EDR vs. MDR: How to Choose the Best Security Solution

Imagine choosing between the right security alert tool for your organization’s robust safety. You stumble upon EDR and MDR, and that’s where the confusion begins. Well, you’re not alone! Many organizations globally find it difficult to differentiate between EDR vs MDR.

Here’s the catch— EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) is a technology—it’s great for detecting threats across endpoints but can overwhelm teams with excessive alerts. MDR (Managed Detection and Response), on the other hand, is a service that not only uses tech but also layers of human expertise to filter out the noise, minimizing false positives. Therefore, in this article, we’ll underline how EDR vs MDR differ, and how you can choose the right one for your organization.

What is EDR?

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) is a cutting-edge security solution for network-connected devices known as endpoints. These endpoints include computers, mobile devices, IoT gadgets, and servers.

EDR cybersecurity solutions are a major step up from traditional Endpoint Protection (EPP) systems. EPP solutions work by comparing activities against a predefined database of known threats. They take action when a match is found. All your regular antivirus software and malware belong to this category. However, this approach only identifies already documented threats.

In contrast, modern EDR systems carry out proactive monitoring and detect unusual or suspicious activities by providing adaptive intelligence. They use data analytics to provide a cybersecurity monitoring system that goes beyond EPP.

With these capabilities, EDR cybersecurity solutions:

• Provide complete endpoint visibility, enabling security teams to detect and respond to threats in real-time with actionable insights.
• Spot and address emerging and previously unknown threats, including Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), which can stealthily infiltrate and persist within a network for long durations.
• Deliver contextual insights across multiple endpoints rather than focusing on protecting individual devices in isolation.
• Detects and handles threats more efficiently, ensuring that potential breaches are managed swiftly before they cause any major damage.

EDR primarily uses the following resources for threat detection and breach prevention:

1. Endpoint telemetry: Endpoint telemetry is like a security camera that monitors digital activities. It monitors everything happening on your devices, from file access and program executions to network connections and user interactions. With it, nothing suspicious slips through unnoticed.
2. Threat intelligence feeds: Tapping into local and global intelligence about threats, EDR gives you an edge over the attackers. It recognizes harmful things like malware, suspicious IP addresses, and known attack strategies.
3. Machine learning algorithms: EDR uses AI to operate like a highly skilled detective. Its AI and ML engagement allows it to examine vast amounts of data from endpoints. And identify any anomalies and patterns that could signal potential threats.
4. Behavioral analysis: This function acts as a behavioral expert for your network. Keeping an eye out for any unusual behaviors that might indicate a security threat ensures that the digital environment remains safe.
5. Signature-based detection: EDR uses established “fingerprints” of known threats. This makes it easier to spot and stop these dangers in time.
6. Heuristic analysis: For new, unknown threats, EDR employs heuristic analysis. It does this on the basis of unusual patterns. This provides a safeguard against zero-day attacks.
7. Automated response mechanisms: In the event of an attack, EDR doesn’t just alert you; it takes action. It can isolate compromised machines, eliminate malware, and block harmful activities automatically, minimizing damage and disruption.
8. Log management and analysis: EDR uncovers hidden threats and sharpens your incident response efforts by meticulously collecting and analyzing logs from your endpoints. This is essentially learning from past activities to better guard against future threats.

What is MDR?

Managed Detection and Response (MDR) is a managed or outsourced solution. In this solution, the monitoring of threats, their detection, and incident responses are outsourced to third parties. It is thus a service that integrates human expertise with advanced technology. MDR continuously monitors an organization’s endpoints, network, and cloud environments.

So why MDR? EDR is a powerful tool that detects and responds to threats within an organization’s IT infrastructure. But it has the following shortcomings.

• EDR generates vast amounts of activity data across endpoints, requiring in-depth analysis, which significantly increases the workload of internal teams
• EDR also requires a high level of expertise in cybersecurity processes and telemetry, which the in-house personnel may not always have.

