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Extended Detection and Response (XDR) is a solution that goes beyond Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) capabilities. It integrates data from multiple security layers, such as endpoints, servers, cloud applications, emails, and networks, breaking down traditional security silos.

 

At a broadly technical level, an XDR system consists of a front end and a back end. Various front-end solutions focus on threat identification and response via prevention and protection security layers. Back-end mechanisms of XDR provide robust analytics, automated responses, and correlated alerts in the form of human-readable incidents.

 

This approach is designed to deliver fast, automated detection and triage. To do this, XDR must collect and correlate weak signals from multiple sources to assemble them into an event, provide rapid access to data for threat hunting and root cause analysis, and do it all in a single console.

 

The main capabilities of XDR include:

 

· Advanced Analytics in XDR: XDR security systems analyze data from a variety of sources within an organization, including identities, endpoints, emails, networks, and IoT devices, and combine it with global threat intelligence.

· Automated Detection and Response: XDR has the ability to automatically detect, assess, and remediate threats in real-time. To expand the focus beyond endpoints, XDR includes other data sources for a more complete picture. XDR also includes extensive automated analysis across all data sources within the organization.

· AI and Machine Learning Integration in XDR: Extended detect and response solutions leverage AI (Artificial Intelligence) to monitor and automatically counteract threats. Machine learning algorithms identify and flag signals which indicate suspicious activity, for improved protection, detection, and response capabilities.

· Incident Analysis: By gathering and correlating diverse signals which would ordinarily go unnoticed into incidents which analysts do not have the time or tools to analyze, XDR provides a clear picture of security incidents and attacks. It automatically creates human-readable insights for targeted and more effective responses to cyberthreats. 

 

How Does XDR Work?

xdr in cybersecurity

Extended Detection and Response (XDR) integrates diverse security tools to optimize detection and response through streamlined analysis, data correlation, and automated threat investigation. It consolidates related data, employs machine learning analysis, and delivers a unified perspective across multiple security layers, facilitating swift threat identification and response.

 

There are three main steps in how XDR systems work: data collection, advanced threat detection,  integrated, flexible response:

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1. Data Collection and Analysis

The XDR cybersecurity software collects data from multiple layers of an organization's technology stack, including networks, endpoints, cloud services, email, and both internal and external traffic. This is fundamental to establishing a detailed security baseline and capturing the full scope of the security environment because it makes it possible to identify incidents which traditional defenses miss. 

2. Enhanced Threat Detection with Contextual Understanding

XDR processes the collected data to identify incidents using advanced AI and ML. The goal is to deliver a unified viewpoint of an incident, so analysts have a contextual understanding of the threat. This process involves parsing and correlating diverse data streams, identifying unusual patterns and behaviors related to a cyber threat, and optimizing alert management by correlating related incidents.

 

3. Integrated Response and Adaptive Management

Upon detecting an incident, XDR prioritizes it based on severity and potential impact. The team then automates the response, which includes immediate threat containment and remediation, or deeper analysis processes. Since XDR acts across all security layers, integrated response and adaptive management are based on deep and wide knowledge of the environment. This integrated response is managed from a centralized console for efficiency and clarity. Tailored responses to threats are provided, effectively containing them while minimizing the impact on critical systems.

Types of XDR

 

An XDR solution is classified as “Native” or “Hybrid” depending on whether its telemetry sources come from the same vendor's portfolio or from different vendors. “Managed XDR” is a type of solution that emerged as new service packages appeared on the cybersecurity market.

 

Native XDR

This type has a high level of integration and optimization between components since the data sources and management are created by the same vendor. This style of XDR leads to better detection and response with a lower burden on security and operations teams since a single vendor is responsible for detection and response at the management side, but importantly, they are also responsible for creating and maintaining all integrations with data sources. While turnkey integrations are ideal for most organizations, others with well-funded security and operations teams may see these solutions as having limited compatibility across highly diverse infrastructures. These large organizations will tend to look at hybrid XDR to fit with their highly complex and costly SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) deployments.

 

 

Hybrid (or Open) XDR

These solutions are designed to integrate with a wide range of security products and services, regardless of the vendor. They are a good fit for organizations with a heterogeneous mix of security tools, as hybrid XDR can aggregate and analyze data from multiple sources for a more complete view of the security landscape. The drawback is the depth and breadth of integrations are owned by the organization. If you aren’t interested in a SIEM after all these years, your organization is likely not a candidate for this style of XDR because you will not get as deep as with native XDR solutions, and certainly not as quickly. On the other hand, if you have a dedicated Security Operations Center (SOC) and a broad team, this is the XDR for you.

 

 

Managed XDR (MDR)

XDR services offered and operated by a third-party provider are often part of a broader managed security service, hence the acronym MDR (Managed Detection and Response). In addition to the necessary technology, MDR also brings human expertise for monitoring, managing, and responding to threats. This option is beneficial for organizations that lack the internal resources or expertise to manage an XDR cybersecurity solution on their own.

Benefits of XDR in Cybersecurity

 

Extended Detection and Response (XDR) technology provides organizations enhanced protection against threats through improved detection, streamlined operations, and rapid response capabilities.

