Lack of visibility is one of the biggest roadblocks to effective cybersecurity. In a recent Gigamon study, 70 percent of security leaders said blind spots were their biggest challenge. More than a third (37 percent) said their existing security tools had failed to detect an active threat in the preceding 12 months.
Remote and hybrid work models, cloud services, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices have greatly expanded the attack surface. Network traffic continues to grow in volume and complexity. At the same time, cybercriminals are using AI and other advanced tools to circumvent traditional security controls. Organizations need complete visibility to detect and respond to these threats.
Network detection and response (NDR) provides that visibility. NDR solutions offer an unmatched ability to monitor and analyze network traffic. They leverage advanced analytics and AI to spot anomalies and detect patterns that indicate a cyberattack. Automation allows NDR to respond to threats in real time, enabling IT teams to take a more proactive approach to cybersecurity.
How NDR Identifies Threats
NDR belongs to a category of tools that includes endpoint detection and response (EDR) and extended detection and response (XDR). As the name suggests, NDR is focused specifically on the network, with features designed to detect threats within network traffic. NDR tools monitor both north-south and east-west traffic and are able to identify both known and emerging threats.
Best-in-class NDR tools provide deep packet inspection and analysis of encrypted traffic. The latter is particularly important given that 80 percent or more of network traffic is encrypted. The ability to adapt to evolving encryption protocols and analyze data flows without compromising security or privacy are key features of NDR tools.
NDR tools ingest and analyze network flow information, comparing it to known behaviors and attributes to identify anomalies. Intelligent anomaly detection puts behavioral analysis in context by aggregating and correlating alerts from across the network. This enables faster and more targeted response to potential threats.
The Value of AI and Automation
The AI and machine learning capabilities of NDR tools enable contextual analysis of network traffic, user activities and data. These techniques enable NDR tools to detect subtle changes in behavior. Advanced solutions enhance this analysis with predictive AI, making it possible to anticipate and mitigate network threats in real time. Generative AI can simulate potential attack patterns using data modeling.
NDR tools also allow administrators to develop automated response playbooks — a set of predefined actions to take when potential threats are identified. Automated response minimizes the impact of security incidents and enables real-time threat protection. It also streamlines incident response processes to reduce the workload of security teams.
Historical forensics capabilities enable the analysis of network data to reconstruct the event chain of a cyberattack. Security teams gain insight into the attackers’ actions, which facilitates investigations and identification of vulnerabilities.
How to Choose the Right NDR Solution
The NDR market is still emerging and changing rapidly, with a number of relatively new offerings. Some major vendors have rolled out NDR solutions as part of their platform-based security approach. This aids in integrating NDR with existing security tools and provides the assurance that comes with a reputable vendor that offers ongoing support, updates and product development.
When evaluating NDR solutions, it’s important to consider whether the product provides complete visibility across the network and the ability to detect evasive threats. The solution should be able to analyze data in real time without introducing latency or impeding performance. It should also provide the scalability to support growing volumes of network traffic. Streamlined deployment and management ensure rapid time-to-value and low total cost of ownership.
Many IT teams lack the visibility they need to detect and respond to network threats. Let Technologent help you evaluate and select an NDR solution that can help boost security throughout the network infrastructure.
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