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XDR for Beginners: How to Get Started with Extended Detection and Response

Table of Contents

Cyberattacks are getting more sophisticated and frequent. Malicious attackers take advantage of vulnerabilities in security systems, resulting in data breaches, ransomware, and downtime. 

Tools like EDR and NDR are usually used separately, which may not give the complete effectiveness one is looking for. Whereas Extended Detection and Response (XDR) is a solution that unifies all security data, giving you better insight and quicker threat detection.

What Is XDR?

XDR combines information from endpoints, networks, cloud, and other sources into one system. This gives a complete picture of your security environment, helping you find threats effectively. 

XDR takes data from multiple sources and analyzes it to identify complex attacks that might be missed by tools like EDR or NDR.

XDR Features

In today’s world, cyberattacks can come from many different sources. Hackers might start by attacking an employee’s email, then move around laterally across the network, and finally exfiltrate sensitive data from the cloud. Where traditional security tools had a hard time keeping up with these movements, XDR works like magic.  

It is better because it gives cross-layer visibility, automates threat responses, and helps security teams concentrate on real threats instead of false positives.

Why Is XDR Important?

Traditional tools often fail to catch attacks that are used in multiple ways to break into systems. A study by Titania found that over 70% of companies are already spending more on security measures that help prevent problems before they happen. It’s very important to have a unified platform that covers all attack surfaces. And XDR is one of them and helps by: 

  • Combining security information from all corners of your infrastructure. 
  • Automating threat response, so your team has less manual work. 
  • Reducing false positives, allowing your team to concentrate on actual threats.

How XDR Works

XDR gathers information from various sources, like endpoints, networks, and cloud. It then uses AI and machine learning to analyze the collected data. This helps in detecting unusual activities across the entire IT environment. 

Let’s say a hacker got into your system through a phishing email and then moved around within your network.  

In this case, a regular security solution might spot the phishing email but probably miss the lateral movement. Whereas XDR monitors all possible ways an attack could happen and catches these complex threats.

How does XDR works infographic

How to Start with XDR: Step-by-Step Approach

If you’re just starting with XDR, you might find it a bit overwhelming. However, with the right approach it gets easier and greatly enhances your security posture.

1. Determine Your Requirements

The initial step is identifying the security gaps in your organization.

While reviewing your current security posture consider the following: 

  • What are the main assets we need to protect? 
  • Which areas (endpoints, network, cloud) are most at risk? 
  • What are our current detection and response capabilities? 

Ensure you set specific goals. Understand what you want to achieve: 

  • Reduce alert fatigue  
  • Automate threat response  
  • Enhance visibility across multiple attack vectors 

This evaluation will assist you in identifying where XDR can improve your security approach. 

Eliminate Alert Fatigue with Fidelis XDR

In this guide, you’ll find how Fidelis Elevate® works with:

2. Define XDR Requirements

After understanding your requirements, identify the key features your XDR solution must have: 

  • Integration: Make sure the XDR system works well with your present security tools like firewalls, SIEMs, or EDR. 
  • Cloud Support: Since many attacks focus on cloud environments, pick a solution that includes cloud XDR features. 
Fidelis Elevate® meets these needs by providing clear alerts, automatic responses, and deception tools that help change the way attackers can target you.

3. Assess XDR Platforms

Selecting the right platform that fits your needs is the key. Here’s what you should look for: 

  • Threat Intelligence Integration: Ensure it includes real-time threat intelligence that will give context for alerts and fastening the process of decision making. 
  • Advanced Analytics: Choose a platform that uses AI and machine learning to identify complex threats. 
  • Customizability: You need a platform that allows you to adjust response actions to fit your organization’s security policies.

4. Introduce XDR in Phases

Begin with a small-scale implementation of XDR. First, test the platform’s features in a controlled environment before using it across your whole company. 

Educate your security team on how to operate the platform, monitor alerts, and automate responses. As time goes on, adjust the system according to changing threats and organizational shifts.

5. Integrate XDR with Your Existing Tools

Even though XDR is very thorough, it works even better when integrated with other tools, such as SIEM.  

XDR offers real-time threat detection, while SIEM assists with managing long-term log data. When put together, they improve incident response and mitigation times.

Why XDR Matters: Key Benefits

1. Enhanced Threat Detection

XDR analyzes and correlates data from different sources. This results in improved detection of advanced threats such as APTs, which typically use multiple attack vectors.

2. Automation Makes Workflow Easier

One of the most important parts of XDR is its ability to automate. Tasks like blocking malicious IP addresses or keeping infected devices isolated can be done automatically. This makes the process faster and reduces manual intervention. And your security team can concentrate on complex threats.

3. Complete Visibility

XDR provides complete visibility of the entire attack surface. Security teams can monitor endpoints, networks, cloud setups, and more all from one place. This helps eliminate blind spots that could have been missed when using separate tools.

