XDR vs. EDR: Similarities, Differences, and How to Choose

Core Capabilities of EDR and XDR

Key capabilities of EDR to consider:

• Monitoring endpoint data: They collect data from the endpoints on the network, such as process information, file activity, network traffic, and system logs. This data is used to create a baseline of “normal” activity on the endpoint, which can be compared to current activity to identify anomalies that may indicate a security threat.
• Analyzing data: EDR uses advanced analytics and machine learning algorithms to analyze the data collected from endpoints, looking for patterns and indicators of compromise. This analysis can help to identify threats that may be missed by traditional signature-based antivirus solutions.
• Automatically containing endpoint threats: They can take automatic action to contain threats that are detected on an endpoint, such as isolating the endpoint from the network, terminating malicious processes, or rolling back changes made by malware.
• Providing support and forensics for endpoint response efforts: They provide security teams and SOC with the tools and information they need to investigate and respond to security incidents. This includes supplying detailed information and visibility about the threat, such as its origin, behavior, attack timeline and impact on the endpoint, as well as tools for remediation and recovery.
• Threat hunting: EDR provides information and tools so analysts can proactively search across endpoint data for hidden threats. In some cases, AI can support these searches.

On the other hand, XDR solutions go beyond endpoint protection and cover a wide range of threat detection and response capabilities across multiple environments, including endpoints, networks, cloud, and email. Here are capabilities provided by XDR to consider:

• Monitoring data from a wider range of sources: An XDR solution can collect data from a wider range of sources than EDR, including network traffic, cloud applications, IAM systems and email. This enables a more comprehensive view of an organization’s security posture, allowing for more effective threat detection and response.
• Providing more comprehensive analytics to detect active threats: XDR solutions leverage advanced analytics and machine learning to analyze and correlate data across a wide range of sources, uncovering active threats that traditional security tools might overlook. By connecting signals from across different environments, XDR can map out the full attack path, making it possible to detect sophisticated threats that move laterally or span multiple attack vectors.
• Automated and orchestrated Response: XDR solutions can execute coordinated playbooks across systems. For example, they can automatically disable accounts, block IPs, isolate endpoints, and stop malicious emails.
• Effectively replacing part of an organization’s cybersecurity expenses: Adopting XDR can provide a more cost-effective approach to cybersecurity by consolidating multiple security solutions into a single platform. By providing a more comprehensive view of an organization’s security posture, XDR can reduce the need for multiple point solutions and streamline detection, investigation, response, and overall security operations.

EDR vs. XDR: Exploring the Common Ground

Both types of solutions share a similar purpose and approach to protecting organizations from endpoint threats. Both are designed to provide real-time threat detection and response capabilities. Key areas that overlap include:

• Preventative security approach: EDR and XDR take a preventative approach to cybersecurity by using advanced analytics and machine learning algorithms to detect threats in real time, allowing security teams to respond quickly before damage can be done.
• Fast response: Both solutions provide fast response times to threats. By using automated response and containment capabilities, they can take immediate action to isolate and remediate threats on the network.
• Support for threat hunting: They each support threat hunting by enabling security teams to conduct investigations and analyze threat data in more detail. This helps to identify threats that may have been missed by automated detection, and can also help to inform the development of more effective security policies and procedures.

XDR vs. EDR: The Critical Differences to Know

While both aim to enhance threat detection and response, EDR and XDR take distinct approaches in the following ways:

• Scope: EDR focuses on endpoint protection, providing visibility and prevention for individual endpoints on a network. In contrast, XDR takes an integrated security approach, combining visibility and threat management across multiple environments, including endpoints, networks, cloud, and email.
• Integration: EDR uses a best-in-breed approach to endpoint security, leveraging multiple security solutions to provide the most effective protection. However, it does not address other aspects of cybersecurity, so it is often necessary to integrate EDR manually with other solutions. On the other hand, XDR provides a unified solution that covers a wider range of security threats and attack surfaces.

• Data correlation: EDR collects and analyzes telemetry from individual endpoints. XDR is able to correlate signals across multiple domains, creating a unified picture of an attack.
• Threat detection: EDR detects threats based on endpoint activity (file execution, process behavior, registry changes). XDR detects multi-vector attacks that span different layers. For example, an attack that starts with phishing, continues to endpoint compromise, and continues to lateral movement.
• Response capabilities: EDR responds locally at the endpoint. For example, it isolates devices, kills processes, and quarantines files. XDR orchestrates coordinated responses across multiple layers. It can block IPs at firewalls, disable compromised accounts, stop malicious emails, and isolate endpoints.
• Visibility: EDR provides deep endpoint visibility. XDR provides end-to-end visibility across the enterprise attack surface.

