Let’s talk about the awesome foursome of security. Some people think XDR, EDR, SOAR, and SIEM technologies all do the same thing, or one is better than the others. In this blog, I am going to explain the core differences between the mighty security quad: XDR vs EDR vs SOAR vs SIEM.
Before we compare the capabilities of each of these technologies it’s important to briefly discuss what each of these solutions does.
XDR
An Extended Detection and Response (XDR) platform is an evolution of Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) with the added capabilities of features like automated enrichment and root cause analysis, third-party integrations, internal and external threat intel feed, and one-click automated response. Based on XDR capabilities, it’s most frequently used in a SaaS environment.
XDR solutions typically have more integrations between different parts of the IT infrastructure, enabling them to see a ‘bigger picture’ of how incidents are related to different areas of the system. This is different from SIEM solutions, which creates separate incidents for each individual part of the infrastructure and may not see the overall picture of how those incidents are connected.
EDR
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) is an integrated endpoint security solution combining real-time continuous monitoring and collection of endpoint data with rules-based automated response and analysis capabilities.
EDR is better at detecting unknown threats (like advanced persistent threats (APTs)) than signature-based detection. This is because EDR actively monitors endpoint activity, giving teams more visibility into what’s happening and allowing them to resolve threats more quickly.
SOAR
Security Orchestration, Automation and Response (SOAR) refers to technologies which enable organisations to collect data inputs monitored by the security operations team, for example, logging data alerts from the Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system. SOAR security tools allow an organisation to define incident analysis and response procedures in a digital workflow format.
SOAR is similar to SIEM in the sense it collects data for event logging and sends alerts to security teams, however, SOAR goes one step further by adding automation. This is made possible through automated workflows and artificial intelligence (AI) enabling SOAR to apply threat intelligence measures through trends and patterns to predict similar dangers before they happen.
SIEM
Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) technology combines Security Information Management (SIM) and Security Event Management (SEM) functions into one security management system. SIEM tools help detect threats, comply with regulations and manage security incidents by collecting and analysing near-real-time and historical security events, as well as other event and contextual data sources.
As such, data aggregation and analysis allow security teams to see potential threats and respond before they cause damage.
Use cases | SIEM | SOAR | EDR | XDR |
Data lake for log storage | X | X | X | |
Threat hunting | X | X | X | |
Historical Data querying | X | X | X | |
Security Analytics | X | X | X | |
Incidents and alerts | X | X | X | |
Incident Prioritisation | X | X | X | X |
Various types of security telemetry | X | X | ||
MITRE ATT&CK Mapping | X | X | X | |
Recommended response actions | X | X | X | |
GRC use cases | X | |||
Dashboards and reporting | X | X | X | X |
Threat intel feeds | X | X | X | |
Human created workflows | X | X | ||
Automated root cause analysis | X | X | ||
EDR Capabilities | X | X | ||
Automated creation of workflows | X | |||
Single click response | X | X |
There are always requirements and circumstances pertaining to different environments, so it’s important to understand what will work best for your organisation. If you need help deciphering what is best for your organisation, contact our experienced Secure Workplace consultants.
Until next time, hasta-la-vista.