Antivirus software (AV) has been a crucial tool in protecting computer systems and networks for decades. With the rise of networked computers in the 1980s, antivirus emerged as a way to identify and block known virus signatures. However, as new threats emerged, the software had to be updated frequently to remain effective. This cycle continued for many years until attackers began creating new malware to bypass these protections, leading to a cat-and-mouse game between attackers and defenders. By 2005, there were 330,000 malware hashes, and 2 years later that number had increased to 5.5 million. The number of unique malware samples had skyrocketed, making it difficult for antivirus software to keep up. To keep up with the threat demand, Next-generation AV (NGAV) appeared in the early 2010s, which focused on identifying patterns based on malware behavior and attempting to detect new strains. However, with new threats like ransomware, file-less attacks, and zero-day attacks, a solution that could respond to and remediate cyber-attacks was needed. 

This led to the development of endpoint detection and response (EDR) and managed detection and response (MDR) platforms, which combined the best features of AV and NGAV. To better detect and respond to malware, these solutions use the MITRE ATT&CK framework, which helps map out the various behaviors of malware. By doing so, it’s easier to detect malware even if it goes undetected initially. MDR solutions track everything on the endpoint, network, and cloud making it easier to catch the malware. MDR is a powerful solution for your organization’s cybersecurity needs providing the best features of its two predecessors. It provides real-time monitoring of endpoints and uses advanced algorithms to detect any suspicious activity. Both MDR and EDR can alert security teams and take automatic actions to ensure your organization remains safe from cyber-attacks.  

You may have heard of an even newer technology, extended detection and response (XDR) and that’s the next evolution. EDR is great at protecting your endpoints, but as the Internet of Things (IoT) grows, there are a lot more devices than just endpoints on your network. There are printers, phones, cameras, fridges, coffee makers, and so many other things that cannot be protected by EDR—and most of these IoT devices are great ways to get into a network. So how do we protect all these other things? We look at the network traffic going to and from all these devices, then start to learn what’s normal and what isn’t. XDR could be a whole article itself, so we’ll leave it here for now. 

Although EDR and MDR are not a silver bullet, they play a crucial role in protecting your endpoints. You should combine it with other cybersecurity measures. They require skilled security professionals to manage and interpret the data collected. Contact Masser Technologies to establish an effective MDR Solution for your organization.