Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)

Why Traditional Antivirus Fails

Traditional antivirus relies on signatures—known patterns of malicious code. This approach worked when malware was created by individual hackers reusing common techniques. Nation-state adversaries develop custom malware for each operation, designed specifically to evade signature detection. Zero-day exploits have no signatures because they exploit previously unknown vulnerabilities. Fileless malware operates entirely in memory, never touching disk where antivirus scans. Against these advanced threats, signature-based antivirus is blind. Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) represents a paradigm shift—instead of looking for known-bad patterns, EDR monitors endpoint behavior for suspicious activity, detecting novel attacks through their actions rather than their signatures.

Behavioral Analysis & Machine Learning

EDR solutions monitor every process, registry change, network connection, and file operation occurring on endpoints. Machine learning models establish behavioral baselines for normal endpoint activity—which applications typically run, what network connections they make, which files they access. When processes deviate from baselines—a Microsoft Word process spawning PowerShell, a web browser writing executable files, or unexpected outbound connections to foreign IP addresses—EDR generates alerts for investigation. This behavioral approach detects zero-day exploits, custom malware, and living-off-the-land attacks using legitimate system tools for malicious purposes. Adversaries can evade signatures but cannot evade their behavioral footprint.

Automated Response & Containment

Speed is critical in incident response. By the time human analysts investigate alerts, malware may have spread across the network or exfiltrated sensitive data. EDR platforms automate response actions, executing defensive measures within milliseconds of detecting threats. Suspicious processes are automatically terminated. Malicious files are quarantined. Network connections to command and control servers are blocked. Compromised endpoints are isolated from the network, preventing lateral movement while allowing security teams to investigate safely. These automated responses contain breaches immediately, providing human analysts time to conduct thorough forensic investigation without adversaries actively operating in your environment.

Forensic Investigation Capabilities

When security incidents occur, forensic investigation determines attack scope, identifies all compromised systems, and provides intelligence for strengthening defenses. EDR platforms record complete endpoint activity history, enabling analysts to reconstruct attack timelines—how adversaries gained initial access, what tools they deployed, which files they exfiltrated, and where they spread. This forensic data supports incident response, insider threat investigations, and compliance requirements. The ability to search historical endpoint activity across thousands of systems simultaneously enables rapid investigation at organizational scale, identifying all affected assets within hours rather than weeks of manual forensic analysis.

EDR Platform Capabilities

• Behavioral analysis detecting zero-day attacks
• Machine learning for advanced threat detection
• Automated response and threat containment
• Real-time visibility across all endpoints
• Forensic investigation and timeline analysis
• Integration with SIEM and threat intelligence
• Air-gapped deployment for classified networks
• Support for Windows, Linux, and server platforms