XDR Security Service

What Is XDR?

XDR – Extended Detection and Response is an advanced cyber security approach that brings together the threat data coming from an organisation's different security layers, correlates it, and aims to detect attacks at an earlier stage and accelerate response processes.

In traditional security architectures, endpoint, email, network, cloud, identity and application security are often monitored with separate tools. This can leave security teams analysing the traces a single attack leaves in different systems one by one.

The XDR approach aims to bring this fragmented security picture together under a single attack story.

An attack may, for example, progress as follows:

phishing email → compromise of the user account → malicious process running on the endpoint → credential harvesting → lateral movement → access to a critical server

Each of these events may be visible in a different security product.

The email security system may see the phishing message, EDR the endpoint activity, Active Directory the identity events, and the firewall the suspicious network connection.

The fundamental purpose of XDR is to correlate these events as a single attack chain rather than assessing them as independent alerts.

The XDR security service delivered by SecureSys aims to help organisations assess the data obtained from endpoint, network, email, identity, cloud and other security sources holistically, detect threats faster, and strengthen their incident response processes.

Why Is XDR Necessary?

Modern organisations use a large number of security products.

Firewalls, EDR, SIEM, NDR, email security, WAF, IAM, DLP and cloud security products each monitor a different security layer.

More security products, however, do not always mean better security visibility.

The real problem is that the data these systems produce cannot be correlated with one another.

The traces an attacker leaves in different systems may each look low or medium in importance. Assessed together, however, they can reveal a critical attack chain.

For example:

a user clicking a suspicious email link, then PowerShell running on the device, unusual authentication attempts shortly afterwards, and then RDP access to a server

can look like fragmented events when assessed individually.

XDR aims to correlate these behaviours and present a more meaningful alert to the security team.

SecureSys XDR Security Service

The SecureSys XDR security service aims to have the events coming from an organisation's different security sources analysed centrally and to make threats visible end to end.

Depending on the scope of the service, the following can be assessed together:

endpoint detection and response, network detection and response, identity security, email security, cloud security, threat intelligence and SIEM/SOC integrations

The aim is not simply to add another security product.

The objective is to increase attack detection and response capacity by making the existing security technologies work together more effectively.

How Does XDR Work?

XDR collects telemetry and event data from different security sources.

These can include:

endpoint process activity, network connections, email events, user login records, cloud activity, threat intelligence indicators and security product alerts

The data collected is correlated by time, user, device, IP, process and other context.

The different stages of an attack can then be viewed under a single event.

For example, a chain such as the following can be built:

The user opened the phishing email → a malicious file was executed → the process connected to a C2 server → credentials were harvested → lateral movement was carried out to another system

This attack story helps the SOC analyst understand the real scope of the incident far more quickly.

The Difference Between XDR and EDR

EDR – Endpoint Detection and Response largely monitors activity on user devices and servers.

Process execution, file changes, network connections and behavioural attack indicators can all be analysed by EDR.

XDR brings security layers beyond the endpoint into the analysis as well.

These can be:

email, network, identity, cloud and various other security products

In short:

EDR sees the endpoint; XDR tries to see the attack ecosystem.

XDR is therefore far less an alternative to EDR than a broader detection and response approach.

The Difference Between XDR and SIEM

XDR and SIEM are similar technologies with different purposes.

SIEM collects and stores log data from different systems centrally and analyses security events through correlation rules.

XDR focuses specifically on attack detection and response.

XDR generally aims to build attack chains by correlating security telemetry with deeper context.

SIEM can also be used for audit, log management and compliance purposes beyond security.

In many organisations, XDR and SIEM are therefore complementary rather than alternatives.

Used together, SIEM + XDR + SOC can form a stronger security operation.

The Difference Between XDR and NDR

NDR – Network Detection and Response focuses on detecting anomalous activity by analysing traffic behaviour on the corporate network.

XDR can correlate NDR data with endpoint, identity, email and cloud telemetry.

NDR may detect that a device has connected to an unknown external IP, for example.

XDR can then show that a malicious process ran on the same device a few minutes earlier and that the account authenticated on a different server.

