and attacked. Therefore, EDR technology has emerged to develop a more effective approach to security and real-time threat detection at endpoints. With the evolution of technology, EDR solutions are constantly being developed and occupy an important place in the security industry.

How Does EDR Work?

EDR technology collects data from endpoints in a computer network (e.g., computers, servers, mobile devices). This data may include network traffic, system event logs, transaction logs, user activities, and other relevant information, and agents deployed at endpoints monitor, record, and analyze events. It tries to identify abnormal activities and potential threats by analyzing the collected data. The analysis process often involves artificial intelligence, machine learning and behavioral analysis techniques. EDR solutions detect threats using predefined threat patterns and behavioral thresholds. These agents try to detect attack attempts by monitoring activities on endpoints.

EDR generates alerts about detected threats and responds when necessary. Alerts are typically forwarded to security operations centers (SOC) or system administrators. EDR solutions can respond to threats automatically or require human intervention to further investigate incidents.

With the EDR solution, faster incident response is provided against cyber threats. These responses include stopping malicious activity, blocking cyber attacks, isolating the device, and various countermeasures. EDR solutions generally work integrated with other security tools (firewall, antivirus, IDS/IPS, etc.) and provide a comprehensive defense strategy when used together.

EDR technology provides an important tool to reduce the time to detect security incidents, prevent the spread of attacks, and respond quickly. Additionally, thanks to its ability to perform retrospective analysis, it provides the opportunity to determine the origin and impact of the event when an attack occurs.

What Types of Threats Does EDR Detect?

EDR can be used to detect known malware (viruses, trojans, ransomware, worms, etc.) as well as unknown or advanced attacks. EDR attempts to detect malware by monitoring and analyzing anomalies and malicious behavior. It also detects attackers' attempts to log into the network or device. For example, it monitors and detects attack attempts such as port scans, brute force attacks, or phishing attempts.

EDR learns the normal behavioral patterns of devices and attempts to identify potential threats by detecting deviations from them. It helps prevent a possible cyber threat by sending an alert when an abnormal situation occurs.

EDR detects vulnerabilities to attacks by monitoring and analyzing system vulnerabilities (such as system patches, updates, or configuration errors). It uses various methods and algorithms to make these determinations. These methods include technologies such as behavioral analysis, signature-based detection, heuristic analysis, machine learning and artificial intelligence.

Why Should We Use EDR? What is its Importance?

First of all, a possible cyber attack is prevented by detecting known advanced cyber threats as quickly as possible on an endpoint with EDR installed. It provides the opportunity to analyze the detected cyber threats or attacks in detail by security experts, as well as to determine the attacker's activities, the beginning of the attack, the propagation strategy and target. This analysis provides valuable information to the security team to understand the threat or attack and prevent similar attacks in the future.

Using EDR offers a more comprehensive approach to security and can be a lifesaver in areas where traditional antivirus software falls short. Using EDR to detect, analyze and respond to threats strengthens an organization's security mechanism and is an important step in early detection/response of attacks.

EDR Solutions

EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) is a security solution that monitors security events at endpoints and tries to detect threats. EDR solutions can include many different products and services offered by various security providers and may have different features.

• CrowdStrike Falcon: CrowdStrike Falcon stands out as a comprehensive EDR solution to deal with advanced threats and provide rapid responses. It is a cloud-based Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) and Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solution equipped with advanced threat detection and response capabilities. CrowdStrike Falcon is preferred by companies to protect their end users and detect threats. It detects known and unknown threats using advanced threat intelligence and artificial intelligence-supported algorithms. It detects threats through methods such as behavioral analysis, file signature matching, malware hunting and anomaly detection. Falcon provides a rapid and scalable incident response capability to address threats quickly and effectively. It can isolate attacked endpoints, clean malware and restore systems. It provides a central management console to monitor, analyze and report security events. It has features such as real-time incident visibility, analytical reporting and threat intelligence.

• Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (formerly known as Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection or Microsoft Defender ATP) is an advanced endpoint security platform from Microsoft. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is an EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) solution used to protect endpoints in corporate networks and detect threats. Detects malware, attacks and other threats with advanced threat intelligence and AI-powered analysis algorithms. Behavioral analysis identifies abnormal behavior and attack indicators using techniques such as machine learning and big data analytics. It analyzes attacks in depth with advanced threat analytics capabilities. It detects advanced threats using methods such as file behavior analysis, memory analysis, rootkit detection and malicious URL scanning. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint comes built into Windows operating systems and is automatically activated for organizations with a Microsoft 365 E5 license. It can also be used on Windows 10 operating system and Windows Server 2019.

• Malwarebytes Endpoint Detection and Response: Malwarebytes Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) is a security solution offered by Malwarebytes. Malwarebytes EDR detects known and unknown malware and other threats using methods such as signature-based detection, behavioral analysis, and AI-powered algorithms. Identifies threats by analyzing anomalies and harmful behavior. Malwarebytes EDR can integrate with other security solutions and provides extensibility. For example, integration can be achieved with SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) systems, security operations tools and other security platforms.

• VMware Carbon Black EDR: It is a comprehensive solution used for endpoint security in corporate networks. It aims to provide more effective protection against advanced threats with its capabilities such as threat detection, behavior analysis, incident response and event management. VMware Carbon Black EDR strengthens endpoint security by providing organizations with advanced threat detection and rapid incident response capabilities.

• Sophos Intercept X Advanced with EDR: Sophos Intercept X Advanced with EDR is an advanced endpoint protection solution from Sophos, and with Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) capabilities, Intercept It provides advanced threat detection, analysis and response thanks to its EDR capabilities.

What are the Differences between EDR and XDR?

EDR is designed to detect and respond to threats occurring on endpoint devices. Endpoint devices, computers, laptops, servers, mobile devices, etc. Includes network-connected devices such as XDR, on the other hand, has a broad scope, going beyond EDR. By combining network, cloud, application and endpoint data, it analyzes information from multiple security products and offers a more comprehensive approach to detecting and responding to threats.

EDR analyzes data from endpoint devices. Agents running on endpoints collect event logs, system status, file operations, etc. It collects and analyzes data such as: XDR analyzes data from network security devices (firewall, IPS/IDS, firewalls, etc.), cloud security services, application logs and endpoint devices. Combining this data provides a more comprehensive threat view.

EDR provides real-time threat detection and response on endpoint devices. It has capabilities such as malware detection, behavioral analysis, and file integrity checking. XDR provides a broader perspective by combining information from different data sources. It provides more comprehensive threat detection and response with analysis capabilities such as event chaining, threat analysis and threat hunting.

EDR and XDR provide some capabilities for a device to detect and respond to events. For example, when malware is detected, it can respond such as isolating the device, cleaning malicious files, or system restore. While EDR focuses more specifically on the security of a device, XDR offers a broader threat detection and response capability. By combining multiple data sources, XDR provides a broader threat view and aims to analyze and respond to threats at a broader scope.