EDR vs. antivirus: What’s the difference?

Endpoint detection and response (EDR) and antivirus (AV) software are essential tools for securing endpoints, which include devices like desktops, laptops, and servers.

While antivirus software primarily focuses on preventing and detecting known malicious software, such as viruses, worms, and trojan horses, EDR can offer a more comprehensive approach by continuously monitoring endpoint activity and enabling the detection, analysis, and response to a wider range of threats, including ransomware, sophisticated phishing attacks, and advanced persistent threats (APT) that may evade traditional antivirus defenses.

Endpoint detection and response (EDR) is an advanced security technology that provides continuous, real-time visibility into endpoint activities. This constant monitoring allows EDR systems to identify suspicious behaviors and potential security threats that might not be recognized by traditional security measures. The core functionalities of an EDR system include threat detection, alert generation, response and mitigation capabilities, and forensic investigation tools.

Threat Detection

EDR systems utilize sophisticated techniques like behavioral analysis and machine learning to identify anomalies that could indicate malicious activity. Unlike antivirus software that primarily relies on known malware signatures, EDR can detect new and unknown threats by recognizing deviations from normal endpoint operations. This involves analyzing processes, network connections, file modifications, and user activities to identify patterns indicative of an attack.

Alerts

When an EDR system detects suspicious activity, it generates detailed alerts that provide security teams with context about the potential threat. These alerts typically include information about the type of activity, the affected endpoints, the timeline of events, and the severity of the risk. This detailed information enables security analysts to quickly assess the situation and prioritize their response efforts.

Response and mitigation

EDR platforms offer a range of response and mitigation actions that security teams can take to contain and eradicate threats. These actions can include:

• isolating infected endpoints from the network
• terminating malicious processes
• quarantining or deleting suspicious files
• rolling back systems to a previous clean state

The ability to quickly respond to and mitigate threats is crucial for minimizing the impact of a security breach and preventing further damage or lateral movement within the network.

Forensics and investigation

EDR solutions retain historical data on endpoint activities, which is valuable for conducting thorough forensic investigations after a security incident. Security analysts can use this data to understand the attack vector, determine the scope of the compromise, identify affected systems and data, and analyze the attacker’s actions.

This detailed analysis helps organizations to not only recover from an incident but also to understand the root cause and improve their security defenses to prevent future attacks.

Antivirus (AV) software is a fundamental security tool designed to detect, prevent, and remove malware from computer systems. It primarily operates by scanning files and programs for known malicious code, or “signatures,” that match entries in its regularly updated database of malware.

Detection

AV software employs various methods to detect malware. Signature-based detection is the most common, where the software compares the digital fingerprints of files against a comprehensive database of known malware signatures. If a match is found, the file is identified as malicious.

Some antivirus solutions also incorporate heuristic analysis, which allows them to identify potentially malicious software based on suspicious behavior or code structures, even without a direct signature match.

Prevention

Beyond detection, AV software aims to prevent malware from infecting systems. This can include real-time scanning of files as they are accessed or downloaded, monitoring email attachments and web traffic for malicious content, and blocking access to known malicious websites. Some advanced AV solutions may also include features like behavior monitoring to identify and block suspicious actions before they can cause harm.

Removal

When AV software detects malware, it attempts to remove or neutralize the threat. This process can involve deleting the infected file, quarantining it to prevent it from spreading or causing damage, or attempting to repair files that have been modified by the malware. The specific actions taken depend on the type of malware and the capabilities of the antivirus software.

Database updates

The effectiveness of AV software is heavily dependent on the regular updating of its malware signature database. Cybersecurity professionals and vendors continuously analyze new threats and create corresponding signatures, which are then distributed to users through automatic updates. These frequent updates ensure that the AV software can recognize and protect against the latest known malware variants.

Both EDR and AV software offer significant benefits that contribute to a strong endpoint security posture. Understanding these advantages helps organizations appreciate the value of each technology.

Benefits of EDR

EDR’s primary advantage lies in its ability to detect and respond to advanced and targeted attacks that often bypass traditional antivirus solutions. Its continuous monitoring and behavioral analysis enable it to identify subtle indicators of malicious activity, such as unusual process execution, suspicious network connections, and lateral movement within the network. This capability is crucial for detecting APTs, which are characterized by their stealth and persistence.

