It’s a cliche at this point to discuss the “ever-evolving threat landscape”. Cliché or not, the fact remains that attackers continue to become more sophisticated. Today’s threats show that legacy detection is insufficient, and behavior-based detection is critical. A Network Detection and Response (NDR) platform is a key component of a comprehensive security strategy, providing real-time visibility into network activity, detecting, and responding to emerging threats, and facilitating incident response.
When evaluating NDR platforms, it’s important to consider several key factors to ensure that you select a solution that meets the specific needs of your organization. In this blog post, we’ll discuss three of the most important factors to consider when purchasing an NDR platform.
Coverage
Your NDR solution should be able to cover all necessary components of your network, including endpoints, cloud infrastructure, and network devices. This ensures that you have a complete view of your network activity, making it easier to detect and respond to threats. Questions to ask include: Does the solution span/mirror ports on a handful of switches or does it collect from your entire network infrastructure for 100% visibility? Is it capable of correlating network traffic with risks on the endpoint?
Integration with existing tools
Another critical factor to consider is the integration of the NDR platform with your existing security tools, such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and security information and event management (SIEM) solutions. Integration can simplify the incident response process and improve security efficiency, as it allows you to receive alerts from multiple sources in a centralized location. This not only saves time but also helps to ensure that you have the most comprehensive view of your network activity. Ask yourself: What solutions does it integrate with natively? Does it have a robust API?
Scalability
As your organization grows and the threat landscape continues evolving, it’s essential that your NDR platform can scale to accommodate these changes. Consider whether the platform can accommodate changes in network architecture and technology, as well as the increasing demands of your security operations team. Furthermore, be sure that the platform provides the necessary resources to meet your security needs, such as processing power, storage, and network bandwidth. Questions to consider asking the vendor include: How long can I store my forensic network data? How easily can we extend our coverage to include new sites and devices?
Investing in an NDR platform is a critical component of a comprehensive security strategy, and by considering these three factors, you can be confident that you’re making the right investment for your organization.
If you’re interested in learning more about how NDR provides early detections, thorough investigations, and confident response, check out our whitepaper on the subject.