SIEM, EDR, or Both?

Ensuring Layered Security for Your BusinessesToday’s businesses are more connected than ever before. As a result, every business requires a multi-layered approach to ensure the best in security for its precious data and the protection of its continuity. But is it best to employ a security information and event management system (SIEM) or an endpoint detection and response (EDR) program? The answer is simple: businesses need both!Historical Security PerspectiveLooking back, there was once a time when a business could simply employ a strong firewall and antivirus software to cover its digital security needs. That is no longer the case. The cyber threats businesses face have greatly advanced in the past few years and cyber criminals have found new, elusive methods for gaining unauthorized access to networks, systems, and data. That means modern businesses now require layers of security to best protect themselves from cyber threats.Imagine your home with only a single lock on the front door to keep out would-be thieves. That’s no longer enough to keep someone out that is hell-bent on breaking into your home. You need a strong security gate to keep unwanted visitors off of your property. If someone should get through, you want to make sure you’ve added a security door, windows that are difficult or nearly impenetrable, and an automated, smart security system that sounds the alarm and notifies authorities should a crook manage to enter the premises. This layered approach to the security of your home should also apply to your business.What is EDR?When it comes to your home, think about the doors, windows, and other access points where someone could get in. Your business network also has many places for access known as endpoints.An EDR monitors all of these access points on your business network from hardware such as desktop computers and laptops to smartphones, servers, and internet of things (IoT) devices such as Ring doorbells and Alexa. Each device that connects to your network becomes an endpoint and every one of these endpoints has its own vulnerabilities a cybercriminal can use to get into your business.The goal of this monitoring is to identify security breaches as they occur and alert your information technology (IT) team or third-party provider such as ORAM Cybersecurity Advisors so they can quickly stop attacks and reduce the damage done.How Does EDR Work?To protect endpoints in a business network, the EDR gathers information about the devices utilizing the network and analyzes that data to determine if a breach is occurring. This identification of endpoints and threat-related analysis occurs on an ongoing basis to identify potential threats day and night. With an EDR, your business is taking a proactive approach to security rather than simply a responsive one.Depending on the EDR your business employs, it may:

• Include a purpose-built tool to address a specific threat to your network.
• Gather information from several sources such as endpoints, network scans, internet logs, and firewalls.
• Use data and behavioral analysis for effective protection against novel malware, ransomware, emerging exploit chains, and advanced persistent threats.
• Address and remediate zero-day attacks, even when a mitigation isn’t available.
• Become a component of a larger security monitoring program for your business.

There are a wide variety of EDR programs to choose from produced by an array of vendors. Which one is right for your particular business will depend on its specific needs and ORAM Cybersecurity Advisors can recommend one to fit your business’s requirements. There are other advantages to employing an EDR including the ability to query endpoint data quickly, contain suspected threats at the endpoint so they can’t spread on your network, and rollback capabilities.What is SIEM?Like an EDR, a SIEM also detects activity at the endpoints on your network to prevent cyberattacks. A SIEM also centralizes security events from devices in your network like an EDR through collecting endpoint data and analyzing the data, but the SIEM goes a step further to keep a log of event data from devices connected to a business network and as well as systems and applications. After gathering all of the data, the SIEM brings it all together in one platform so it’s easy to see the activity it has tracked and what it means.A SIEM program offers:

• A comprehensive analysis and control for business by collecting and analyzing data for meaningful threat awareness.
• Advanced threat detection using machine learning and artificial intelligence to adapt in real-time to new threats.
• Smart technology that adapts to predict and prevent newly emerging threats by identifying root causes and response.
• Threat search, analysis, reporting, and alert management to minimize the impact and risks associated with today’s ever-changing threat environment.

 This added information is important because it allows your IT team or a third-party provider to see what is happening with your network, systems, and applications in one place. With such information easily accessible, your IT team can conduct strategic detection of threats, analyze event data to know exactly when and where something went wrong, and have a logged history of the events. This can aid in remediation and business continuity before things go truly awry. Additionally, employing a SIEM can support your business with cybersecurity regulation compliance requirements.Why Businesses Need Both SIEM and EDRAt ORAM Cybersecurity Advisors, our position is that if you’re a best-in-class provider, you need both products to properly manage your client’s networks securely. While the two products are similar, they work in different ways to protect your business. By having both in place, it provides a layered security approach for your business.The EDR detects, blocks, contains, and remediates digital threats targeting your network endpoints fast. It identifies, analyzes, and investigates threats and automatically rolls back your software and applications to a “safe” version should an attack occur.At the same time, a SIEM adds even more efficiency to your network security by providing complete visibility of all event activity from multiple sources such as endpoints, software, and applications through a log on one platform for simple analysis by your IT team or a third-party provider. This allows your security team to be alerted to events quickly in the event a cyber incident such as a breach or ransomware attack does occur.Though EDR programs are one terrific layer of security, they are limited in scope when it comes to their ability to detect and counter highly-sophisticated malware attacks such as file-less malware. This type of attack exploits vulnerabilities that give the bad actors administrative control and the option to access and pilfer data for later use such as for a ransomware or phishing attack.By adding SIEM as a layer of security, businesses can help prevent more sophisticated attacks the EDR may not be able to stop. Leveraging the two types of security software together, it advances business security to build a complete picture in real time of the threats targeting that particular organization. That means your IT team has the opportunity to stop the threat before serious damage can be done.Bolster your business security with layered protection using EDR and SIEM together. Contact ORAM Cybersecurity Advisors by calling (617) 933-5060 to schedule a free, no-obligation initial consultation today!