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  • XDR: Expectation Vs Reality

    By Kirsten Savage on July 11, 2022

    Last year XDR was listed as one of Gartner’s Top 10 Security Projects for 2020-2021. XDR (extended detection and response) had freshly emerged as a new approach to proactive protection against modern attacks. Now in 2022, Cybersecurity environments are becoming more complex and as a result, security teams have to navigate a multitude of security...

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      Last year XDR was listed as one of Gartner’s Top 10 Security Projects for 2020-2021. XDR (extended detection and response) had freshly emerged as a new approach to proactive protection against modern attacks. Now in 2022, Cybersecurity environments are becoming more complex and as a result, security teams have to navigate a multitude of security threats.

       

      So that raises the question, how does XDR differ from a traditional SIEM?

      The concept of XDR had shown promise to transform the scale and efficiency of a security operations function.  While tackling the ever-evolving threats within the cybersecurity landscape, Security Operation Centres (SOCs) are constantly adapting and modernising their technology foundations.

      Extended detection and response (XDR) should be a cornerstone of every security strategy, for its ability to focus on networks, identities, and cloud. Powered by machine learning, analytics and automation, XDR detects and prevents cyber security threats.

       

      A brief review, what is XDR?

      It is an approach to security that, as the name suggests, extends detection and response throughout the company. It starts with the user, continually monitoring through the network and into the cloud. Using machine learning, analytics and automation, it can provide security operations teams with threat visibility wherever data and applications reside.

       

      According to IBM:

      “Core components of an XDR architecture include federation of security signals, higher-level behavioral and cross-correlated analytics, and closed-loop and highly automated responses. This creates a truly unified experience supported by a solutions architecture that equals more than the sum of its parts”

       

      What are the benefits of XDR?

      XDR is an integrated, cross platform detecting and response solution. A security operations team must view XDR as an alternative to traditional reactive approaches that provide only layered visibility into attacks, such as endpoint detection and response, network traffic analysis and SIEM.

      As IBM explains it:

      “XDR is not just a place where you consolidate security signals but a place where you can run more advanced, correlated analytics”

      As per the Forrester Wave for Security Analytics Platforms Report, security analytics and endpoint detection and response have been on a “collision course” for some time. Meaning that intertwining these areas of a security strategy can bring about

      “Highly enriched telemetry, speedy investigations, and automated response actions.”

       

      With XDR, security teams can:

      • Identify hidden, stealthy, and sophisticated threats proactively and quickly.
      • Track threats across any source or location within the organisation.
      • Increase the productivity of the people operating the technology.
      • Get more out of their security investments; and,
      • Conclude investigations more efficiently.

      From a business perspective, XDR can enable organisations to prevent successful attacks as well as simplify and strengthen security processes. This, in turn, enables them to better serve users and accelerate digital transformation initiatives – because when users, data and applications are protected, companies can focus on strategic priorities.

       

      Ward Solutions is a full service, full security lifecycle provider. If you don’t have the right manpower, tools and expertise then consider partnering with a Security consultancy and managed cloud security service provider with the knowledge and skills to help supply or augment your CISO, Security engineering and security operations resources. Talk to us today to see how we can help

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