Reasons to Implement Network Detection & Response Immediately
Enterprises are investing large sums in cybersecurity but continue to experience breaches— partly due to the expanding attack surface and largely because of the presence of unmanaged devices in the network, providing prime targets for malicious actors. To eradicate these vulnerabilities, leading analysts recommend integrating network detection and response (NDR) capabilities into their cybersecurity framework.
The intense and high-pressure work environments like nuclear facilities and air traffic control centers have been glamorized in numerous movies portraying technicians dealing with chaos and racing against time while the world remains unaware outside. In the current scenario, security operations centers (SOCs) in enterprises truly deserve the same level of recognition and acknowledgment.
The modern SOCs are under immense pressure to thwart threats that most employees in the organization are unaware of— unless an attack is successful. They understand the substantial costs associated with failure and are continuously striving to prioritize the right risks and act promptly.
Thankfully, SOCs have access to intelligent and robust tools to assist them. Endpoint detection and response (EDR) technologies have proven to be highly efficient in identifying threats in devices under enterprise management. However, the issue arises with the increasing number of unmanaged devices connecting to corporate networks, thus creating opportunities for malicious actors. Hence, there is a critical need for the broader-reaching capabilities of network detection and response (NDR) solutions.
Why it’s imperative to adopt network detection and response tools
Only a fraction of the connected devices will ever link to a corporate network. Yet, with the anticipated global device count set to reach 18.2 billion by 2025, even a small portion of that “fraction” on the corporate network in an unmanaged state will pose significant security challenges for SOC personnel.
Unmanaged assets serve as ideal hiding spots for attackers. They can manifest in various forms: devices previously managed with outdated security software, personal devices, networking equipment like routers, and smart devices such as thermostats and medical gadgets with connectivity.
Due to being unmanaged, these assets are difficult to update or patch and are not screened for vulnerabilities. Some simply cannot be managed, either due to insufficient sophistication to accommodate security tools or regulatory restrictions preventing scanning or alterations, as observed in the situation with some medical equipment in Canada.
These unmanaged assets are proliferating across enterprise IT systems just as networks are becoming increasingly challenging to safeguard. Boundaries are vanishing, particularly with the surge in remote and hybrid work. As per McKinsey, 58% of the U.S. workforce is already working remotely. The network lacks a clear perimeter.
Cybersecurity teams can no longer rely on merely keeping intruders at bay. While EDR can detect malicious behavior in managed assets and detect anomalies transitioning between managed and unmanaged devices, once a threat resides in the unmanaged landscape, it becomes virtually untraceable. Moreover, attackers excel at concealing their presence, utilizing regular tools and applications to navigate the network. Many remain dormant for weeks or months post-breach to evade detection before initiating their attacks.
SOC teams can monitor for suspicious lateral movements, but often remain uncertain about the content of network traffic as a bulk of it— encompassing 95% of web traffic as per Google—is encrypted.
NDR solutions play a pivotal role in addressing these vulnerabilities by rendering unmanaged assets visible.
Identifying latent threats
Adhering to the NDR approach involves real-time monitoring, detection, and response to network threats and anomalies. It employs advanced technologies and methodologies to pinpoint and tackle potential threats that conventional security measures might overlook.
NDR strategies incorporate continuous monitoring and scrutiny of traffic through deep packet inspection, behavioral analytics, and machine learning fortified by threat intelligence to identify irregularities and potential threats.
Industry analysts have outlined the essential features that NDR solutions must possess to effectively manage risks. Forrester has emphasized several critical capabilities, including integrated decryption for analyzing network and web traffic, support for zero-trust approaches, and prioritization of SOC analyst experience to prevent data overload and alert fatigue.
Gartner notes that while AI and machine learning are indispensable for any NDR solution, leveraging threat intelligence is crucial to gauge data against real-world risks. Cross-layer correlation is also necessary to streamline alerts and enhance the accuracy of threat identification.
Alleviating stress in SOC operations
By combining real-time monitoring and automated response capabilities, NDR equips enterprises to defend themselves more effectively against complex cyber threats and minimize the repercussions of security incidents.
Considering the transformations in the enterprise threat landscape, NDR plays a pivotal role in managing the risks associated with attacks, bringing XDR capabilities to network security, and simplifying the tasks of SOC teams, allowing them to operate efficiently with reduced stress levels. With such tools in place, perhaps the SOC will not turn out to be the star of a nail-biting Hollywood thriller after all.
Deeper Insights
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