The rapid response and mitigation capabilities of EDR significantly limit the potential damage from a security incident. By quickly isolating compromised endpoints, terminating malicious processes, and remediating the effects of an attack, EDR helps organizations minimize downtime, data loss, and financial repercussions. The detailed forensic data provided by EDR is also invaluable for understanding the attack lifecycle, identifying vulnerabilities, and improving security defenses for the future.

Additionally, EDR enhances an organization’s overall security visibility. The comprehensive data collected by EDR provides security teams with a deeper understanding of endpoint activities, allowing them to proactively identify potential weaknesses, detect insider threats, and gain better insights into their security risks. The actionable intelligence provided by EDR empowers security analysts to make informed decisions and take targeted remediation steps.

Benefits of antivirus

AV software provides a fundamental layer of protection against a broad range of known malware. Its signature-based detection is highly effective at identifying and blocking common threats like viruses, worms, and trojans. This preventative capability is essential for maintaining a basic level of endpoint security and reducing the attack surface.

AV solutions are generally user-friendly and relatively easy to deploy and manage, making them accessible to organizations of all sizes. They typically operate in the background with minimal impact on system performance, providing continuous protection without requiring significant user intervention.

Moreover, AV software is often a cost-effective solution for addressing the vast majority of common malware threats. It serves as a critical first line of defense, filtering out a large volume of known malicious software and reducing the likelihood of widespread infections. This helps to maintain the stability and security of individual endpoints and the overall network.

Combining AV software with EDR creates a robust, layered security approach that offers more comprehensive protection than either solution can provide on its own. This synergy leverages the strengths of both technologies to address a wider range of threats effectively.

AV acts as the initial line of defense, preventing and blocking known malware at the point of entry. Its signature-based detection efficiently handles the large volume of common threats, reducing the noise and workload for more advanced security tools like EDR. By stopping known threats early, AV helps to prevent more sophisticated attacks from gaining a foothold.

EDR complements this preventative approach by providing continuous monitoring and behavioral analysis to detect threats that evade traditional antivirus defenses. This includes novel malware, fileless attacks, and the malicious activities associated with advanced persistent threats. When AV fails to identify a sophisticated attack, EDR’s real-time visibility and analytical capabilities can detect the suspicious behavior and alert security teams.

The integration of EDR and AV allows for a more coordinated and effective response to security incidents. When a threat is detected by either system, the information can be correlated to provide a more complete understanding of the attack. EDR’s response capabilities, such as endpoint isolation and remediation, can then be used to contain and eliminate the threat, regardless of whether it was initially identified by AV or EDR.

This layered approach ensures that endpoints are protected against both known and unknown threats. AV handles the high volume of common malware, while EDR focuses on detecting and responding to the more sophisticated and evasive attacks. This combination provides a more resilient and comprehensive security posture for organizations.

A comprehensive cybersecurity strategy necessitates a multi-layered approach to endpoint protection. While AV software remains a crucial foundational element for preventing known malware, it is no longer sufficient as a standalone solution against the sophisticated threats prevalent today.

EDR provides the advanced capabilities needed to detect, analyze, and respond to modern threats that can bypass traditional antivirus defenses. Its continuous monitoring, behavioral analysis, and rapid response features offer the necessary visibility and control to mitigate the impact of advanced attacks.

Implementing both EDR and AV software creates a synergistic security posture. AV effectively handles the large volume of known malware, while EDR provides the advanced detection and response capabilities required to address more sophisticated and novel threats. This combination ensures a more robust defense against a wider range of cyber attacks.

If using an EDR tool, managed detection and response (MDR) services can significantly enhance an organization’s threat detection and response capabilities. MDR providers offer round-the-clock monitoring, advanced behavioral analysis, and proactive threat hunting across endpoints and networks, often leveraging EDR technologies. These services complement traditional antivirus solutions by providing expert analysis and response capabilities, further strengthening an organization’s overall security posture.

Integrating both EDR and AV, potentially with the augmentation of MDR, is essential for establishing a resilient and effective cybersecurity strategy in the face of an evolving threat landscape.