Besides, unlike EDR, which is a standalone technology, MDR is a service that combines EDR tools with the expertise of third-party security professionals. What this means is that it can:

• Monitor, analyze, and respond to security threats, relieving organizations of the task.
• Help businesses avoid the challenges associated with staffing and maintaining a skilled cybersecurity team while still benefiting from advanced threat detection and response capabilities.
• Handle the flood of alerts generated by EDR and distinguish between false positives and actual threats. This ensures that real security incidents are addressed promptly while fewer resources are wasted.
• Offer additional functionalities, such as vulnerability detection, DNS firewalls, and email security analysis, further strengthening an organization’s defense mechanisms.

MDR uses the resources mentioned below for threat detection and breach prevention:

1. Advanced EDR technologies: Imagine having guards monitoring every gateway of your digital infrastructure. MDR uses sophisticated EDR tools to oversee all such points. In other words, it monitors all endpoint activities. This ensures that nothing slips through without detection.
2. Threat intelligence feeds: MDR taps into a global network of threat data to predict and counteract both known and emerging threats. This keeps you ahead of any security attacks.
3. Security Information and Event Management (SIEM): By integrating SIEM solutions, MDR collects and analyzes extensive security data, enabling a comprehensive response to any anomalies detected.
4. Vulnerability management: Think of it as regular health check-ups for your network. MDR continuously scans for and patches any security weaknesses, securing your systems against attacks.
5. DNS firewalls: MDR implements DNS firewalls to act as barriers. By blocking malicious or compromised websites, they prevent potential intruders from reaching your network.
6. Email security analysis: With MDR, every email is scrutinized for threats such as phishing. This ensures that harmful communications are intercepted before they do any damage.
7. 24/7 Security Operations Center (SOC): Day and night, MDR keeps a vigilant eye over your network with a dedicated team of security experts known as SOC. Thus, it maintains continuous protection and provides peace of mind.

What is the Difference Between EDR vs MDR?

EDR and MDR are two cybersecurity solutions that serve different purposes in protecting organizations from cyber threats. Businesses looking to enhance their security posture must understand the differences between them. Here’s an overview of the main ones.

Here’s a detailed explanation of their differences.

1. Scope of services

EDR is a specialized cybersecurity solution that protects endpoint devices, including workstations, servers, and mobile devices. It leverages advanced telemetry and behavioral analytics to provide granular visibility into endpoint activities, enabling real-time threat detection and automated response mechanisms.

EDR solutions are designed to facilitate rapid containment and remediation actions at the endpoint level. They thus work towards shrinking the attack surface.

MDR, in contrast, encompasses a holistic security framework that integrates endpoint, network, and cloud security.

These services are predicated on a 24/7 managed security operations model. It employs a combination of threat intelligence, anomaly detection, and proactive threat hunting to safeguard the entire IT ecosystem.

This approach ensures that organizations benefit from continuous monitoring and incident response capabilities across multiple vectors such as email systems, mobile devices, and IoT devices.

For example, if a phishing attack targets an organization’s email system, MDR services can quickly identify the suspicious activity, block the malicious emails, and prevent them from reaching users, thereby mitigating potential damage.

2. Management and Expertise

EDR solutions require a robust in-house security team that is proficient in threat analysis, incident response, and forensic investigation. Organizations must invest in training personnel to effectively use EDR tools, interpret alerts, and orchestrate response workflows. Due to this strain that the EDR places on the organization, it could lead to potential gaps in security coverage.

MDR, on the other hand, is delivered by third-party providers. These providers deploy seasoned security analysts equipped with advanced threat detection methodologies and incident response protocols.

3. Detection and Response

EDR solutions use sophisticated algorithms, machine learning models, and behavioral analytics to detect anomalies and potential threats at the endpoint level. They facilitate automated containment actions, such as isolating compromised endpoints and executing remediation scripts. However, the efficacy of these responses is contingent upon the internal team’s ability to interpret EDR alerts and execute appropriate incident response playbooks.

MDR services extend beyond mere detection. They encompass a comprehensive incident response lifecycle.

MDR providers employ a combination of automated and manual threat detection techniques. They prioritize alerts through risk scoring and contextual analysis. They also take a proactive stance that includes threat hunting. In threat hunting, analysts actively seek out indicators of compromise (IOCs) and tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) employed by adversaries.

The MDR team executes coordinated incident response strategies, ensuring rapid containment and recovery. They also provide post-incident forensic analysis to fortify defenses against future incursions.

