EDR vs EPP vs Antivirus: Comparing Endpoint Protection Solutions

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Endpoint protection solutions safeguard network endpoints against cyberthreats using a selection of management tools, including endpoint detection and response (EDR), endpoint protection platform (EPP), and antivirus (AV). AV software blocks malware, EPP passively prevents threats, and EDR actively mitigates network attacks. When threats circumvent EPP’s preventative procedures, EDR is frequently paired with EPP to control the damage.

Does Your Business Need EDR, EPP, or Antivirus Software?

EDR, EPP, and AVs are endpoint security tools that address different scopes of protection. EDR is most suitable for large companies, EPP is most ideal for medium-sized companies, and antivirus software works best for individual users and smaller teams. Large enterprises tend to combine these solutions to get fully-enhanced endpoint protection capabilities.

• EDR provides advanced, comprehensive protection, making it appropriate for large companies with high security requirements.
• EPP offers comprehensive security, combining antivirus with advanced capabilities such as behavioral analysis, and is appropriate for medium-sized to big companies.
• Antivirus software gives basic, cost-effective protection against known threats, making it ideal for small enterprises and home users with modest security requirements.

To choose the best option, examine the features and benefits of EDR, EPP, and antivirus software. Be familiar with the top market solutions, as these standalone tools can be integrated for comprehensive protection, offering strong security for your endpoints. Here’s an overview of EDR, EPP, and AV, including their scope, function, techniques, and more.

Who Should Use EDR Solutions

EDR is best suited for enterprises that require advanced, real-time threat detection and response. If you fall into the following categories, you may wish to consider employing EDR:

• Large organizations: EDR secures multiple devices, providing protection for all endpoints inside the company and maintaining unified security coverage.
• Organizations with higher budgets: EDR requires significant investment in implementation, maintenance, and personnel to effectively function.
• Companies looking for complete endpoint protection: EDR can be used with EPP to provide a thorough and well-rounded security approach.
• Businesses that require advanced threat detection: EDR provides sophisticated tools for recognizing and responding to complex, developing threats effectively.
• Enterprises with specialized IT security teams: EDR requires a staff to administer, update, and maintain the system to ensure peak performance and security efficacy.
• Industries with high security requirements: EDR is critical for sectors requiring advanced security measures to safeguard sensitive data.

However, EDR may not be appropriate for:

• Small firms with limited IT resources: Implementation and maintenance take a substantial amount of time and manpower, which may be too much for smaller teams to handle.
• Organizations with limited budgets: The higher costs associated with EDR systems can be financially burdensome, especially for organizations with restricted budgets for endpoint protection.
• Companies without dedicated IT security teams: EDR requires continuous monitoring, management, and personnel experience, which may be unavailable in smaller or non-technical organizations.
• Businesses wanting simple security solutions: EDR solutions can be complex and this might outweigh the demands of smaller organizations just seeking basic endpoint protection.

Who Should Use EPP

EPP is the ideal choice for enterprises needing comprehensive protection with advanced features. Consider employing an EPP if you fit within the following categories:

• Mid-sized enterprises: EPP is ideal for businesses that require strong protection without the complexity and expense of complete EDR solutions.
• Companies managing sensitive data: EPP is essential for those working with sensitive information to avoid breaches and data loss.
• Organizations seeking preventative protection: EPP is intended to keep attackers from compromising endpoints, making it appropriate for proactive security measures.
• Businesses with small IT security teams: EPP is easier to establish and administer than EDR; ideal for enterprises with tiny security teams.
• Industries with moderate security requirements: EPP offers adequate protection for industries requiring dependable but not excessively complex security solutions.
• Companies seeking cost-effective security solutions: EPP is generally less expensive than EDR, providing the right combination of cost and protection.

EPP may not be well-suited to the demands of those who fall into these categories:

• Enterprises with advanced security requirements: EPP may not provide the comprehensive protection required by large organizations with high risk profiles.
• Businesses in need of post-compromise security: EPP lacks the advanced threat detection and response that handle threats that have already breached the system.
• Organizations with complex IT environments: It may not be adequate for businesses with complex and diversified IT infrastructures that require more advanced security.
• Industries with high security requirements: EPP isn’t suited for sectors that require EDR’s full capabilities for high-risk security.

