EPP vs EDR: What's the Difference?

Endpoints are often the first attack vectors for threat actors seeking initial access into an otherwise protected computing environment. Therefore, one of the primary purposes of Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) and Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions is to help protect enterprise networks from security incidents arising at the endpoint layer. 

EPP and EDR security solutions are both critical for securing business assets in today’s threat landscape, but they execute different functions. EPPs, for example, prevent cyber threats at the network perimeter; EDR solutions detect and identify advanced cyber threats that an EPP solution may have failed to filter. EDRs also provide security teams with information and tools for enhanced threat hunting.

What Is an EPP?

An EPP is an integrated suite of endpoint protection technologies that consists of data encryption, data loss prevention, intrusion prevention, and antivirus. The EPP provides a framework for data sharing between endpoint protection technologies. It helps detect malicious activity, prevent file-based malware attacks and zero-day vulnerabilities, and enhance investigative and remediation activities necessary to respond to dynamic security incidents and alerts. 

EPP solutions mostly have a cloud-based management component for data analysis and collection and enable security analysts to access it from a central interface. Key features of the EPP include threat signature matching, machine learning static analysis, behavioral analysis, sandboxing and deny-listing, and allow-listing.

What Is EDR?

EDR solutions are endpoint security systems that help detect attacks on endpoint devices and investigate suspicious activity on hosts and endpoints. The three main components of an EDR solution are data collection, detection engine, and data analysis engine. EDR solutions identify threat patterns, detect malicious behavior, monitor and record endpoint data, and respond to threats. Additionally, EDR processes place controlled restrictions on endpoints, block malignant operations, and run automated incident response playbooks to assist security staff in responding to security incidents much more quickly.

How Is EPP Different from EDR?

EDR and EPP are the two leading technology solutions baked into a defense-in-depth security posture. With both solutions, an organization enjoys advanced endpoint security. However, EPP and EDR still have their differences. 

Here are some ways in which EPP and EDR differ:

  1. Whereas EPP is a suite of endpoint technologies that work together to prevent, detect, and remediate security threats, EDR is a single solution that provides visibility into endpoint activity to improve detection and response capabilities.
  2. Endpoint protection platforms facilitate passive threat prevention, whereas EDR enables active threat detection.
  3. EPP follows the first line of defense mechanism that prevents threats. EDR, on the other hand, assumes an existing breach and helps investigate to contain it.
  4. While EPP can prevent known and some unknown threats, EDR enables immediate response to the threats undetected by EPP.
  5. EPPs isolate and protect each endpoint, whereas EDR solutions provide context and data for attacks across multiple endpoints.

How Does EDR Work with EPP?

Organizations today must improve their cybersecurity infrastructure, including endpoint security, to protect themselves from highly evolving cyber threats. EDR solutions add extra protection to EPP solutions with threat-hunting tools for behavior-based endpoint threat detection. EPP and EDR provide the robust endpoint security measures organizations need for a holistic approach to address traditional and advanced security threats. In addition, while security experts must investigate and analyze EDR, EPP processes operate with minimal supervision after initial installation and configuration. These endpoint protection systems complement each other, enabling EPP vendors to add EDR capabilities to their products and provide better protection.

Cylance Cybersecurity for EPP with EDR

Protect your people, information, and netorks with CylancePROTECT® and CylanceOPTICS®. CyberOPTICS is AI-powered EDR that expands the EPP capabilities of CylancePROTECT. Together, they effectively block cyberattacks and provide controls for safeguarding against sophisticated threats.
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Related Resources:

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