4. Reduction in Alert Fatigue

Alert fatigue is a big problem. With so many alerts coming in every day, important ones can easily be missed. But you have nothing to worry about, XDR connects alerts and cuts down on false positives.

XDR vs. EDR, NDR, and SIEM: The Ultimate Showdown

ToolWhat It DoesStrengthsWeakness
EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response)Focuses on endpoints like laptops, mobile devicesExcellent at catching endpoint-specific threatsNo network or cloud visibility
NDR (Network Detection and Response)Analyzes network traffic for suspicious behaviorGreat for spotting anomalies in network trafficLeaves endpoints unprotected
SIEM (Security Information and Event Management)Gathers logs from various systems into one placeCentralizes security data for long-term analysisCan be complex and resource-heavy to manage
XDR (Extended Detection and Response)Unifies security across endpoints, network, cloud, emailCorrelates data from multiple vectors for total coverageInitial integration with existing tools can be tricky

Fidelis Elevate®: The Best XDR Solution for Proactive Defense

Fidelis XDR Platform Capabilities

If you need a strong XDR platform, Fidelis Elevate® is one of the best choices. It does more than basic XDR by including automatic detection, active deception, and immediate response.

Key Features of Fidelis Elevate®

How Fidelis Elevate works

XDR Use Cases: Practical Applications

1. Decreasing Alert Fatigue

One of the main reasons people use XDR is to reduce alert overload. Security teams often get too many alerts that are hard to handle. It helps by correlating alerts and reducing the number of false positives.

2. Identifying Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs)

APTs are complex, multi-vector attacks that can remain unnoticed for a long period. XDR’s comprehensive visibility across different layers helps spot these threats early, preventing them from becoming worse.

3. Cloud Security

As companies shift to cloud services, traditional tools such as EDR and NDR find it hard to offer enough oversight. Cloud XDR makes sure that cloud operations are constantly monitored and protected.

The Future of Cybersecurity with XDR

This field is ever evolving, and XDR is at the forefront.  

XDR helps by finding advanced threats, reducing alert fatigue, and automatically responding to threats across endpoints, networks, and cloud environments.  

Using solutions like Fidelis Elevate®, organizations can improve big time. They’ll be able to handle cyber threats confidently. Investing in XDR technology would be the best decision one can take. It’ll help organizations stay ahead of cyber threats.

Explore how Fidelis' XDR platform, Fidelis Elevate can help you!

Frequently Ask Questions

How does XDR reduce alert fatigue?

XDR helps reduce the number of alerts coming your way by combining information from different sources, like endpoints, networks, and cloud services.  

It uses AI and ML to remove false positives and highlight real threats. Instead of flooding security teams with isolated alerts, XDR gives them context-rich notifications. It handles routine threats automatically, so security teams can concentrate on critical incidents.  

By consolidating and analyzing alerts, XDR cuts down on unnecessary alerts, making sure only the important threats get attention.

What makes Fidelis Elevate® unique?

Fidelis Elevate® combines deception technology with automated detection, offering full protection for endpoints, networks, and cloud environments. 

How does XDR differ from SIEM and SOAR platforms?

Both XDR and SIEM collect security data, but SIEM is mainly about managing logs and analyzing events over a long period. SIEM systems store data in a central location but need a lot of manual work to analyze and respond to threats. XDR does more than SIEM by combining data from endpoints, networks, and the cloud, giving a quicker, real-time response.  

Meanwhile, SOAR focuses on automating incident response process. XDR brings together SIEM’s data analysis and SOAR’s automation, while also offering better visibility across various attack vectors.

How do I start the process of implementing XDR in my organization?

  1. Identify Your Needs: Look at your current security situation to find gaps and decide what you want XDR to help with, like lowering alert fatigue or better threat detection across multiple vectors.  
  2. Set Your XDR Goals: Based on what you need, list the features you want in an XDR solution, such as integration with your existing tools, automating tasks, and supporting cloud services. 
  3. Choose the Right XDR: Pick an XDR solution that meets your needs. Look for ones that offer smart analysis, threat intelligence integration, and customizable responses. 
  4. Start Small: Begin by deploying the solution on a small-scale to see how it works before using it across your organization. Train your team on how to use it.
  5. Integrate with Your Current Tools: Make sure XDR works well with your existing security tools like SIEM and SOAR to give you comprehensive coverage. 

About Author

Sarika Sharma

Sarika, a cybersecurity enthusiast, contributes insightful articles to Fidelis Security, guiding readers through the complexities of digital security with clarity and passion. Beyond her writing, she actively engages in the cybersecurity community, staying informed about emerging trends and technologies to empower individuals and organizations in safeguarding their digital assets.

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