EDR vs. MDR vs. XDR

Like most industries, cybersecurity is awash in acronyms and initialisms. (In case you were wondering, an acronym is pronounced like a word–think ASAP or FOMO–while an initialism is not.)

In this article, we’re comparing three solutions known by their initials: endpoint detection and response (EDR), managed detection and response (MDR), and extended detection and response (XDR). All of them are used for detecting cyberthreats and responding to incidents. They aggregate data from different security tools and help support data analytics and threat hunting.

However, they differ in important ways, including focus area, capabilities, scope, integrations, delivery model, and response level. Let’s compare and contrast these solutions to figure out which ones are most appropriate for your requirements.

With EDR, “endpoint” is the operative term. These solutions protect devices connected to the network, like servers, laptops, and smartphones. In contrast to its predecessor, endpoint protection (EPP), EDR does more than compare detected anomalies against a list of known threats and take automated actions. Using advanced intelligence, an EDR solution can proactively monitor endpoints and detect unusual or suspicious activities (indicators of compromise) that extend beyond known threats, such as advanced persistent threats, fileless malware attacks, and lateral movement.

Key technologies include machine learning, advanced analytics, behavioral analysis, and threat intelligence, which enable EDR tools to:

• Continuously monitor endpoints by collecting and aggregating data, analyzing it to reveal potential threats, and sending notifications to security teams.
• Prioritize alerts to help security teams respond appropriately and minimize alert fatigue.
• Actively protect endpoints by automatically responding to a threat, such as by disrupting attacks, deleting malware, or isolating the endpoint from the system.
• Provide remediation recommendations.
• Support root cause analysis with forensic data.
• Store data for use in threat hunting and other activities.

EDR tools use software agents installed on endpoints for monitoring and data collection. Many EDR solutions integrate with an enterprise’s SIEM system and other security tools.

Benefits and drawbacks of EDR

On the plus side, EDR provides continuous visibility into an organization’s endpoint devices, which continue to proliferate with the popularity of remote/mobile working. These solutions protect against unknown threats to endpoints, which represent a major portion of an organization’s attack surface and are prime targets for cybercriminals. Various studies estimate that up to 70 percent of data breaches originate with endpoint devices. And despite warnings, users still launch malicious web pages and open malicious attachments from their email, believing them to be innocuous.

For the security team, EDR tools can address alert fatigue and improve efficiency. By investigating suspicious activity before issuing an alert, the solution can help reduce false positives that add a huge burden to security professionals. EDR’s automated responses to threats and remediation recommendations help to minimize damage and give security teams a head start on mitigation. EDR systems also support forensic investigations with log data collection and analytics.

From a corporate perspective, EDR solutions support remote and hybrid working by automating time-consuming monitoring of endpoint devices and providing fast responses to endpoint threats that could compromise the IT environment. Also, these tools can help organizations comply with regulatory and auditing requirements by providing detailed reports on endpoint activities and security incidents.

On the minus side, EDR has limitations.

• Not all malicious activity begins on endpoints. With their narrow focus, EDR tools cannot assist with threats that target other vectors, such as cloud misconfigurations, compromised identities, or unpatched software. As a result, EDR leaves gaps in the organization’s security.
• EDR is a passive (reactive) tool that concentrates on responding to threats during or after the incident rather than preventing them.
• Lack of context and failure to perform regular retuning and calibration can lead to false positives. Because EDR only monitors endpoints, these tools cannot apply context and correlate events across networks and cloud services to improve the accuracy of threat alerting. Also, in view of cybercriminals’ constant changes in targets and TTPs, it can be challenging to keep the EDR updated with the latest threats.
• Managing an EDR solution requires knowledge and expertise about the platform itself and the threat landscape, attacker TTPs, and remediation methods. Many smaller organizations do not have staff that are trained to use, maintain, and optimize an EDR product.

Some organizations wish to deploy security tools in house for maximum control and customization, while others choose to use a third-party service, often because they lack expertise, skills, headcount, or other resources. Managed detection and response (MDR) services provide threat monitoring, detection, and response on behalf of client organizations–in effect, serving as an outsourced security operations center (SOC). These services augment technology with human expertise to enhance analysis and improve insights.

Unlike EDR tools that target endpoints, MDR service providers respond to cyberthreats across on-premises and cloud environments, identities, email, SaaS applications, networks, and endpoints. To provide detection and response, MDR services typically include:

• Around-the-clock monitoring for indicators of compromise
• Investigation of cybersecurity threats and incidents, including root-cause analysis
• Response to these incidents
• Guided remediation of breaches and other attacks
• Health checks to determine the status of the organization’s security posture
• Proactive threat hunting

Within the MDR space, there are several delivery models that give customers a choice in their degree of involvement.

• At one end of the spectrum, some MDR services simply aggregate and triage alerts and provide remediation recommendations, but no action.
• At the other extreme, some services completely manage threat detection and response on behalf of the customer.
• In the middle are services that specify co-management with the customer.