This correlation makes the incident far quicker to understand.

XDR and Endpoint Security

Endpoint devices are one of the most important targets in modern attacks.

On employee computers and servers, attackers can carry out activity such as:

running malware, credential dumping, privilege escalation, persistence and lateral movement

By correlating endpoint telemetry with other security sources, XDR platforms help show not only the attack's effect on the device but its movement across the organisation.

When credential dumping is detected on an endpoint, for example, XDR can check whether the same user account has been used on other systems.

XDR and Identity Security

Identity-based threats are becoming steadily more important in modern cyber attacks.

Rather than using malware, attackers can reach systems by compromising genuine user accounts.

It is therefore important for XDR solutions to take data from identity systems.

The following, obtained from Active Directory, Entra ID and other IAM platforms, can be used in attack analysis:

login records, MFA events, user permissions and unusual authentication activity

If a user logs in from Türkiye and opens a session from another country a few minutes later, for example, that activity can be a risk signal.

XDR and Email Security

Phishing is one of the most common methods of initial access against organisations.

Email security solutions try to detect messages containing malicious links or attachments.

The XDR approach can correlate email events with endpoint activity.

For example, an attack chain such as the following can be built:

the phishing email was delivered → the user clicked the link → a malicious file was downloaded → PowerShell ran on the endpoint

This relationship allows the SOC analyst to understand the significance of the alert more quickly.

XDR and Cloud Security

Organisations' heavy use of cloud systems widens the attack surface.

In cloud environments, the following can be correlated by XDR with other security data:

IAM changes, creation of new access keys, suspicious API calls and public resource activity

A user account may have been compromised on an endpoint, for example, and a new access key then created in the cloud account.

XDR can show these two events within the same attack.

XDR and Threat Intelligence

Threat intelligence data helps classify attacks more quickly.

An XDR platform can compare IOCs such as:

malicious IPs, domains, URLs or file hashes

against the organisation's telemetry.

If an external connection seen on an endpoint is associated with known ransomware infrastructure, for example, the alert's priority can be raised.

Threat intelligence allows XDR to deliver detection that is not only behavioural but threat-contextual.

XDR and MITRE ATT&CK

The activity detected by XDR can be mapped to MITRE ATT&CK techniques.

An attack can be modelled through the stages:

Initial Access → Execution → Persistence → Credential Access → Discovery → Lateral Movement → Exfiltration

This approach allows security teams to understand not merely the names of alerts but which tactics the attacker applied.

MITRE ATT&CK mapping can also be used in detection coverage work.

Attack Chain Visibility With XDR

One of XDR's important advantages is its ability to present events as an attack chain rather than individually.

In a traditional setup, a SOC analyst might see the following alerts separately:

Suspicious email

PowerShell execution

Failed login

RDP connection

Suspicious external network connection

XDR can establish that these events relate to the same user and device and show them under a single attack scenario.

This can reduce the analyst's alert triage time considerably.

Reducing Alert Fatigue With XDR

One of the most significant problems facing SOC teams is alert fatigue.

Different security products can generate thousands of alerts every day.

A significant proportion of them may be low risk or false positives.

The XDR approach aims to reduce the number of alerts by grouping related events under a single incident.

Twenty separate alerts relating to the same attack can be shown under one XDR incident, for example.

The analyst can then focus on the attack as a whole rather than examining each alert individually.

XDR and False Positive Management

Generating a large number of alerts is not sufficient in security operations.

The real goal is to identify genuine threats quickly.

Because XDR assesses different telemetry sources together, it can add context to an alert.

PowerShell running on its own may be entirely normal, for example.

If the same process is seen alongside a malicious domain connection and credential access behaviour, however, the risk level of the event rises.

This contextual approach can help reduce the false positive rate.

What Is Automated Response?

One of the important features of XDR platforms is the ability to carry out automated response in certain attack scenarios.

The system can, for example:

isolate the endpoint device from the network, stop a malicious process, quarantine a file, or flag a user account according to risk.

Automated response rules have to be configured carefully, however.

An incorrect automated action on a critical production system can cause business disruption.

