EDR vs. SIEM

Cyberattacks continue to escalate at alarming rates, with a 600% increase in phishing attacks from 2020. Additionally, 43% of businesses that were breached in 2019 were small or medium-sized businesses (SMBs).

These are alarming figures, leaving organizations with no choice but to adopt effective cybersecurity measures to safeguard themselves from potential threats. Two of the leading cybersecurity measures an organization can deploy is endpoint detection and response (EDR) and security information and event management (SIEM).

While these two systems share many similarities, they differ significantly in terms of cybersecurity approaches. To learn more about the differences between EDR vs SIEM, continue reading our blog.

 

What is EDR?

Endpoint detection and response solutions are cybersecurity technologies that focus on detecting and responding to advanced threats for endpoints. Endpoints are devices that connect to an organization’s network, such as:

• Tablets
• Servers
• Laptops
• Desktops
• Mobile devices

EDR solutions are engineered to provide real-time monitoring and response capabilities at the endpoint level, allowing cybersecurity experts to detect and respond to advanced threats that bypass traditional security measures, such as:

• Fileless malware
• Zero-day attacks
• Other advanced persistent threats

Additionally, an EDR tool provides in-depth endpoint threat detection, allowing security teams to investigate incidents and respond quickly. By providing continuous monitoring and response capabilities, an endpoint security solution helps organizations to detect and mitigate cyber threats before they cause damage.

 

What is SIEM?

SIEM solutions collect and analyze security-related data from various sources. These sources include:

• Log data
• Network devices
• Servers
• Applications
• Endpoints

The collected data is then analyzed using machine learning and statistical analysis to identify patterns, anomalies, and other indicators of a security breach. SIEM solutions provide real-time monitoring and alerting capabilities, allowing security teams to detect and respond to security incidents in real-time.

In terms of log management vs SIEM, log management refers to the process of collecting, storing, and analyzing log data. Its primary purpose is to store log data in a central repository for later analysis and reporting. SIEM, as a whole, is a tier above log management.

Similarities Between EDR and SIEM in Cybersecurity

EDR and SIEM are two cybersecurity technologies that share some similarities in their functionality and purpose. These include:

• Data Analysis – Both use advanced analytics techniques such as machine learning and statistical analysis to analyze collected data. This analysis helps to identify patterns, anomalies, and other indicators of a security breach.
• Threat Detection – EDR and SIEM solutions are designed to detect security threats in real time. They continuously monitor the network for security events and generate alerts when they detect potential security incidents.
• Incident Response – Both technologies provide incident response capabilities. They allow security teams to investigate security incidents and determine root causes. This is essential in identifying and mitigating security threats quickly, in addition to reducing the impacts of a security breach.
• Compliance – Both EDR and SIEM solutions improve threat intelligence and help organizations to comply with various industry regulations by providing real-time monitoring, alerting, and forensic capabilities for investigating security incidents.

 

EDR vs SIEM – 7 Major Differences

 

 

While EDR and SIEM share some similarities, they are two distinct cybersecurity technologies with several key differences. These major difference influences include:

1. Focus – EDR solutions are focused on endpoint security, while SIEM solutions are designed to provide a broader view of an organization’s security posture by monitoring network, server, and application logs in addition to endpoint logs.
2. Data Collection – EDR solutions collect data specifically from endpoints, while SIEM solutions collect data from various sources, including endpoints, network devices, servers, and applications.
3. Data Analysis – EDR solutions focus on analyzing endpoint data to detect threats and suspicious behavior, while SIEM solutions analyze data from various sources to identify patterns, anomalies, and other indicators of a security breach.
4. Threat Detection – EDR solutions use behavioral analysis techniques to detect threats and suspicious activity on endpoints, while SIEM solutions use correlation and aggregation techniques to detect threats across various data sources.
5. Incident Response – EDR solutions provide incident response capabilities at the endpoint level, while SIEM solutions provide incident response capabilities at the network and system level.
6. Alerting – EDR solutions typically generate alerts for security incidents at the endpoint level, while SIEM solutions generate alerts for security incidents across various sources of data.
7. Complexity – SIEM solutions tend to be more complex and require more resources to implement and manage than EDR solutions.

 

For more relevant information, visit our following related blogs: What Is Threat Hunting in Cybersecurity? Effective Ways to Prepare for a Cyber Attack Vulnerability Scanning vs. Penetration Testing | Redpoint Cybersecurity

 

Managed Detection and Response (MDR) Services

Managed detection and response (MDR) services provide top-tier threat detection and response capabilities by combining human expertise with advanced technologies.

MDR providers supply incident response capabilities, including threat hunting and forensic analysis, to help organizations quickly identify and contain security incidents. They also provide customizable solutions that can be tailored to meet a company’s specific security needs.

Managed detection and response differ from EDR and SIEM in several ways, including:

• Proactive Monitoring – MDR services proactively monitor networks, endpoints, servers, and applications to detect security threats and suspicious activity. This differs from EDR solutions, which are reactive and only detect threats after they have already breached an endpoint while SIEM solutions require more resources to deploy and manage.
• Human Expertise – MDR services typically provide a security team that analyzes and responds to security incidents whereas EDR solutions rely on automated technology, and SIEM solutions require more resources to implement.
• 24/7 Coverage – MDR services provide around-the-clock monitoring and response capabilities, which is essential for detecting and responding to security threats in real-time. This is different from EDR solutions, which may only provide limited coverage.

 

Protecting Technology Means Being Proactive

In today’s rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape, businesses need to take proactive measures to protect their assets. While EDR and SIEM solutions are essential tools in the cybersecurity arsenal, they have limitations that can leave organizations vulnerable to security breaches.

This is where managed detection and response services come in, providing an extra layer of protection that combines advanced technology with human expertise.

At Redpoint, we offer industry-leading MDR services that can help businesses of all sizes protect their critical assets and minimize the risk of data breaches. Our team of cybersecurity experts provides 24/7 monitoring and incident response capabilities, along with customizable solutions tailored to meet the unique security needs of each organization.

By partnering with Redpoint, businesses can take a proactive approach to cybersecurity, identifying and addressing threats before impact.

Our MDR services provide a cost-effective solution that delivers peace of mind and ensures that your organization is protected against the latest threats.

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Contact us today to learn more about how Redpoint can help you secure your organization with advanced MDR systems.