What is the difference between MDR, XDR, and EDR?

The cybersecurity world can sometimes feel like a tangled web of acronyms, each longer and more complex than the last. We've previously covered some of the more common terms, but today, let's dive deeper into the world of detection and response, focusing on three heavy hitters:

• MDR, which stands for managed detection and response.
• XDR, which stands for extended detection and response.
• EDR, which stands for endpoint detection and response.

These three detection and response solutions are hot topics in the security sector and dominate a lot of conversations. And it's no wonder why: MDR, XDR, and EDR share a lot of DNA.

Although they are closely related, significant differences and subtle nuances set them apart. Without understanding each approach's specific outcomes, businesses may find it challenging to choose the right solutions to safeguard their operations and data effectively.

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Let’s take a closer look at MDR, XDR, and EDR to better understand their capabilities and potential benefits.

In this blog, you’ll learn:

• What MDR, XDR, and EDR are designed to protect
• The benefits of each detection and response solution
• Which approach is best for your business

MDR, XDR, and EDR at a glance

What is endpoint detection and response (EDR)?

Endpoint detection and response (EDR) plays a crucial role in safeguarding the wide array of devices that connect to networks, known as endpoints. These devices encompass everything from laptops and desktop computers to smartphones, tablets, Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices, and servers.

EDR can be seen as an evolution of traditional endpoint protection (EPP), a classification-based form of threat detection. This method is limited in scope, as it can only identify known threats by querying an existing database. Essentially, EPP solutions compare detected activities against a list of recognized threats and take automated actions when a match is found.

What truly sets modern EDR apart is its emphasis on proactive monitoring and its capability to detect unusual or suspicious activities, extending beyond known threats. This enhanced intelligence allows EDR systems to respond appropriately, whether by actively blocking a threat, isolating a compromised host, or escalating findings for further investigation. Unlike classification-based detection, which depends on prior knowledge of threats, EDR adds a layer of adaptive intelligence to the security framework.

This makes EDR particularly effective at uncovering unknown threats, such as advanced persistent threats (APTs). As their name implies, APTs are sophisticated cyber threats that can remain undetected for extended periods.

Ultimately, EDR is about ensuring comprehensive endpoint visibility, empowering security teams with the insights they need to swiftly address threats as they arise.

What are the benefits of EDR?

Endpoint detection and response (EDR) offers a number of benefits that make it an attractive tool for bolstering cybersecurity. It provides valuable visibility into activity on your endpoints—a critical feature since 70% of all breaches start with endpoints. For security professionals, this visibility is invaluable.

EDR excels in analyzing a wide range of data, enabling it to detect threats that might slip past traditional endpoint protection platforms (EPP), such as fileless malware attacks. And like other tools, EDR can integrate with a larger solution such as a security information and event management (SIEM) platform.

However, focusing solely on endpoint telemetry can limit the scope of available data for analysis. Without contextual information from network-based or cloud activities, abnormal endpoint behavior can offer only part of the story. This lack of context makes it challenging to decipher between genuine threats and false positives.

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What’s more, when used as part of a SIEM, EDR solutions can also contribute to significant alert volume. Activity on endpoints would generate one set of notifications, while activity in the cloud (potentially from the same threat) creates another. The lack of correlation leaves teams exhausted, exacerbating alert fatigue and potentially increasing employee turnover.

What is extended detection and response (XDR)?

XDR’s origins come from the fact that looking through a single lens at an organization’s infrastructure simply doesn’t provide the coverage and visibility required to minimize the threat surface. Threats can originate not only from endpoints but also from networks, clouds, and even employees themselves.

Traditional EDR and some managed detection and response (MDR) solutions are often seen as limited, focusing on only one aspect of a network. XDR addresses these limitations by integrating detection and response capabilities across endpoints, networks, and cloud services into a unified platform. Often available as software-as-a-service (SaaS), XDR simplifies access to these advanced technologies for businesses.

In today’s world of hybrid work environments, complex IT infrastructures, and increasingly sophisticated threats, XDR solutions strive to deliver relevant information and threat data. This helps organizations better protect their data and operations, providing a more holistic approach to cybersecurity.

What are the benefits of XDR?

XDR solutions recognize that endpoint detection alone isn't sufficient to safeguard modern IT infrastructure. Indicators of compromise don't appear only at endpoints; they can also be revealed through abnormal network traffic patterns and unusual cloud activities.

XDR offers a range of benefits for organizations:

• Improved detection and response: By focusing on the entire threat landscape, XDR helps businesses identify and address threats targeting any part of their IT infrastructure.
• Centralized user interface: A key advantage of XDR is its ability to consolidate all threat data into a single dashboard, making it easier for teams to prioritize their responses.
• Lower total cost of ownership. By streamlining security toolsets, XDR solutions often help organizations find efficiencies and maximize their resources.
• Automated analytics. XDR solutions can automatically identify, triage, and prioritize threats while analyzing vast amounts of data, offering significant support to organizations with in-house cybersecurity teams.

