Protecting your network from intrusions and threats is one of the most important aspects of cybersecurity. IT teams must be able to identify threats in real-time and react to them quickly, and one of the best ways to achieve this is with Network Detection and Response (NDR) solutions.
So, what is Network Detection and Response, how does it work, and why does it matter? We’ll look at all those questions, help you find the right NDR solution for your business, and show you how you can use Splashtop AEM to keep your endpoints secure.
What is NDR (Network Detection and Response)?
Network Detection and Response is a type of solution that can detect unusual or suspicious behavior in network traffic data. NDR solutions typically include detection, identification, forensics, and response, enabling IT teams to spot and address potential issues or cyberattacks efficiently.
NDR is frequently used to streamline investigations and threat hunting, prioritize alerts for security teams, and automate protective responses. This helps keep networks safe while assisting IT teams with cybersecurity and meeting their IT compliance requirements.
The Evolution of NDR: From IDS to AI-Driven Threat Detection
NDR has grown and changed over the years as the technology behind it has developed. Network Detection and Response began as Network Traffic Analysis (NTA) and Intrusion Detection System (IDS) solutions that extracted network traffic models from raw data and compared network activity against a set of predefined rules to identify suspicious behavior.
In 2020, NTA solutions began integrating behavioral analysis and threat response capabilities. This took NTA beyond traffic analysis and transformed it into Network Detection and Response.
Today, NDR solutions continue to grow, especially with the advent of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI). The technology can analyze vast quantities of data quickly and monitor systems in real-time, enabling more thorough analysis and immediate responsiveness. This has enhanced the ability of NDR solutions to detect and respond to suspicious behavior with predictive analytics, real-time tracking, and automated resolutions, which can detect and address issues as soon as they appear.
Types of Threats Detected by Network Detection and Response Solutions
There is no shortage of cyber threats out there, and organizations need to be able to detect and avoid each of them. Network Detection and Response solutions are designed to address a multitude of threats, including:
Malware infections on endpoints and networks.
Targeted attacks, including DDoS, man-in-the-middle, and SQL injection attacks.
Insider threats, such as disgruntled employees or corporate spies.
Risky behavior and human error, such as poor network security or phishing attempts.
NDR’s ability to detect patterns and behaviors associated with these attacks and threats makes it a valuable tool for network security, as it can spot and address even sophisticated attacks in real-time.
Why is NDR Vital for Early Threat Detection and Faster Response?
NDR solutions are critical for identifying threats as soon as they appear. Every moment a cyberattack goes by unnoticed, or a malware infection spreads, your company’s network and data are at severe risk.
Fortunately, NDR solutions use real-time monitoring and alerts to identify threats and notify IT teams immediately, enabling quicker responses to potential breaches. AI and ML technology have also helped improve the speed, responsiveness, and accuracy of Network Detection and Response, as it can quickly scan large networks and identify unusual patterns or behavior in real-time. This has led to unprecedented speeds, helping IT teams protect endpoints and networks while reducing false positives.
How NDR Works: Leveraging AI & Behavioral Analytics for Threat Detection
Now that we understand what NDR is and the benefits it brings, we can analyze how it works. Essentially, NDR proactively detects and addresses threats by following four steps:
Collecting network traffic data
Establishing a behavior baseline
Monitoring the network for suspicious activity
Responding to incidents
NDR solutions use network data to monitor traffic and apply behavioral analytics, ML, and AI to detect potential threats and suspicious behavior. They use sensors throughout the network to gather raw network metadata, which they can use to create a baseline model of normal network behavior and activities.
If any unusual behavior or patterns emerge, the NDR solution can recognize them as an aberration from regular behavior and trigger an alert. This enables an adaptive approach to identifying and blocking attacks, as it can spot any unusual activity, rather than just previously known signs of attacks.
NDR solutions passively monitor every device on the company network, so they’re constantly on the lookout for threats without impacting device performance or availability. When integrated with other cybersecurity solutions, like SIEM, SOAR, and EDR, they can provide thorough, holistic, and efficient threat detection and management to keep endpoints and networks safe at all times.
