Cyber attacks are becoming more sophisticated for organizations, so they are actively searching for new web security tools to add to their arsenal. One of the tools many organizations are integrating into their security framework is Network Detection and Response (NDR) platforms.
The major reason for this addition is that it provides foolproof security and covers the gap between other security tools. However, there are certain things to look out for before settling down for a particular NDR platform — all these will be discussed in this article.
What is an NDR (Network Detection and Response)?
A Network Detection and Response (NDR) solution is a type of technology that uses analytics techniques such as machine learning to monitor network traffic. Any organization working online or having its database on the web has a serious problem on its hands. While operating online makes their work or business better, they are often the primary targets of cyber hackers.
The network of an organization’s database often serves as a channel through which cybercriminals can easily carry out an attack. Hence, there needs to be consistent monitoring of the network activities in their databases. Doing this manually is a very hefty task and might not be effective in detecting suspicious or malicious network activity.
This is where a Network Detection and Response (NDR) solution comes in, as it helps in the automatic monitoring of a network to detect malicious web traffic. The function of this technology is to alert the security team of an organization when there’s suspicious activity. Hence, an NDR can be very useful in web security forensic investigations to know how a cyber threat started.
What is the Need for Network Detection and Response Solution in an Organization?
There are many reasons an organization needs NDR solutions, such as those of Stellar Cyber, to protect them from attacks by cybercriminals. Cyber attackers are one of the most innovative sets of people, as they are always looking for new methods of perpetrating new attacks. Hence, they have moved away from simple methods such as phishing to more complex methods like utilizing the weaknesses of an organization’s network.
Many companies or organizations operating online are aware that they are targets of these cybercriminals. So, they need to be innovative in the type of security framework they employ to fight against these cybercriminals. A Network Detection and Response solution needs to be a component of a security operation center (SOC). This will help any organization to detect the most advanced and complex attacks going in through their network. NDR seems very important due to how it works and detects malicious activities — it is simple, effective, and efficient.
The first step in the detection process of NDR solutions is monitoring and analyzing traffic in an organization’s network while providing feedback to the security team. NDR then uses machine learning to know or learn the difference between normal and malicious network activity. The third step is that it detects malicious network activity and immediately collaborates with other security tools to provide timely feedback and alerts to the security team. The last function here is that it correlates traffic from different data sources so as to find out how the threat entered the network — this is a preventative function.
What You Should Look for in an NDR Platform
Certain things should be considered when you are looking for an NDR platform to monitor and secure your network from threats and malicious activities. These factors include:
Integration With Other Tools and Compatibility
As said above, an NDR solution should be able to work with other security tools in an organization to detect and prevent threats more effectively. Hence, something to look out for when searching for an NDR platform is that it integrates other security tools and compatibility with network architecture.
Range of Threat Detection Capabilities
NDR solutions are not the same, as some have a much wider range of threat detection capabilities than others. Data loss, advanced persistent threats (APTs), malware, intrusions, and insider threats should be within the coverage of any NDR.
In addition to this, ensure that the NDR your organization wants to get has threat intelligence integration and machine learning capabilities. This feature ensures that the NDR solution is fully ready to adapt to any kind of threat thrown at it by cybercriminals.
Visibility and Coverage Abilities
All NDR solutions don’t have the same network coverage ability over an organization’s network infrastructure. Hence, it is very important to choose one that can provide comprehensive coverage and an overview of what is happening over an organization’s network.
Apparently, an NDR solution shouldn’t only be able to monitor the network traffic of an establishment. It should also be able to monitor the physical, endpoints, and encrypted communication systems of an organization for wider visibility.
User-friendly Interface and Usability
Despite NDR solutions being one of the most complex security technologies, it shouldn’t be so for users, especially those who don’t have any prior experience. An NDR solution should be easy to operate and understand so that even new users can easily operate and act on the data it provides.
One of the most prominent NDR solutions with this type of feature is that of Stellar Cyber, which features customizable reports and user-friendly dashboards. The NDR solution should also simplify the complexity of the data it provides to users so new users can easily understand what is wrong or happening within an organization’s network.
Performance and Scalability Capabilities
Another aspect to look into when choosing an NDR platform is its performance and scalability capabilities. Starting with performance, the NDR platform an organization intends to use should be able to handle large volumes of network traffic without having issues in latency. In the area of scalability, the NDR platform should also be able to accommodate the growth of an organization. In other words, it should be able to work effectively and efficiently even when an organization experiences massive growth in their size.
Wrapping Up
An NDR is an important security tool for any organization that has a web footprint, but it can only be effective if it has certain features. Hence, there are certain things an organization must always look out for before choosing an NDR solution. Some of the factors to consider are having a user-friendly and intuitive interface, compatibility and integration with other tools, a range of threat detection, and many others.
