Eliminate all those blind spots with NDR

Introduction

One thing I have realized as a cybersecurity professional is that visibility is the key to security. Adversaries constantly look for blind spots because the best place to attack is in the shadows. No one questions the importance of a next-generation firewall (NGFW) in an overall cybersecurity strategy to cover north-south traffic. Endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions do a great job of monitoring endpoints, and when user and endpoint behavior analytics are engaged, you have even more insight into threats. But what about internal east-west traffic? And what about IoT endpoints that are either unknown or agentless?

Enter network detection and response. NDR gives security operations center (SOC) teams a 30,000-foot view of the enterprise, examining traffic at the network level. By continuously monitoring and analyzing network activity, NDR helps detect anomalies, uncover hidden threats and respond to incidents faster. Unlike traditional endpoint or perimeter tools, NDR focuses on behavior across the entire network, making it invaluable for identifying lateral movement, data exfiltration and sophisticated attacks that evade other defenses.

What is network detection and response (NDR)?

At its core, network detection and response (NDR) is a security solution focused on continuously monitoring network traffic to detect suspicious behavior and respond to threats in real time. An NDR tool analyzes data across the enterprise — whether on-premises, in the cloud or a combination of both (hybrid) — and applies machine learning, behavioral analytics and threat intelligence to flag anomalies.

Unlike endpoint detection and response (EDR) or security information and event management (SIEM), which rely heavily on endpoint agents or log data, NDR focuses on network-level visibility. That means it can detect threats even when endpoints are compromised or logs are tampered with and, as mentioned earlier, it gains visibility into those devices where an agent can't be loaded.

Why NDR matters

1. It can see what other tools miss. 

Many threats today are "living off the land." They don't use malware and instead exploit legitimate tools and credentials. They use commonly used ports/protocols (such as DNS over HTTPS for C2 traffic) to move through networks undetected. These tactics often bypass EDR and firewalls. NDR can detect the behavior patterns these attackers exhibit such as unusual lateral movement, malicious data exfiltration and communication with known malicious IPs based on threat intelligence information.

2. Fast, intelligent response

NDR isn't just about detection. Modern solutions include automated response capabilities like traffic isolation, threat enrichment and integration with SOAR tools. This reduces the time to detect and respond, often the difference between a minor incident and a full-blown breach.

3. Cloud and IoT visibility

The attack surface expands as businesses increasingly adopt cloud services, and IoT devices, such as HVAC sensors and surveillance cameras, become more prevalent. Many of these assets don't support traditional agents. NDR monitors traffic to and from these devices, giving agentless visibility and enhancing your overall security posture.

Real-world example: Detecting lateral movement 

Imagine an attacker gains access to a user's credentials via phishing. They log in through a VPN and then start scanning the internal network for other machines to compromise. An EDR might miss this if the attacker avoids malware and exploits already trusted tools by aligning their behavior with a typical user's. A firewall might not trigger, as the activity looks like regular traffic. 

However, an NDR solution sees the abnormal spike in internal scanning, identifies the new communication patterns between devices and correlates them with known attack techniques. It raises the alarm, blocks traffic and alerts the security team before data is exfiltrated.

What to look for in an NDR solution

Not all NDR solutions are created equal. The right choice can significantly enhance your organization's ability to detect, investigate and respond to sophisticated threats. As you evaluate potential NDR platforms, consider the following critical capabilities:

1. AI/ML-driven analytics for advanced threat detection
Effective NDR solutions operate under the premise that "this is what right looks like; anything else is sketchy." Look for solutions that leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning to identify abnormal behavior, which then uncovers hidden threats and reduces false positives. Advanced analytics can detect tactics like lateral movement, beaconing and data exfiltration that traditional signature-based tools often miss.

2. Seamless integration with existing security stack (EDR, SIEM, SOAR)
An effective NDR solution should seamlessly integrate with your existing tools, such as EDR, SIEM and security orchestration, automation and response (SOAR). This integration ensures centralized visibility, enables faster incident triage and enhances automated threat response workflows.

3. Comprehensive visibility across cloud, hybrid and on-prem environments
As networks become increasingly complex, complete visibility is a must. Choose an NDR platform that monitors traffic across your enterprise, including on-premise and the cloud. This capability ensures no blind spots and allows consistent threat detection across your entire attack surface.

Final thoughts

With the threat landscape growing more complex daily, security teams need solutions that give them visibility, speed and precision. NDR fills a crucial gap in the cybersecurity stack, helping organizations detect hidden threats, contain them quickly and protect critical assets.

In today's rapidly evolving threat landscape, ensuring comprehensive network visibility and swift response capabilities is more critical than ever. At World Wide Technology, we understand the complexities of modern cybersecurity challenges and are committed to helping organizations like yours enhance their security posture.

Partner with WWT to leverage cutting-edge NDR technologies that provide unparalleled insight into your network traffic. Our team of experts will work with you to tailor a solution that integrates seamlessly with your existing security infrastructure, ensuring you have the tools to detect and respond to threats in real time.

In part 2 of the series we will make the case for FortiNDR cloud in your security operations solution.