There are also three main options when it comes to MDR technology:

• Single vendor: These MDR providers service only their own security products, which must be integrated with the customer’s stack.
• Bring your own SIEM: The MDR service uses the customer’s existing security stack in monitoring and data collection activities.
• Flexible: This option allows a customer to combine certain security tools with those of the MDR provider.

Benefits and drawbacks of MDR

An MDR service can benefit customers struggling with staffing and skills shortages by filling gaps in talent and headcount. Beyond simply expanding the size of the customer’s security team, an MDR provider can contribute specialized security skills and experience.

Another advantage is expanded coverage. Organizations may find it difficult to support 24/7 threat monitoring with their existing resources, leaving dangerous exposures. MDR services help strengthen detection and response and improve overall security posture.

A related benefit is efficiency. MDR services handle time-consuming tasks, freeing in-house staff to concentrate on special projects, planning, or training. Also, by leveraging advanced technologies like automation, MDR services can help companies better manage the huge volume of security alerts that must be evaluated.

However, MDR services are not a security silver bullet. Following are disadvantages of outsourcing threat detection and response:

• Cost: While MDR providers allow organizations to substitute predictable outsourcing fees for sporadic capital expenditures (new hires, new tools), they can be expensive, depending upon the scope of services.
• Data privacy: Data collection and analysis by a third party, by definition, exposes an organization to privacy risks. MDR providers need to supply assurances that they will handle data in a secure manner and comply with relevant regulations.
• Complexity: Integrating an MDR provider’s tools and solutions into the customer’s security stack and existing processes can be challenging and lead to compatibility issues and configuration errors.

As its name suggests, XDR extends threat detection and response beyond the capabilities of traditional tools like EDR and antivirus. XDR expands the scope of data sources to include cloud workloads, networks, identity and access management systems, email, and servers, not just endpoints. It also expands the type of threats that can be detected, from known malware signatures (antivirus) and unusual behaviors (EDR) to unknown threats.

The main differentiator for XDR is the ability to break down silos created by standalone security solutions, which can lead to gaps in threat visibility. By pooling, correlating, and analyzing data from multiple security tools, XDR increases visibility, reduces attack response time, and enhances security activities like threat hunting and forensic investigations.

Why companies use XDR

The XDR market is growing rapidly as organizations adopt this technology, often as a more-comprehensive alternative to EDR solutions. The demand for XDR’s holistic view of cyberthreats across the entire IT environment is being driven by:

• increasing number of cyber attacks
• greater complexity of attacker TTPs
• larger volumes of sensitive data within and outside the network perimeter
• disparate, unconnected security tools that generate huge numbers of alerts
• chronic security staffing shortages
• emergence of AI and machine learning

An XDR solution can help companies address all of these issues, while delivering benefits such as enhanced visibility, faster threat detection and response, and greater context to improve analysis and correlation.

On the other hand, XDR solutions often require expertise in data (e.g., data engineering, data modeling, and data processing) that most organizations lack–at least when it comes to cybersecurity. Another consideration is that MDR solutions typically sit on top of either EDR or XDR tools.

Which detection and response solution–EDR, MDR, or XDR–is the right fit for your situation?

The first consideration is whether you want a tool or a service. Does your security team have the knowledge, skills, and time to deploy, maintain, and optimize the performance of an EDR or XDR solution? If not, a managed service might be preferable.

Following are other factors that play a role in decisions about EDR vs. XDR vs. MDR.

Security needs

What are the specific security requirements for your organization? If it’s strengthening endpoint security, choose EDR. If it’s gaining a unified security perspective based on consolidated threat data from multiple tools and sources, XDR is the ticket. And if it’s 24/7 monitoring and alerting for your EDR or XDR tool, MDR may fill the bill.

You can also compare the three solutions based on the level of threat intelligence you need. EDR provides basic intelligence; MDR supplies advanced threat intelligence and analysis; and XDR adds contextualization to this list.

Strategy level

Your security strategy’s level of sophistication affects your selection of EDR, MDR, or XDR. If your organization is at the early stages of threat protection, EDR can serve as a foundational solution, especially in view of the many attacks on endpoints. An MDR service can serve the same purpose. Organizations with advanced strategies may wish to adopt XDR (which can be provided as a managed service), as it delivers a higher level of threat detection and response and covers the entire security infrastructure.

Cost

Compared to EDR solutions, XDR tools and MDR services can be more expensive, possibly putting them out of the reach of smaller organizations. Also, each solution comes with additional, “hidden” costs, whether it’s staff training on a new EDR tool or time and effort required for integration of MDR or XDR technologies into your security stack.

Expertise

To optimize their capabilities, EDR and XDR require in-house, specialized knowledge and expertise–which can be difficult to procure. MDR is an outsourced approach that relies on the expertise of the service provider’s staff to replace or augment your own team.