EDR vs Vulnerability Management Scanning: Understanding the Difference and Enhancing Your Security

People ask all the time: “Why do I need vulnerability scanning if I have an EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) tool?”

Let us provide some definitions for the two:

EDR refers to a category of tools used to detect and investigate threats on endpoints. EDR tools typically provide detection, investigation, threat hunting, and response capabilities.

A vulnerability scanner enables organizations to proactively monitor their networks, systems, and applications for security vulnerabilities. Most security teams utilize vulnerability scanners to bring to light security vulnerabilities in their computer systems, networks, applications, and procedures.

What this means is that if a threat HAPPENS, your EDR tool should see it, analyze it, and respond to it, hopefully stopping it in its tracks. Furthermore, it is constantly hunting for endpoint threats that may be present to eradicate them from the systems they affect.

Meanwhile, vulnerability scanning looks at what COULD happen and where. It notifies the MSP of any gaps or weaknesses in the endpoints and network infrastructure, allowing the MSP to take appropriate action to update, patch, and remediate issues before anything can happen and an EDR solution has to get involved.

Why Continuous Vulnerability Scanning?

Continuous vulnerability provides an advantage to MSPs and their end-users by providing always on, current information of what is happening within a clients’ network. It allows for the immediate notification of new critical and high-level vulnerabilities that require immediate attention, as opposed to discovering them 90 days later during quarterly vulnerability scans.

In addition, once a vulnerability scanning program is set up with a client, it can be left to run automatically without extensive tech time needed to set up a device, schedule a scan, retrieve information, and go through reports. The process is simply “set and forget.” Furthermore, most compliance frameworks and insurance companies are starting to require it.

Why Nodeware®?

Nodeware provides significant value in the following ways:

• Fast and easy one time set up and deployment on each client. No scheduling of scans.

• Ability to run sensors and agents to obtain the most complete information. These tools can run on almost any platform, including Windows, Mac and Linux.

• Multi-Tenant Dashboards for easy management and reporting on what is happening within a clients’ network.

• Completely platform agnostic. If it has an IP address, the software will scan it and pull the information into the dashboard. This includes smartphones, printers, IoT devices, etc.

• Complete continuous asset inventory analysis, including alerts if new devices are added to the network.

• Detailed remediation guidance provided on vulnerabilities, significantly reducing research time for a solution.

• Robust reporting allows you to see the data in multiple ways outside the dashboard and be able to provide that to a client if you wish.

In summary, you need both EDR and vulnerability scanning to provide a truly comprehensive security stack to your clients. This combination allows your clients to stay ahead of the curve, particularly in light of the constantly evolving cybersecurity landscape. Moreover, clients with compliance or insurance policies to comply with will benefit greatly from this approach and be viewed favorably, giving them a competitive edge.