Who Should Use Antivirus Software

AV is ideal for consumers who require basic, low-cost protection against known malware. AV is best suited for:

• Small businesses: Ideal for enterprises with a limited number of devices and a tight budget looking for basic protection.
• Individuals and home users: Recommended for personal devices that require basic security against typical threats.
• Companies with simple security requirements: Suitable for enterprises that require minimal protection and do not handle highly sensitive data.
• Organizations with built-in OS security: Useful as an extra layer of security for systems that already include antivirus.
• Consumers looking for simple solutions: AV is typically easy to install and manage — an excellent alternative for consumers with less technical knowledge.
• Businesses in need of periodic scanning: AV offers periodic scans to detect known malware, making it ideal for settings where continuous monitoring is not required.

However, explore alternatives if you fall into these specific categories, as AV may not be the best choice for you:

• Large corporations with advanced security requirements: AV may be insufficient for firms that require complete, real-time threat detection and mitigation.
• Companies handling sensitive data: AV lacks advanced features required to protect highly sensitive or confidential information.
• Organizations facing advanced threats: AV lacks protection against complex, fileless, or zero-day assaults, which necessitate more modern security measures.
• Users requiring continuous monitoring: AV performs periodic scanning rather than continuous monitoring, which might contribute to delays in threat responses.

What Is Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR)?

Endpoint detection and response (EDR) is an advanced security solution that detects security incidents, isolates them at endpoints, investigates them, and restores endpoints to their pre-infection state by remotely managing network traffic and process execution. It uses AI, machine learning, threat intelligence, and behavioral analysis to neutralize attacks while tracing their origins to prevent future recurrences.

EDR serves as a centralized hub for network-wide endpoint management, detecting and halting assaults before they require human involvement. EDR enhances EPP by delivering complete, proactive defense and response capabilities throughout an organization’s network, resulting in fast notifications, visibility, and remediation. EDR supplements EPP by addressing its shortcomings in preventing and monitoring harmful activity.

Benefits of Using EDR Solutions

EDR tools improve threat hunting by detecting hidden threats, restoring ransomware to its pre-infection form, increasing visibility through continuous analysis, reducing dwell time by immediately neutralizing threats, and streamlining incident response. Here are EDR’s benefits:

• Improves threat hunting: Actively searches for and eradicates hidden threats with improved detection capabilities to ensure full protection across all endpoints.
• Performs rollback ransomware: After a ransomware attack, restore systems to their pre-infection state to reduce damage and recovery time.
• Enhances visibility: Continuous data collection and analysis provide deeper insights into endpoint security, allowing for more effective detection and response.
• Reduces dwell time: Quickly identify and neutralize threats to reduce the amount of time attackers spend undetected in the system, hence decreasing possible damage.
• Streamlines incident response: Respond to security breaches quickly, efficiently, and seamlessly, reducing the need to transfer between different cybersecurity solutions.

Top Features Offered by EDR Solutions

EDR solutions include data collection and analysis, real-time threat hunting, incident support and forensic analysis, a variety of reaction choices (isolation, quarantine, and eradication), and interaction with other security tools to enhance protection. These are the key features of EDR solutions:

• Data collection and analysis: Gather and process endpoint data to gain valuable insights into threats and patterns, allowing you to forecast and avoid future attacks.
• Real-time threat hunting: Identify and respond to attacks that evade standard antivirus, ensuring quick response against developing dangers.
• Incident support and forensic analysis: Assist with incident response and forensic analysis to better understand and reduce the effects of security breaches.
• Multiple real-time reaction methods: Include isolation, quarantine, eradication, and sandboxing, which are customized to distinct sorts of threats.
• Security tools integration: Work seamlessly with other security applications to improve the overall efficacy of your cybersecurity architecture.

Recommended Top EDR Solutions

Microsoft Defender XDR, which connects with Microsoft’s security ecosystem; Trend Micro Vision One, noted for its comprehensive threat intelligence; and Cybereason Defense Platform, which provides powerful behavioral analytics and response capabilities, are among the top EDR solutions available today.

