What is EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response)?

Traditional antivirus works by matching files against a database of known malware. It is effective against commodity threats, mass-distributed malware that security researchers have already catalogued.

Modern cyber attacks evade signature-based detection by:

These techniques routinely bypass antivirus. EDR catches them because it does not ask "is this file known malware?", it asks "is this behaviour suspicious?"

The EDR agent monitors:

This telemetry is correlated in real time by the EDR platform's cloud backend, using behavioural rules and AI to distinguish normal activity from attack patterns.

Automated responses typically happen within seconds:

This speed of response is what makes EDR effective against ransomware. An attack that encrypts 10,000 files per minute causes catastrophic damage if human response takes 20 minutes. Automated EDR containment in under 60 seconds limits damage dramatically.

Yes, significantly. The comparison:

Managed EDR, where your MSP monitors and responds to EDR alerts on your behalf, adds human oversight to the automated response. Without managed EDR, alerts must be reviewed by someone in your organisation with security expertise. Most SMBs choose managed EDR precisely because they do not have that expertise in-house.

EDR significantly reduces ransomware risk. It detects encryption behaviour early, isolates infected machines before the infection spreads, and in some platforms rolls back encrypted files. Combined with:

...EDR is the most effective single technical control available against ransomware. No single control is a guarantee, but EDR plus these layers creates a defence-in-depth architecture that stops the vast majority of attacks.

What EDR does North Star IT use? North Star deploys SentinelOne and Microsoft Defender for Business depending on the client's environment, licences, and security requirements. Both are industry-leading platforms.

Is Microsoft Defender for Business a real EDR? Yes. Microsoft Defender for Business (included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium) is a full EDR product with behavioural detection, automated investigation, device isolation, and integration with Microsoft Sentinel for SIEM.

Does EDR work on Mac and Linux? Yes. SentinelOne and most enterprise EDR products support Windows, macOS, and Linux. Mobile devices (iOS, Android) require MDM, not EDR.

Can I use EDR without an MSP? Yes, but EDR generates significant alert volume that requires trained analysis. Without someone managing alerts, EDR may run in the background without its detections being actioned. North Star provides managed EDR with human review of all critical alerts.

Does EDR slow down my computers? Modern EDR agents have minimal performance impact on business-grade hardware. On machines over 5 years old with limited RAM, some impact is possible.

Ready to replace antivirus with proper EDR? Call 672-983-1174 or book a free security assessment at northstarit.ca. North Star serves businesses across Northern BC, Alberta, and Yukon.