XDR takes its broad approach to cyber threat monitoring by pulling together multiple pieces of technology to deliver greater insight into an IT environment—but even this approach has its drawbacks.

XDR solutions are often constructed from various components that weren't developed cohesively, leading to integration issues. Each part of the platform might only offer a partial view of the overall picture. Additionally, the combination of different technologies can result in high CPU usage and resource demands.

This complexity can also generate significant noise, with each tool in an XDR solution potentially issuing multiple alerts for the same issue. Suspicious activity in a cloud service might be related to an endpoint alert, but XDR solutions don't always provide that context—potentially making the difference between preventing an attack or falling victim to one.

What is managed detection and response (MDR)?

As helpful as EDR and XDR can be for an organization, they come with their own sets of challenges. These tools generate vast amounts of activity data—whether from endpoints or other areas of your IT infrastructure—which requires further analysis. This increases workloads and demands a deep understanding of cybersecurity telemetry and processes.

This is where managed detection and response (MDR) comes into play.

MDR is not a standalone technology but a managed service that combines the benefits of EDR and/or XDR into a convenient offering. It helps alleviate the challenge of hiring skilled cybersecurity professionals to build and maintain an in-house security program.

As we’ve touched on, EDR and XDR generate significant amounts of information, requiring teams to parse greater volumes of alert data and determine what is a false positive and what is an actual threat. MDR takes this responsibility off a client's shoulders, placing detection and response duties in the hands of experienced third-party security providers.

In essence, MDR offers a service-oriented approach to traditional detection and response activities. More advanced MDR solutions may even include other functionalities built-in, including vulnerability detection, DNS firewalls, email analysis, and more.

The MDR option not only enhances security but also allows organizations to focus on their core business operations without being bogged down by complex cybersecurity demands.

What are the benefits of MDR?

The primary advantage of managed detection and response (MDR) is the peace of mind it provides businesses. As a managed service, MDR allows IT and security teams to focus on strategic initiatives that align with business goals, freeing up valuable time and resources.

What’s more, a managed service may be more cost-effective and more accessible than building an in-house security team. By taking threat detection and response capabilities, and delivering them as a managed service, MDR providers can offer added benefits to their clients:

• Event analysis. MDR handles the hard work of analyzing potentially billions of security events, helping weed out false positives from genuine threats by combining machine learning with human intelligence.
• Alert triage. By triaging alerts, MDR helps businesses better prioritize their cybersecurity activities and concentrate on the most critical issues first to effectively reduce risk.
• Vulnerability management. MDR proactively addresses vulnerabilities to minimize an organization’s threat surface and enhance overall security.
• Remediation. Offered as an additional service or included in the service agreement, MDR providers can help repair, restore, and remediate after a cybersecurity incident, minimizing damage and recovery time.
• Threat hunting. MDR providers can continuously monitor an organization’s network for active threats, helping businesses detect threat actors in their earliest stages to avoid extensive damage.

While MDR products and services are highly beneficial, not every provider offers the comprehensive defense modern businesses need. Some MDR solutions may overlook network- or cloud-based threats, providing visibility only into a limited set of data.

Different approaches to managed detection and response

As explained above, MDR isn’t a single technology or tool, but a managed service approach to cybersecurity. With this in mind, buying an MDR solution means navigating its own set of terminology.

It might help to break MDR down into the following categories:

• MEDR: Managed endpoint detection and response delivers endpoint detection and response capabilities as a managed service.
• MNDR: Managed network detection and response focuses on network-based attacks on network infrastructure, servers, and email.
• MXDR: Managed extended detection and response seeks to take the broader approach of XDR solutions—covering an enterprise network—and deliver it as a managed service. Just like standard XDR, the exact definition of what is covered may vary from vendor to vendor.

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What to look for in a cybersecurity solution

With so many buzzwords circulating, businesses often find themselves puzzled about what protections vendors actually offer. This confusion sometimes leads to the mistaken belief that a single technology can solve all security challenges. However, the perfect solution isn't hidden in an acronym.

Instead, focus on the outcomes your business needs. Consider factors such as the breadth of coverage each solution offers, along with the expertise, qualifications, and services provided by the vendor. Your protection should encompass every aspect of your IT infrastructure, offering relevant and timely information with the context necessary to make informed security decisions.

Achieving this level of coverage requires well-designed technology. Rather than stacking multiple solutions on top of each other, seek a single solution that consolidates your security tech stack while providing the visibility you need. In essence, look for a holistic cybersecurity solution that's built from the ground up to eliminate siloes and enhance your protection.

Not sure where to start? Field Effect is here to help. Learn more about Field Effect MDR, our managed detection and response solution, to see what a holistic approach to cybersecurity would look like for your business.