In practical terms, XDR collects and analyses data from a wide range of sources, including workstations, servers, firewalls, email systems, cloud services, networks and existing security solutions. By correlating all this information, it can detect complex attacks that might go unnoticed if each tool were operating in isolation.
For example, an employee clicks on a phishing email and downloads a malicious file, after which a hacker attempts to connect to the company’s network and access a server. An EDR solution may detect the suspicious activity on the affected computer. XDR, however, will connect all these events and identify them as part of the same cyberattack. It can then alert security teams and, depending on its configuration, automatically trigger actions to limit the spread of the threat.
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This comprehensive view can significantly speed up incident detection and reduce the time needed to respond. IT teams therefore have access to the full context of an incident, making analysis and decision-making easier.
XDR does not replace other cybersecurity solutions, but complements them by enabling them to work together. Combined with EDR, a firewall, a SOC and continuous monitoring, it helps businesses strengthen their ability to detect sophisticated cyber threats and respond quickly before they have an impact on operations.