Data Collection & Visibility: Depth vs. Breadth

EDR and XDR both operate by monitoring and analyzing data, with the goal of detecting and responding to threats and risks. However, they differ in the breadth of their coverage. EDR takes a depth-first approach, collecting rich telemetry from endpoints such as process activity, file changes, memory usage, and user behavior. This gives security teams deep visibility into what’s happening on a device.

With EDR data analysis, security teams can detect malware, ransomware, and insider threats at the endpoint level. However, EDR’s view is limited: attacks that pivot through cloud services, email accounts, or network infrastructure often remain outside its scope.

XDR, on the other hand, is designed for breadth of coverage. It aggregates telemetry not only from endpoints, but also from networks, cloud environments, email systems, and IaM. By correlating signals across these layers, XDR builds a fuller picture of an attack.

XDR’s broader visibility enhances context for investigations, improves detection of stealthy, multi-vector threats (like phishing that escalates into lateral movement), and significantly reduces noise by eliminating duplicate or isolated alerts.

XDR vs. EDR in Automation, Analytics & AI

AI and machine learning (ML) can significantly leverage EDR and XDR’s abilities to analyze behaviors and detect anomalies. AI and ML can identify process anomalies, file executions, or privilege escalations in real-time. Now, the question is what to do with these insights.

While EDR can automate basic responses, its automation is generally limited to the endpoint. This includes killing malicious processes, quarantining files, or isolating a compromised device. But even after these workflows are automated and executed, analysts still need to manually investigate and connect alerts from other systems.

XDR, by contrast, extends these AI-driven analytics across the entire environment. It not only detects anomalies on endpoints, but also correlates them with signals from network traffic, identity systems, email, and cloud services. This enables richer contextual analysis, higher detection accuracy, and fewer false positives.

A key advantage of XDR is its ability to orchestrate end-to-end automated responses across multiple systems. FOr instance, it can simultaneously disable a compromised user account in Active Directory, block a malicious IP at the firewall, and isolate an affected device. This kind of corss-domain automation helps significantly reduce both Mean Time to Detect (MTTD) and Mean Time to Respond (MTTR), enhancing overall security while minimizing operational disruption.

Which Solution is Better for Your Organization?

Deciding whether to implement an EDR or XDR solution depends on your organization’s specific security needs and resources. However, there are some factors that may make XDR a better solution than EDR for some teams.

One of the main advantages of XDR over EDR is its comprehensive approach to cybersecurity. XDR integrates data from multiple sources to provide a more holistic view of an organization’s security posture. This allows for better response to endpoints and other threats that may span multiple environments or attack vectors. In contrast, EDR only provides protection for individual endpoints across the network and may not detect threats that originate from other sources.

Another advantage of XDR is its ability to reduce the complexity of security operations. By providing a unified solution for threat detection and response across multiple environments, XDR can streamline security operations and reduce the need for multiple-point solutions. This can help to reduce the cost and resource requirements of cybersecurity operations.

When evaluating an endpoint solution, organizations should consider their specific security needs and resources. Factors to consider may include:

• Size and complexity of the organization’s network
• Type and volume of sensitive data that needs to be protected
• Level of risk associated with the organization’s industry or geographic location
• Budget and resources available for cybersecurity operations

Beyond XDR Security With Cynet’s Autonomous Breach Protection

Cynet All-in-One AutoXDR is an autonomous breach protection platform that works on three levels, providing XDR, Security Orchestration Automation and Response (SOAR) capabilities, and 24/7 MDR in one unified solution. Cynet natively integrates these three services into an end-to-end platform that fully automates many protection and response tasks.

Cynet’s XDR layer includes the following capabilities:

• Endpoint protection—multilayered protection against malware, ransomware, exploits, and fileless attacks.
• Network protection—protecting against scanning attacks, MITM, lateral movement, and data exfiltration.
• User protection—preset behavior rules coupled with dynamic behavior profiling to detect malicious anomalies.
• Deception—a wide array of network, user, and file decoys to lure advanced attackers into revealing their hidden presence.

Cynet AutoXDR can be fully deployed across thousands of devices in under two hours, giving you instant visibility into advanced threats across your environment. From automated threat detection to swift manual or automatic remediation, it empowers your team to stop attacks before they cause serious damage.

See it in action for yourself—start your free trial of Cynet 360 AutoXDR today and experience the world’s only fully integrated XDR, SOAR, and MDR platform.