4. Incident Recovery and Forensics

EDR solutions provide endpoint-centric recovery mechanisms and forensic capabilities. In doing so, they enable organizations to conduct post-incident analyses and system restoration. More specifically:

• They generate detailed logs and telemetry data that can be leveraged for root cause analysis and threat attribution.
• However, the effectiveness of these forensic capabilities is heavily reliant on the organization’s internal expertise and incident response maturity.

MDR services incorporate comprehensive incident recovery and forensic analysis as an integral part of their offering. They do this in the following ways:

• The MDR team conducts thorough investigations after an incident. It employs advanced forensic techniques to ascertain the attack vector, assess the impact, and recommend remediation strategies.
• This proactive forensic posture not only aids in recovery but also enhances the organization’s threat intelligence and resilience against future attacks.

What are the Benefits of EDR and MDR?

The benefits of EDR and MDR should be rather clear by now, but it may help to lay them out. Knowing exactly what the pros of a security solution are can help you choose a sound security solution for your company. So, here are the many benefits of EDR and MDR:

Benefits of EDR

EDR has its benefits, even if there are more advanced options out there. It often forms the basis of the more advanced solutions. So, it is important to understand what makes it so relevant.

1. Enhanced Endpoint Visibility

EDR significantly improves visibility into endpoint activity. This visibility allows security professionals to monitor and respond to potential threats more effectively, ensuring that endpoint-related risks are promptly addressed.

2. Advanced Threat Detection

EDR excels at analyzing vast amounts of data and identifying threats that might bypass traditional EPP solutions. This includes detecting sophisticated threats like file-less malware attacks often missed by conventional security solutions. EDR also enhances an organization’s overall threat-detection capabilities by integrating with tools, such as SIEM platforms.

Benefits of MDR

MDR comes with various benefits as should be evident by now. Here’s a quick summary of the main ones:

1. Comprehensive Event Analysis

MDR services have the capacity to analyze billions of security events. By leveraging machine learning and human intelligence, MDR effectively filters out false positives and identifies genuine threats. This ensures that only critical incidents receive attention while the event analysis remains comprehensive.

2. Prioritized Alert Triage

Alert triage is the process through which the solution analyzes and groups alerts on the basis of their potential impact and urgency. Using it, MDR helps businesses focus on the most critical issues first. This prioritization reduces risk and enhances the organization’s overall security posture.

3. Proactive Vulnerability Management

MDR takes a proactive stance when it comes to addressing vulnerabilities within the organization’s IT environment. This helps reduce the attack surface and strengthen the organization’s security defenses. Such an approach helps prevent threats before they can exploit weaknesses.

4. Continuous Threat Hunting

MDR keeps an eye on the organization’s network for active threats. Doing so enables early detection of threat actors. This ongoing vigilance helps businesses avoid significant harm.

What are the Limitations of EDR and MDR?

A Kaspersky study revealed that in 2022 alone, cyber attacks had increased by 3 million. As we grapple with such a stark rise of cyber attacks, it is imperative to know the limitations of any security solution. Both EDR and MDR are crucial components of modern cybersecurity strategies. However, each has specific limitations that organizations must consider..

Limitations of EDR

EDR has its share of limitations, and when it comes to something as important as cybersecurity, you would be better off understanding what they are. Here are a few of the main ones:

1. Resource Intensity and Expertise Demands

• Requires a well-resourced and skilled in-house cybersecurity team.
• Needs experts for alert interpretation, incident response, and forensic analysis.
• Effectiveness depends on internal expertise; lack of it can lead to inefficiencies and increased risk.

2. High Frequency of False Positives

• Generates large volumes of alerts, many of which may be false positives.
• Can overwhelm security teams, leading to alert fatigue.
• Excessive false positives can disrupt operations and diminish confidence in security tools.
• Diverts resources from genuine security incidents.

3. Narrow Detection Scope

• Focuses primarily on endpoint-related threats, neglecting network and cloud threats. This can create blind spots in the security architecture.
• Requires additional tools for comprehensive security, complicating the security architecture.

Limitations of MDR

Choosing a security solution is never easy. But knowing the limitations of the products you are choosing from helps make the choice a lot easier. With this in mind, let’s look at a few shortcomings of MDR.