 

· Early threat detection  - XDR provides superior early threat detection by leveraging broad data integration across various environments, including cloud and network infrastructures. These integrations facilitate a nuanced understanding of potential threats, significantly reducing the likelihood of major breaches and enhancing overall security posture.

· Rapid response  - XDR's superior detection capabilities dramatically reduce the time attackers remain undetected, decreasing their opportunity to do extensive damage. By facilitating quick and effective incident analysis and focusing teams on effective responses, XDR vastly reduces the risk of successful attacks and subsequent consequences.

· Improved efficiency  - By automating and streamlining security tasks, it helps cyber teams have more time to focus on critical threats.

· Detection of sophisticated threats  - XDR uses advanced analytics and machine learning to detect sophisticated cyber threats that traditional systems might miss. These can be highly complex threats which are quickly identified and addressed.

· Enhanced SOC performance  - XDR boosts SOC (Security Operations Center) effectiveness by orchestrating complex, multi-tool workflows. This results in a more efficient SOC with improved capabilities to tackle a wide range of security threats.

XDR vs. Other Cybersecurity Solutions

 

XDR is a significant evolution in cybersecurity because it provides an environment-wide approach. While EDR solutions advanced security for many organizations, they are solely focused on data from endpoints, narrowing their view of an environment. While SIEM solutions aggregate and analyze log data from a wide variety of systems, they lack context.

 

XDR combines the benefits of these systems with advanced analytics, automation, and broader data integration. Let’s see what makes Extended Detection and Response technology such a powerful tool for organizations and how exactly it compares to other solutions.

 

XDR vs. EDR

EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) focuses on monitoring and responding to threats at the endpoint level, including desktops, laptops, and other devices. While EDR assembles signals from endpoints, XDR expands the scope by integrating data from a wider array of sources like networks, cloud, identities, and applications. This delivers a broader security perspective, enabling XDR to identify stealthy threats which may be missed with EDR alone.

 

XDR vs. MDR

MDR (Managed Detection and Response) is a set of services which provide organizations with managed threat monitoring and response. Services are often built on XDR technology stacks. While an XDR tool stack automates security tasks and improves analyst productivity, it is suitable for organizations with in-house security operations centers (SOCs). Organizations which don’t have enough dedicated analysts or a SOC to take full advantage of XDR can take advantage of services provided by Managed Detection and Response (MDR). These offerings provide 24/7 support and expertise which combines insights gained from an XDR tool stack with global Threat Intelligence (TI) and the application of human and technology tools which are not directly available to every organization.

 

XDR vs. SIEM

SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) aggregates and analyzes log data, identifying security threats based on predefined rules. Typically, it lacks automated incident analysis and guided response capabilities. XDR can complement SIEM by offering real-time monitoring and advanced analytics for threat detection, along with automated response capabilities.

 

 

XDR History

 

The history of Extended Detection and Response (XDR) is a natural progression from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR). Beginning around 2010, everyone knew traditional antivirus solutions were becoming increasingly insufficient as attackers developed sophisticated methods to bypass traditional defenses. This led to the emergence of EDR. This approach provided more comprehensive detection and response capabilities by combining input from multiple endpoints. But, more was needed to defeat advanced threats.  

 

We can find roots of the term “XDR” going back to about 2018. This marked a cybersecurity evolution to match the growing complexity and multi-vector nature of cyber threats. It was not, and still is not, defined as a distinct tool. Rather, XDR is a concept which includes integrations of various existing cybersecurity tools. It includes components such as network traffic analysis (NTA), intrusion detection and prevention systems, cloud integrations – myriad data feeds within one solution.

It was clear, as cyber threats evolved to exploit multiple vectors and entry points, more holistic and integrated approaches were required. XDR was built to fill this gap by providing comprehensive visibility across diverse IT environments, including endpoints, networks, cloud services, identities, and applications.

 

In early 2022, Bitdefender launched its own dedicated native XDR solution designed to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of security teams, minimize attacker dwell time, and increase customer organizations' cyber resilience.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the steps to effectively implement an XDR solution?

Effective implementation of an XDR solution begins with an understanding of your current infrastructure and security needs. Identify the core integrations and key data sources which an XDR solution will likely require to build a comprehensive view of threats.

The more sources, the better, but work with your vendor to understand how XDR fits in your environment today, and how it will adjust to match your future needs.

Is XDR better than EDR?

It's not simply a matter of being “better”; rather, EDR is limited to endpoints, while XDR expands this scope by incorporating information from various sources, such as networks, cloud services, and applications.

This allows it to catch complex threats that EDR alone might not detect. For organizations with complicated IT setups, XDR provides stronger protection against a wider range of threats and automates responses, making it a more effective solution than EDR by itself.

How quickly can a business see benefits from XDR implementation?

The benefits of implementing XDR can be observed relatively quickly, often within a few weeks to a few months after deployment. The immediate advantage is the unified visibility across various security layers, which leads to faster and more accurate threat detection.

Businesses also benefit from the automated response actions of XDR, reducing the time and effort needed to address threats. Over time, as the system gathers more data, it becomes more effective at identifying patterns and potential threats.

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