The emergence of Extended Detection and Response (XDR) poses a challenge to traditional SIEM technology, which focuses on aggregate threat detection, investigation, and response.
This validation is based on the validity of aggregating many signals throughout the attack’s lifespan, whereas the formation of a second market category indicates the inefficiency of the current technique.
What is Extended Detection and Response (XDR)?
XDR is a more sophisticated EDR technology that provides security visibility beyond devices such as PCs and smartphones.
XDR platform gathers and integrates security data from disparate sources, delivering contextual information on an organization’s IT infrastructure. XDR data is standardized for advanced analytics and AI systems, which detect abnormalities and possible dangers.
Response capabilities allow coordinated reactions to prevent cyber assaults and data breaches by automating containment activities such as banning harmful IP addresses and quarantining people or devices.
XDR is a cybersecurity architecture that combines security technologies at various layers, resulting in quicker threat detection, investigation, and response times.
Key Features of XDR Tools
- Data gathering and ingestion from many sources.
- Data correlation and normalization are used to prepare the data for analytical purposes.
- A consolidated data lake to store all acquired data in one location.
- Data enrichment using threat intelligence and other contextual information.
- Advanced analytics and artificial intelligence approaches include machine learning and behavioral analytics.
- Unified threat detection and investigation throughout an IT ecosystem.
- Organizations define automated reaction actions in their incident response playbooks.
- Streamlined procedures for threat detection and management.
- Reporting elements enable visibility into security activities and metrics.
Benefits of Extended Detection and Response (XDR)
1. Enhanced security posture: XDR’s complete threat visibility, detection, and response capabilities improve cloud and hybrid cloud security against a variety of cyberattacks alongside other security threats.
2. Improved security coverage: Consuming various telemetry data eliminates visibility gaps and coverage blind spots that might occur when utilizing siloed security products.
3. Better threat detection: More inclusive data collection by XDR platforms enables earlier and more precise detection of cybersecurity threats across IT infrastructures.
4. Faster incident management: Automated processes and playbook-driven actions provide quicker investigation and control of reported risks than human techniques.
5. Enhanced productivity: Workflow consolidation and automation allow security analysts to focus on more important activities than ordinary ones.
6. Simplified Operational Procedures: XDR security solutions provide a centralized administration panel, processes, and reporting tools to speed up and manage security operations.
7. Expenses are reduced: Consolidating what would normally need many tools into a single XDR solution can save money over spending, installing, and administering multiple technologies.
XDR vs SIEM
- Security Information and Event Management or SIEM, providers are progressively rebranding as XDR suppliers, reviving outdated technology.
- This is especially useful for smaller firms with little market penetration, as many SIEM implementations are simply costly log collectors instead of threat detectors.
- Failure to present correlated threat detection may be a reputational burden, but the development of XDR provides a chance for a fresh lease on life, especially if the vendor has made significant enhancements to the underlying technology.
- Buyers should examine if the XDR security solutions have fundamentally changed or are simply a new coat of paint.
XDR security solutions
1. Palo Alto XDR
Palo Alto’s Cortex XDR technology is intended for Fortune 500 enterprises with 24/7 SOC teams. It monitors and manages data from endpoints, cloud resources, and networks while also providing incident prevention, detection, investigation, and remediation capabilities.
Cortex XDR Prevent has two versions: endpoint protection and Cortex XDR Pro, which extends these safeguards to cloud resources, networks, and third-party apps while also providing expedited investigative features and controlled threat hunting.
2. Cisco SecureX
Cisco SecureX is a cloud-native platform that unifies security portfolios based on policies. It offers automated processes for threat detection and response, security analytics capabilities, and over 170 integrations. It provides enterprise knowledge, threat intelligence, and context-sharing.
3. Microsoft ATP
Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) is a cloud-based solution that prevents threats, detects data breaches, and responds to automated event inquiries. It provides real-time vulnerability discovery, enterprise-grade threat analysis, and the ability to detect and block advanced threats.
4. McAfee’s XDR
McAfee’s XDR solution, which is part of the Endpoint Security Suite, provides endpoint protection, mobile protection, EDR, XDR, and policy control.
It features risk posture assessments, full device-to-cloud data security, AI-powered behavior categorization, and threat intelligence.
The package comprises centralized threat detection, adaptive malware scanning, and device firewalls that use site and IP reputation scores.
A security operations center (SOC): What is it?
A security operations center (SOC) enhances an organization’s threat detection, response, and prevention capabilities by bringing together and coordinating all cybersecurity technologies and processes.
Challenges of XDR (Extended Detection and Response)
1. Improved IT complexity: Implementing XDR security technologies can complicate IT settings by requiring the deployment of connections to several data sources.
2. Coverage gaps: Endpoint-centric XDR choices may lack comprehensive network security and cloud visibility if an organization uses additional tools designed for a specific sort of threat detection.
3. Training: Even if a business already has a qualified cybersecurity team, XDR brings new workflows, use cases, and technologies that may necessitate further training for proper use.
4. Vendor dependence: Using a single XDR provider’s security software stack increases the danger of vendor lock-in.
5. Staffing and Skill drawbacks: XDR software involves trained personnel, yet a continuing shortage of experienced cybersecurity employees requires recruiting, training, or using MDR services for firms that lack the essential capabilities.
Conclusion
Finally, the introduction of Extended Detection and Response (XDR) is altering the cybersecurity environment by addressing the limits of existing SIEM technology. XDR improves threat awareness, detection, and response capabilities by integrating data gathering, sophisticated analytics, and automation. This comprehensive method increases security coverage and incident management while simultaneously simplifying operating procedures and lowering expenses.
However, issues such as growing IT complexity, possible coverage gaps, and the requirement for specialized training and qualified staff must be appropriately addressed. The Tech Robot advises organizations to consider these concerns while evaluating XDR security solutions to fully realize the benefits of this sophisticated cybersecurity architecture.
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