In the SecureSys approach, it is therefore important that response processes are designed with the organisation's operational risks in mind.

XDR and SOAR Integration

SOAR – Security Orchestration, Automation and Response makes it possible to build automated action processes across different security tools.

The critical events detected by XDR can trigger SOAR playbooks.

An automated process such as the following can be built:

malicious domain detected → firewall block → endpoint scan → user account check → SOC ticket creation

XDR + SOAR integration can reduce response times particularly in high-volume SOC operations.

XDR and the SOC Service

Having deployed XDR technology is not sufficient on its own.

The incidents the platform produces have to be assessed by security analysts.

The SOC service plays a critical role at this point.

SOC analysts validate alerts, analyse the attack chain, identify the systems affected and initiate the necessary response actions.

The SecureSys XDR service can therefore be configured together with 24/7 SOC and MDR services according to the organisation's needs.

The Difference Between XDR and MDR

MDR – Managed Detection and Response refers to threat detection and response processes being managed on the organisation's behalf by an expert security team.

XDR can be one of the technology platforms used in those operations.

In short:

XDR is a technology and detection platform.

MDR is a managed security service comprising people + process + technology.

Delivering the SecureSys XDR service alongside a SOC/MDR operation means the security events the platform produces are assessed continuously by an expert team.

Ransomware Detection With XDR

Ransomware attacks generally do not happen in a single stage.

The attacker first reaches the organisation, compromises user accounts, moves through the network and only then runs the ransomware.

XDR can help detect these early attack stages.

An alert can be generated at the first stages of a chain such as:

phishing → malicious process → credential dumping → lateral movement → file encryption

The aim is not to detect the ransomware encryption process after it has begun, but to stop the attacker earlier where possible.

XDR and Lateral Movement Detection

Lateral movement refers to an attacker moving from one system to another.

RDP, SMB, WinRM or other management protocols can be used for this purpose.

XDR can detect unusual movement between systems by assessing endpoint telemetry, identity logs and network activity together.

A user account normally used on a single computer connecting to 20 different servers in a short period, for example, can be treated as risky behaviour.

XDR and Credential Theft

Credential theft is one of the critical stages of modern cyber attacks.

By obtaining user credentials, attackers can act as legitimate users.

XDR platforms can analyse behaviours such as:

credential dumping, LSASS access, token abuse and suspicious authentication

from different data sources.

Identity-based attacks can therefore be detected earlier.

XDR and Persistence Detection

After reaching a system, attackers can use various persistence techniques to remain there.

They can create a scheduled task, a new service, a startup entry or additional user accounts.

By analysing endpoint and identity telemetry, XDR can flag this activity as risky behaviour.

Detecting persistence is critically important for incident response.

XDR and Command and Control Detection

Compromised systems can communicate with attacker infrastructure.

This communication is described as command and control – C2.

By assessing network connections, endpoint process activity and threat intelligence data together, XDR can help detect C2 behaviour.

A new process sending periodic connections to a known malicious domain, for example, can be treated as a high-risk event.

XDR and Data Exfiltration

One of attackers' objectives is to move critical data out of the organisation.

By assessing endpoint and network behaviour together, XDR can help detect suspicious data transfers.

A high-volume connection from a critical server to a cloud storage service not normally used, for example, can be investigated.

Activity of this kind can form stronger context particularly alongside data loss prevention and NDR data.

XDR and Zero Trust

The Zero Trust approach aims to ensure that no user or device is automatically treated as trustworthy because of its location.

XDR can provide behavioural visibility for this model.

Even where an operation carried out by an authorised user is technically permitted, XDR can raise a risk signal if it differs significantly from their normal behaviour.

XDR can therefore be one of the important security layers supporting identity security and Zero Trust architectures.

XDR Use Cases

The SecureSys XDR service can be used to detect a range of attack scenarios.

For example:

Endpoint compromise following a phishing attack

Ransomware attack

Credential theft

Active Directory attacks

Lateral movement

Malware and C2 communication

Cloud account compromise

Business email compromise

Insider threat

Data exfiltration

How Does the XDR Implementation Process Work?

