Reasons You Should Use a Network Detection & Response Tool

Network detection and response is essential for any digital organization. As organizations become increasingly complex, so do networks, devices, and the need for monitoring and stopping potential threats. With an increase in complex networks and devices, would-be attackers are on the hunt for better ways to gain access to an organization and its data. 

An NDR can help security teams detect, identify, and respond to malware and attempted attacks on user networks and devices. These devices, whether on the premises, on the cloud, or in hybrid environments, will all benefit from an NDR in place. See below to learn all about why NDR is a critical part of a network security strategy: 

Why do companies use NDR solutions?

• What are the benefits of network detection and response?
• Why is network detection and response important?
• What cyberthreats does network detection and response defend against?
• Bottom line

What are the benefits of network detection and response?

Streamline security response

NDR expands on real-time monitoring and analysis while solutions integrate security, automation, and response technology to streamline and automate response options.

Save time

NDR solutions gather data across environments and use machine analytics to expose threats quickly. They then provide incident response and threat-hunting efforts that security teams don’t have to do themselves. 

Save money

A team can save money with an NDR that provides real-time network insights and analytics and gathers data from within a work environment to add relevant, contextual information and make breach investigations more efficient and less costly projects.

Why is network detection and response important?

Increase of security incidents

The number of security incidents has increased over the last few years. These staggering increases in attacks have created the need for better, faster security software. And not just for large companies. While most attackers focus on big corporations with large pockets, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are targeted 43% of the time. This is because attackers have found it far easier to attack smaller businesses with less robust cybersecurity systems in place. They then use the stolen data and access to gain access to larger partner enterprises and even customers. Unfortunately, an organization of any size is vulnerable to an attack. 

Detecting threats isn’t enough

These increasingly-popular attacks wreak havoc on their victim companies. In addition, we know network-based attacks have become increasingly popular for scammers, often causing significant impacts on the victim companies. Unfortunately, other security tools may miss these advanced, more robust attacks, and may require interference and help from security and IT teams. NDR solutions move beyond signature-based detection by implementing machine learning and data analytics to analyze network traffic, responding to threats in real time. 

Need for rapid response

NDR tools use machine learning and behavioral analytics to monitor network traffic and develop a baseline of activity. Once they understand the baseline behaviors, an NDR can determine when new and different traffic occurs and what needs immediate investigation and response. That means when something fishy is detected on a company’s network, an NDR can recognize it, analyze it, and respond in seconds. 

Use of forensic analysis 

Using a process of detecting intrusion patterns, focusing on attacker activity, an NDR can determine how threats breach and move through a network. 

They analyze network traffic data collected from different sites and network equipment, such as firewalls. In addition, NDRs monitor anomalous network traffic to detect attacks and determine the nature of attackers.

What cyberthreats does network detection and response defend against?

NDR tools have many functions that make them ideal for any organization’s day-to-day network security. An NDR can help defend against many attacks and threats that networks and security teams face today. 

Suspicious network traffic that traditional tools miss 

Not to be confused with EDR, which focuses on monitoring and preventing endpoint attacks, NDRs focus on monitoring communications and creating real-time network visibility. They also provide timely alerts for incident response teams. In addition, an NDR can detect patterns and anomalies in all network traffic, thereby stopping and eliminating suspicious or malicious traffic. 

In addition, an NDR differs from traditional cyber detection tools like EDR in that it doesn’t utilize a specialist to understand malignant activity. Instead, it depends on an organization to investigate traffic across on-premises and remote-based jobs. By using non-signature-based detection techniques, NDR security arrangements tend to stop threat attacks in the works before they can bring any damage. 

Scanning for traffic that doesn’t adhere to trusted or recognized safe browsing behavior, NDR systems persistently monitor and analyze basic enterprise network information to establish a baseline of typical network activity. Whenever suspicious network traffic designs diverge from this baseline, NDR tools caution security experts that risks might be taking place on their network. 

Non-malware threats

Non-malware threats, including insider attacks and credential abuse, are those in which the attacker doesn’t need to install anything on a network or machine. A simple click on a link can cause an employee to infect an organization’s network unknowingly. An NDR can detect these threats, which are hidden behind seemingly normal behavior. These attacks have no identifiable code or signature that makes other software see them. They also do not tend to have a particular behavior making it necessary for an organization to have software beyond traditional, heuristic scanners. An NDR now becomes invaluable as a way to recognize this type of breach and immediately respond. 

Suspicious accounts and IP addresses

NDR solutions help heighten and automate security workflows. For example, a team can automate routine responses to meet specific needs and to stop specific threats. Automating network security allows businesses to focus on other vital needs. A great example of an NDR working for security is one automatically disabling an account or blocking an IP address in response to an attack without the need for a team to intervene, which brings us to our last point. 

Bottom line

A network and detection response system is vital for any small or large-scale company that uses a network. Any company with employees working on a computer, either in-office or at home, is susceptible to attacks. An NDR can help teams detect many of these threats and determine the best course of action or response for a security team to take. Many of these actions are done immediately, without human interference, cutting down response time while helping eliminate the risk of data breaches. Using techniques such as behavioral analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, an NDR can help bring an organization up to speed when it comes to network security.