Cybersecurity initially began as an endpoint response system. What this means is that cybersecurity became a reactive part of the IT infrastructure of a company. When a cyberattack happened, it became a race against time for IT professionals to try and mitigate the damage from this attack and minimize the long-term consequences to the business. They operated in a reactive model, and while this was often helpful in responding to attacks once they happened, it didn’t do much to prevent the attack from happening in the first place.

In an effort to migrate from a solely reactive cybersecurity framework into a more proactive model, two solutions were developed: EDR (endpoint detection and response) and XDR (extended detection and response). Let’s delve a little more into these two solutions and see how they can impact your business.

EDR has a primary focus on a specific endpoint in a cybersecurity framework, and that focus includes constantly monitoring that endpoint for potential threats, ensuring that all necessary updates and patches are applied, and stopping any attacks before they infiltrate the system. This is a departure from the reactive processes of the past in that it doesn’t wait until the attack is already in process before taking steps to respond. Think of it as installing a security camera and motion sensor on the front door of your home. You’re taking steps to ensure that you catch any criminals or threats to your home before they gain entry and jeopardize your valuables, eliminating the need for costly responsive measures to replace or repair what was damaged in the attack.

While EDR maintains a primary focus on a specific endpoint in your IT infrastructure, many businesses rely on an enterprise system which has multiple endpoints and therefore needs a system to monitor all of them. If you think back to our analogy about protecting your home, you can take significant proactive measures to protect your front door against intruders, but if they can still gain entry to your home through other means, such as windows, patio doors, or the garage, then you’re not really providing comprehensive protection for your valuables. XDR differs from EDR in the fact that it provides protection for the entirety of your enterprise network, including endpoints, cloud storage, and mobile devices. Basically anything that you include as part of your business network is protected with XDR. Additionally, XDR is able to provide your IT team or MSP with an overview of the security status of your entire network at a single glance, greatly simplifying the overall cybersecurity implementation and maintenance.

Both of these solutions provide significantly more protection than the reactive cybersecurity models of the past, so the main question for most businesses is which solution to implement in their business. Although XDR might seem like the obvious choice given the fact that it offers a wider range of coverage, consider how large your network is. If you don’t have a massive enterprise system, then you might only need protection for one or two endpoints at most. In that case, an EDR solution might be the best option for your needs. However, if you have a more sophisticated network setup, or you rely heavily on your network to support multiple locations, remote workers, or essential customer services, then an XDR solution might be more appropriate.

Regardless of which solution is right for you, it is critical that you ensure your cybersecurity framework is operating on a proactive model, not reactive. The time to respond to a security breach isn’t when it’s already in progress; you want to stop cybercriminals from accessing your system well before your data and systems are in jeopardy. At TAG Solutions, we have the skills and know-how to help make sure that your network is safe and secure against cybercrime. Contact us today to learn how we can set you up for security success.