• Microsoft Defender XDR: Best overall for a mix of features and usability, Defender XDR is an EDR solution that also includes cloud apps, collaboration tools, and identity management capabilities. It offers good security performance according to MITRE rankings and integrates effectively with other Microsoft products. They provide a 30-day free trial, and custom pricing is accessible by contacting their sales staff.
• Trend Micro Vision One: Best for supporting junior cybersecurity teams, Vision One platform, commonly known as Trend Micro XDR, is an XDR and attack surface management solution that is ideal for enterprises that have several security solutions and want to create a coherent infrastructure. They provide a free demo and trial for 30 days. To get specific pricing, reach out to their sales team.
• Cybereason Defense Platform: Best for security visualization functionality, Cybereason provides a robust feature set, as well as extensive documentation and training materials. It employs a comprehensive approach to attacks, known as malicious operations (MalOps). Cybereason offers Enterprise, Enterprise Advanced, and Enterprise Complete bundles, but you must contact them for pricing information.

To explore more of these solutions’ features, pros, cons, and alternatives, read our complete review of the top endpoint and detection response solutions.

What Is an Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP)?

EPP secures endpoints such as PCs and mobile devices from known and unknown threats by analyzing behavioral patterns using machine learning. It also looks for abnormal patterns in memory and confirms symptoms of compromise. An EPP outperforms basic antivirus by managing multiple endpoints and preventing threats in large organizations, but it cannot detect all advanced attacks. Thus, it’s combined with EDR to provide multi-layered security.

EPP works by distributing software agents on endpoints and connecting them to central management systems. It combines antivirus capabilities with advanced features such as behavioral analysis using machine learning to detect both known and new threats. EPP verifies indicators of compromise, scans memory for unusual patterns, and forecasts probable harmful behaviors, including zero-day vulnerabilities.

Benefits of Using EPP

EPP provides strong security by identifying and blocking known malware using signature-based approaches, eliminating fileless attacks using dynamic analysis, and utilizing machine learning for unknown threats. It includes tools for evaluating security alarms and interfaces with other security solutions to ensure complete endpoint protection and efficient security management. Here are the advantages of EPPs:

• Detect harmful static files: Using signature-based detection approaches, you can identify and block known malware, offering essential protection against common threats.
• Analyze and avoid fileless attacks: Utilizes dynamic analysis to detect and prevent complex fileless malware, which improves security beyond typical antivirus capabilities.
• Use behavioral analysis: Employ machine learning to monitor behaviors and detect unknown threats, hence boosting defense against zero-day vulnerabilities.
• Investigate security alerts: Provide tools for investigating and responding to security alerts, allowing you to better identify and mitigate potential dangers.
• Integrate seamlessly: Work with other security solutions to provide a complete approach to endpoint protection while simplifying security management.

Top Features of EPP

EPP’s main capabilities include threat signature detection, threat intelligence integration, static file analysis, behavioral analysis with machine learning, and vulnerability management to improve overall endpoint protection. Here’s how each feature works:

• Threat signature detection: Detects and disables known malware utilizing up-to-date viral signature databases, providing protection against common threats.
• Threat intelligence integration: Uses external threat intelligence feeds to keep current on developing threats and improve detection capabilities.
• Static analysis: Analyzes suspicious binary files before they’re executed to discover potential threats and improve preemptive security measures.
• Behavioral analysis: Machine learning is used to monitor and analyze endpoint activities in order to detect and prevent unknown or zero-day attacks.
• Vulnerability management: Involves scanning and identifying endpoint vulnerabilities and offers tools for proactive remediation and strengthening of the security posture.

Recommended Endpoint Protection Platforms

Some of the top-rated EPP tools include Sophos Intercept X, which provides EDR, XDR, and MDR Complete; SentinelOne, which combines EPP and EDR with AI-driven security; and CrowdStrike, which employs Threat Graph AI for real-time prevention.

• Sophos Intercept X Endpoint: Offers strong security by intercepting sophisticated threats before they reach systems. It includes EDR and XDR tools for threat detection, investigation, and response. Advanced (with threat protection), Advanced with XDR, and Advanced with MDR Complete offer 24/7 controlled detection. Sophos provides a 30-day free trial.
• SentinelOne Singularity: An enterprise platform that combines EPP and EDR in a single package. It provides unified prevention, detection, and response by leveraging AI for static and behavioral analysis. The platform provides machine-speed decision-making and self-protection for endpoints, clouds, and identities. Contact their sales team for a free demo and price details.
• CrowdStrike Falcon: A cloud-native EPP solution that uses Threat Graph AI to detect and prevent threats in real time. It connects endpoints via a lightweight agent and combines with a variety of security features. The platform is ready to use in minutes, and annual pricing starts at $99.99 per device.

