Extended Detection and Response (XDR) analyzes data from email, endpoints, cloud resources, and other points across a network to inform threat protection and network monitoring. This allows XDR to find, provide detailed information on, and potentially remediate malware and other threats that try to steal or damage sensitive data on a business’ network. Extended detection and response allow for a deeper understanding of network threats than other forms of detection and response, such as EDR or NDR. The best XDR solutions bring together informed threat alerts, detailed analytics, and automation that helps IT staff understand and quickly remediate threats that would have flown under the radar for long periods of time.
XDR functions similarly to endpoint detection and response (EDR), but, as the name suggests, it extends EDR functions to improve visibility into threats and remediation tactics. These extended functions allow XDR to aggregate more information on potential threats and automatically remediate threats on the network so that an IT team can make more informed decisions when implementing solutions and save time addressing active problems. By providing a deeper level of detection and response, XDR makes finding malicious activity anywhere a business does work possible. A strong extended detection and response platform can deploy at any site and monitor first- and third-party activity to help a business run securely.
Benefits of XDR Security
XDR can be a critical inclusion for SMBs on their cybersecurity journey because 83% of businesses have experienced at least one data breach, and attackers are always creating new strategies to target under protected IT environments.1 By implementing XDR solutions, companies can improve their incident response times whenever suspicious activity occurs on endpoints, email servers, and cloud environments. The information automatically collected by XDR tools will make security alerts and notifications more streamlined and informative, so they provide key pieces of data needed to make reliable remediation decisions. Taking advantage of XDR tools early means a business can provide better security coverage for their network as the company grows and utilizes more tools and resources.
SMBs that have not taken steps to secure their IT environment with extended detection and response tools face threats from a wide range of attack vectors. Whether it’s through brute force attack methods or successful phishing campaigns, more than 30% of cybersecurity incidents leverage stolen credentials or involve malicious insider activity. Additionally, 45% of security breaches originate from a cloud environment, and almost a fifth occur because of a compromised third-party business. Even with security solutions in place, 37% of polled IT professionals report an increase in job difficulty because of high alert volume and complexity. This means businesses need an XDR solution that both secures their environment and provides streamlined alerts that inform swift remediation decisions.
How Does XDR Security Work?
Extended detection and response security tools are cloud-based solutions that help simplify security operations by automatically detecting and remediating advanced threats on a business’ network. Network traffic analytics, endpoint security alerts, and cloud security notifications can all be brought together into one interface that lets a business’ IT team or IT consultant streamline investigations and improve incident response times. For employees working on premises or remotely, XDR tools are non-intrusive and provide around the clock protection and automatically remediate threats with leading research-based best practices. From an end user and security personnel perspective, XDR solutions unify security notifications, lower the time it takes to detect threats, and automatically responds to malicious activity to protect the business’ network.
XDR packages include services that provide security coverage for the network, endpoints, cloud environments, and individual applications. Some platforms will allow a business to integrate security solutions regardless of vendor so that all the environment’s security tools are connected. Businesses should work with their managed service provider (MSP) to identify the best XDR platform for their IT environment and strategize a smooth migration process. Once deployed, XDR solutions will monitor network traffic to detect irregular or malicious activity, secure email clients/messages, provide endpoint security, unify cloud analytics, and gather insights on application and device access via an identity manager. The key advantage of XDR is having relevant alerts, incident context, and suggested remediation tactics together in one place!
XDR and IT Consultants
For businesses just starting their XDR journey or medium and large businesses that want to elevate their security coverage, working with an IT consultant can greatly improve a network’s security posture. An IT consultant can be the business’ MSP for their extended detection and response services, allowing them to integrate the company’s security solutions and configure resources to be the most effective. A consultant will also provide guidance on which security solutions to implement and offer insight into how new security tools will influence the business’ current security posture, so your IT team can always make informed, strategic security decisions. Most importantly, a consultant can regularly assess the network and relevant security tools to ensure no security gaps develop.
If a business needs to implement an XDR solution for the first time, an IT consultant will aid that transition and provide guidance and training to employees and leadership. To implement XDR effectively, a business will need telemetry and actionable data that an IT professional can provide. They can also help identify an extended detection and response platform that improves threat response times for the business’ unique technology environment and allows for a seamless integration of current security solutions. Once a business has its XDR solution in place, an IT consultant will help ensure end users have a streamlined, hassle-free experience with the service and highlight opportunities to further improve employee security and the network’s security posture.
Working with an IT consultant means businesses have access to:
- An effective MSP for XDR services
- Security solution consulting
- Regular security assessments
- XDR training and information sessions
- Streamlined user experience
- Growth-oriented partner in IT
Summary
Bringing together a business’ security solutions with extended detection and response tools means IT staff receive consolidated and contextualized security alerts when malicious activity appears on the network. XDR provides end users with automatic detection and response tools that provide a streamlined user experience to prevent workflow interruptions and maximize security coverage. Most importantly, security gaps can be filled, and security coverage is provided to all environments employees utilize to get work down. Businesses can then work with an IT consultant to both roll out and capitalize on their XDR solutions, so they can ensure employees understand their security coverage and further improve the business’ cybersecurity posture.
Capitalizing on the benefits of XDR can be difficult, and that’s why the team here at Robinett Consulting wants to work with your business! Our IT specialists have years of experience securing businesses ranging from small businesses to enterprise-level companies. We take a relationship-first approach to cybersecurity for our partners, so we get to know your unique IT environment and company culture before providing data-driven consulting services. If your business needs to implement XDR solutions or wants to improve your security posture, our technology experts are ready to provide a complimentary consultation to see how we can provide you IT as it should be.
- https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/products/security/breach-protection/index.html ↩︎