Complexity, Cost & Scalability: Challenges of NDR Solutions
However, there are some limitations and challenges of NDR solutions. While using NDR is important for cybersecurity, decision makers and IT teams should be aware of these potential stumbling blocks when investing in an NDR solution:
Complexity: NDR tools can require extensive and complicated installations, including deploying sensors across networks, investing in high-capacity data storage for network traffic data, and training IT teams in their usage. This can make it difficult and time-consuming to set up and learn to use.
Cost: NDR solutions can be expensive, even prohibitively so for smaller organizations. Businesses looking to invest in an NDR solution should ensure they can find one that fits their budget while still offering all the tools and functionality they need.
Scalability: While NDR solutions are designed to be scalable, the increased data flow from larger networks can strain resources and lead to bottlenecks. This can create challenges for large enterprises, depending on the size of their networks.
False positives: NDR solutions constantly monitor networks for unusual activity, but this can also lead to false positives. Minor deviations from regular patterns can get flagged as suspicious activity, which takes unnecessary time to investigate.
Privacy: As NDR solutions constantly monitor network traffic, including encrypted communications, this can raise some privacy concerns. Organizations must ensure they use a solution that meets their industry’s security requirements, such as GDPR, PCI DSS, and HIPAA compliance.
How to Choose the Right NDR Solution for Your Network
With those challenges in mind, how can decision makers pick the best NDR solution for their business? There are several NDR solutions on the market, so it’s important to shop around and find one that has the features you need within your budget.
Consider the following when looking at NDR solutions:
Ease of deployment: NDR solutions can be complex and difficult to deploy, but they don’t have to be. Finding a user-friendly solution that can be deployed with minimal time or trouble is important for ensuring a smooth rollout and easy onboarding.
Integrations: Consider the other security tools you use, such as EDR and SIEM solutions. You’ll want to find an NDR solution that seamlessly integrates with them to gain full, comprehensive security across your network.
Scalability: You need an NDR solution that can cover your entire network and keep up with its growth. Consider the challenges that NDR solutions can have with large enterprises’ networks and ensure you choose one that’s built for businesses of your size.
Advanced features: Not all NDR solutions have the same features. Look for a solution that utilizes advanced tools, like AI-driven detection and Smart Actions, to quickly address issues and gain the most value and efficiency.
Of course, it’s also important to find a solution that offers all of these within your budget; cost savings should not come at the expense of security, but budgets must always be considered. This can take a fair bit of shopping around, but some solutions offer the features all companies need at a price any business can afford.
The Future of Cyber Threat Detection: Exploring EDR, XDR, and Emerging Technologies
Network Detection and Response continues to grow and develop with new technology. Where NTA evolved into NDR, so too is NDR advancing to meet modern cybersecurity needs.
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) and, for instance, is quickly growing to keep up with modern security demands, providing a more thorough threat detection across endpoints. Extended Detection and Response (XDR), meanwhile, includes threat detection across a wider environment, including network traffic, cloud environments, and even email systems.
Like NDR, these utilize AI and Machine Learning to identify known threats and suspicious behavior, identifying suspicious behavior as soon as it appears. Using them together creates a holistic security environment that covers multiple potential vectors cybercriminals could exploit.
Additionally, the AI-powered technology behind NDR continues to develop, improving speed and efficiency. We’re already seeing how AI, ML, and behavior analytics can quickly identify and address potential issues, and as that technology grows more insightful and efficient, the NDR solutions using them will as well.
Simplify Threat Detection Through Splashtop AEM & Bitdefender EDR
Threat detection is vital to businesses of every size and industry. Fortunately, solutions like Splashtop AEM (Autonomous Endpoint Management) can help protect endpoints and networks, even across distributed environments.
Splashtop’s EDR & MDR add-on, powered by integrations with Bitdefender, helps IT teams strengthen security, detect threats, and react quickly to potential issues. This includes:
Continuous monitoring and threat detection
Root cause analysis
Automated and guided remediation options
Splashtop AEM is built to manage and protect multiple endpoints across a company, including remote devices, laptops, desktop computers, and Internet of Things devices. Its EDR add-on provides real-time monitoring and alerts, ensuring that devices stay safe when they connect to your network. Additionally, Splashtop AEM is designed with security in mind and helps companies meet their cybersecurity compliance requirements.
While NDR is a powerful tool for network protection, EDR from Splashtop ensures that endpoints are equally secure. This creates a layered, holistic defense strategy, making Splashtop AEM and EDR & MDR protection a perfect complement for any NDR solution.
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