What Is Antivirus Software?

Antivirus (AV) is the foundational layer of endpoint security that detects and removes dangerous software such as worms, trojans, adware, and ransomware. It employs three main techniques: signature comparison, which identifies security threats by comparing files to a database of malware; heuristic analysis, which detects suspicious behavior by comparing new programs to known viruses; and integrity checking, which checks system files for signs of corruption.

To address new threats that traditional antivirus (AV) solutions may overlook, modern next-generation AV solutions incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to provide more sophisticated threat detection and prevention by adapting to new and evolving malware threats, resulting in a more comprehensive defense. These developments enable antivirus software to detect and mitigate sophisticated and zero-day infections.

Benefits of Using Antivirus Software

Antivirus software provides real-time protection, scans for vulnerabilities, updates automatically, guards against phishing, and is cost-effective. It continuously checks for threats, closes security gaps, and protects your device from malware.

• Offers real-time protection: Continuously monitors your device for threats, instantly identifying and stopping assaults to protect your data and the device.
• Scans for vulnerabilities: Identifies potential weak points on your device, assisting in addressing security gaps that hackers could exploit.
• Updates automatically: Regularly updates the virus database to detect and eliminate the most recent viruses and malware, offering up-to-date security.
• Protects against phishing: Anti-phishing capabilities are included to prevent websites from stealing sensitive information such as login credentials and credit card information.
• Provides cost-effective security: When compared to the possible costs of cyberattacks or replacing compromised devices, AV is a cheaper security solution.

Top Features of Antivirus Software

The key features offered by AV include: signature-based threat detection, heuristic detection of new malware, integrity scans for file manipulation, rootkit identification, and real-time scanning for ongoing protection against harmful code.

• Threat detection: Identifies threats using signatures such as file hashes, domain names, and IP addresses to efficiently stop known malware.
• Heuristic detection: Analyzes unique or malicious functionality in programs to discover new or unknown malware using behavior patterns.
• Integrity scans: Check files for manipulation or corruption to detect and treat suspected malware infections.
• Rootkit detection: Detects and handles malware that attempts to obtain administrative access, employing rootkit detection techniques to ensure system integrity.
• Real-time scanning: Continuously monitors and analyzes recently accessed files to detect and respond to dangerous code as soon as it occurs.

Recommended Antivirus Software

Top antivirus software includes Trend Micro, Microsoft Defender, and Bitdefender GravityZone, all of which provide powerful free virus-scanning technologies for excellent malware detection and protection.

• Trend Micro: A cloud-based endpoint security solution that provides sophisticated threat defense and XDR. It offers advanced detection, automatic protection, lightweight agents, and simple third-party integration. It offers a 30-day free trial; basic home AV plans start at $1.30 per device per month, with additional prices available upon request.
• Microsoft Defender: A user-friendly endpoint solution for a variety of platforms, including Windows, macOS, and mobile. It installs automatically on Windows 8+ and includes AI-powered security for real-time threat detection. A 30-day free trial is offered. Microsoft Defender for Business is priced at $3 per user each month, while Microsoft 365 Business Premium costs $22.
• Bitdefender GravityZone: A multilayered endpoint security with straightforward pricing and extensive features. It provides cloud and on-premises management options. Plans include Small Business Security ($199.49/year for 10 devices), Business Security ($258.99/year), and Business Security Premium ($570.49/year), plus a 30-day free trial.

Explore our extensive review of the top business antivirus software solutions to learn about their features, cost, pros, and use cases. Discover alternative business antivirus solutions to find the best fit for your requirements.

Bottom Line: Choose the Right Endpoint Security Strategy

Antivirus software is essential for basic internet security, but it should be supplemented with other security tools for maximum safety. While antivirus provides critical defense, endpoint detection and response solutions enable advanced security through data collection and analysis, which improves threat insights and early detection. Combine EPP and EDR to develop a more complete cybersecurity approach for overall protection.

Integrate your endpoint security with network security solutions to improve protection and provide unified administration for full coverage against multiple threats.

Kaiti Norton contributed to this article.