What is EDR vs MDR vs XDR? Comparison Unlocked

Every second, your organization is exposed to a cyber attack. Threat actors are becoming smarter day by day. They no longer use the same malware techniques often. They attack with brand-new malware variants.

What is EDR vs MDR vs XDR? Get an Understanding of Every Term

Before I start comparing all of them, it's good to understand their basic concepts. Let's continue reading and understand what the meaning of every term is.

What is EDR?

EDR stands for Endpoint detection and response solution. Consider it as a baseline threat detection and monitoring tool. This software has agents or sensors that you install on all endpoints. It collects real-time data and stores it in a centralized dashboard for analysis and review.

Key capabilities

• Real-time monitoring of endpoint
• Endpoint data monitoring, search, and investigation
• Threat hunting
• Alerts, in case of malicious activity
• Actional intelligence for threat response
• Endpoint isolation and remediation

What is MDR?

MDR stands for Managed Detection and Response. It is also known as EDR as a service. This service brings threat detection and response capabilities alongside an experienced security team. You can identify, mitigate, and eliminate threads on your endpoints through this service.

• Key Capabilities
• 24/7 monitoring by experts
• Managed Threat hunting and intelligence
• Guided Response
• Threat prioritizations and alert triage

What is XDR?

It stands for Extended detection and response system. This software offers excellent data visibility and coverage because it is an enterprise security solution for infrastructures, endpoints, and networks. This system unifies data across all security vectors and combines them at a single dashboard- which experienced analyst use for threat hunting, intelligence, and analytics.

• Key Capabilities
• Data collection from multi-domain
• Event analysis
• Threat hunting on multi-domain
• Unified Security system
• Threat detection, hunting, and investigation
• Quick threat remediation and response

What is EDR vs MDR vs XDR? Quick Comparison

Now you know what each term stands for, it's time to compare them all.

• An EDR has a limited scope of coverage because it can offer protection only on endpoints. You install EDR agents or sensors across organizational endpoints. They continuously monitor and record data stored on a centralized dashboard.
  
  When some malicious activity is discovered, the system sends an alert to the IT admin and isolates infected endpoints. This software requires a complete event investigation from a security analyst.


• As far as XDR is concerned, it's an extended detection and response system that collects and correlates data from all security tools of your IT Infrastructure. This system unifies data from your network, workstations, endpoints, cloud, and other spaces. It correlates data and then generates alerts if any malicious activity is discovered.
  
  Your security team doesn't need to go back and forth with the multiple security tools to deal with threats. They get fewer alerts and can look into overall system security from a single dashboard.


• MDR is when your enterprise hires security service providers and asks them to secure your endpoints and overall network. Since you would be getting a service, this outside security team can assist your inside team. They bring their own tools, such as EDR or XDR.
  
  When there is malicious activity, this team readily evaluates and responds to threats. This service is relatively cost-effective for an organization that doesn't have experience cybersecurity staff.

What is EDR vs MDR vs XDR? Which One Does Your Organization Need?

You already compare all these options; now the question is which one your organization should get.

You can opt for EDR when you:

• Want to improve your endpoint security posture and look for software better than Next-generation antivirus?
• An in-house team can analyze every threat and respond as per EDR's suggestion.
• Are planning for baseline cybersecurity strategy.

You can opt for XDR when you:

• Need advanced-level threat detection and prevention team
• Have a team dealing with alert fatigue
• Plan to make the most of all security tools
• Want to boost the threat response system

You can opt for MDR when you:

• Don't want to train or hire cybersecurity staff.
• Plan to introduce new skills to your cybersecurity team
• Want to handle all the latest and advanced threats
• Plan to fill the skill gap in your team by attracting specialized talent.

Every organization has different security needs and requirements. Before you decide which cybersecurity solution you need, it's always important to consider the situation guidelines given above and make an informed choice.

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