1. Reliance on External Expertise

• Introduces dependency on third-party providers for critical security functions.
• Presents some challenges in communication and coordination during incident response. Aligning internal protocols with MDR providers can be complex.
• Quality and reliability of service can vary; careful vetting of providers is essential.

2. Operational Complexity and Overlapping Services

• Integration with existing security tools can introduce complexities.
• Overlapping functionalities may confuse roles during incident response.
• Increased alert volume from both EDR and MDR can lead to alert fatigue.
• Requires robust orchestration and management to maintain efficiency.

3. Cost Implications

• MDR services can be expensive, often requiring significant investment.
• Small and medium-scale organizations may find the cost prohibitive.
• Organizations must weigh costs against benefits and potential return on investment.

When to Choose Between MDR vs EDR

The pros and cons of EDR and MDR should have taken you some way in deciding which is the better solution for your organization. To make things even clearer, here is a checklist that should help cement your decision:

When to Choose EDR

1. Focus on endpoint security

• Suitable for organizations looking to enhance the security of vulnerable endpoints like workstations, mobile devices, and servers.
• Ideal for areas that handle sensitive data or are frequently attacked. For example, financial institutions or healthcare facilities, where data breaches can have severe consequences.

2. Resource availability

• Best for organizations with sufficient internal cybersecurity expertise and resources.
• Allows for direct control over incident response processes.
• Cost-effective for simpler IT infrastructures focused primarily on endpoint security.

3. Regulatory compliance

• Beneficial for organizations in highly regulated industries.
• Provides detailed logging, monitoring, and forensic analysis to meet compliance requirements.

When to Choose MDR

1. Comprehensive security needs

• Suitable for organizations requiring holistic security across endpoints, networks, and cloud resources.
• Ideal for complex IT environments or those lacking in-house cybersecurity expertise.
• Includes 24/7 monitoring).

2. Filling security gaps

• Effective for organizations with staffing or expertise shortages in cybersecurity.
• Offers immediate and scalable security enhancements without additional recruitment.
• Brings specialized skills and threat intelligence to address advanced threats.

3. Incident response and threat hunting

• Best for organizations lacking effective threat response or proactive threat-hunting capabilities.
• Provides automated incident response and proactive threat detection.

When to Consider the Combination of Both EDR and MDR

1. Hybrid approach

• A combination of EDR and MDR offers robust security by providing detailed endpoint control and comprehensive network monitoring.
• Effective in addressing the evolving threat landscape with layered security.

2. Budget and cost factors:

• EDR: Lower upfront costs but require ongoing investment in personnel and management.
• MDR: Subscription-based model, potentially more cost-effective for organizations without in-house expertise.

Conclusion

By integrating EDR and MDR capabilities, SentinelOne ensures that organizations benefit from comprehensive coverage across their entire IT environment, from endpoints to the cloud.

• With features like behavioral AI and automated remediation, SentinelOne’s EDR solutions enable organizations to maintain a proactive stance against evolving threats.
• For organizations seeking a more managed approach, SentinelOne’s Vigilance MDR service provides an extensive suite of features to enhance security operations.
• The Vigilance Respond and Vigilance Respond Pro offerings combine advanced threat intelligence with a dedicated team of security experts who monitor, investigate, and respond to incidents 24/7.

Take a demo today to see how SentinelOne can help protect your organization from the evolving threat landscape.

FAQs

1. How can MDR and EDR integrate?

Data gathered from EDR provides detailed endpoint watch and threat detection, while MDR piggybacks on this to carry out 24/7 monitoring, threat hunting and incident response.

2. Can EDR replace MDR?

No, EDR is not likely to replace MDR since it lacks the comprehensive threat management and incident response one needs. This requires broader visibility and human expertise.

3. How do MDR and EDR manage incident response?

EDR automates endpoint containment and remediation. MDR conducts thorough investigations and provides a comprehensive response organization-wide.

4. What’s an extended detention and response (XDR)?

XDR is an integrated security strategy that is taking hold in the industry. It collects data from multiple sources, such as endpoints, networks, and the cloud, to significantly enhance threat detection and response capabilities.