1. Analysis of the Existing Security Infrastructure

The organisation's existing EDR, firewall, SIEM, email security, identity and cloud systems are assessed.

2. Identification of Data Sources

Which telemetry sources will be integrated into the XDR platform is established.

3. Integration

Endpoint, network, identity, email and other security sources are integrated into the platform.

4. Detection Configuration

Detection policies are built according to the organisation's risk profile.

5. Threat Intelligence Integration

Suitable IOC and threat intelligence sources can be brought into the platform.

6. SOC Integration

The incident management process and alert escalation structure are defined.

7. Response Policies

Automated and manual response actions are defined.

8. Testing and Optimisation

Detection scenarios can be tested with controlled attack simulations.

How Is XDR Detection Coverage Measured?

Having deployed an XDR system does not mean every attack will be detected.

Detection coverage should therefore be measured regularly.

MITRE ATT&CK techniques can be used to analyse which attack behaviours the organisation is able to detect.

For example, it can be assessed what proportion of:

credential access techniques,

lateral movement techniques,

persistence activity

the existing system is able to detect.

This work helps develop detection engineering processes.

XDR and Purple Teaming

One of the best ways to measure XDR's real effectiveness is through controlled attack simulation.

The red team applies specific attack techniques.

The blue team and the XDR platform attempt to detect that activity.

Where no alert is generated, a detection rule is developed and the attack is run again.

This process forms the cycle:

Attack Simulation → Detection → Improvement → Retest

Used alongside purple team work, the SecureSys XDR service can help develop the organisation's detection capacity continuously.

XDR and Compromise Assessment

Where there is a suspicion that the organisation may have been attacked in the past, XDR telemetry can be a valuable data source for compromise assessment work.

Endpoint, identity and network history can be examined for indicators of:

persistence, lateral movement, credential theft and C2

XDR is therefore important not only for real-time detection but also for post-incident investigation.

XDR Reporting

Reporting the number of alerts alone is not sufficient in a professional XDR service.

Reporting can present:

the incidents detected, attack techniques, the devices and users affected, response actions, MITRE ATT&CK mappings and improvement recommendations

At management level, metrics such as the following can be assessed:

the number of critical incidents, attack types, MTTD, MTTR and general threat trends

What Are MTTD and MTTR?

MTTD – Mean Time to Detect is the average time between a security event occurring and being detected.

MTTR – Mean Time to Respond is the time taken to carry out the necessary response after an event has been detected.

One of XDR's fundamental aims is to reduce these times.

Rather than an attack continuing unnoticed for hours or days, correlating different telemetry sources allows the event to be detected faster.

Which Organisations Is XDR Suitable For?

XDR can offer a significant advantage particularly in organisations with a large number of endpoints, users and security products.

Financial institutions, public bodies, defence industry companies, energy organisations, holding companies, e-commerce companies, manufacturers and critical infrastructure operators can all benefit from XDR services.

XDR is not aimed at large organisations alone, however.

It can also be used in mid-sized organisations that want to manage their existing EDR and security infrastructure more centrally.

What Should You Consider When Choosing an XDR Service?

The features of the product alone should not be the basis for choosing XDR.

The ability to integrate with the organisation's existing security infrastructure is critical.

The main matters to assess are:

endpoint coverage, third-party integration, identity visibility, cloud integration, threat intelligence, MITRE ATT&CK coverage, automated response and SOC integration.

It should also be made clear who will assess the alerts the platform produces, and under what SLA.

Technology and operations therefore have to be addressed together.

Is XDR Sufficient on Its Own?

No.

XDR can be a strong detection and response platform, but it does not replace an entire security programme.

Firewalls, EDR, NDR, SIEM, IAM, vulnerability management, penetration testing and other security controls may still be necessary according to the organisation's risk profile.

XDR's core value is that it correlates the data from these systems and provides stronger visibility for the security operation.

What Is Managed XDR?

Managed XDR is the continuous monitoring and management of the XDR platform by an expert security team, rather than the organisation operating it alone.

Managed XDR can cover:

24/7 alert monitoring, incident analysis, threat hunting, escalation, response support and periodic reporting

This model can help an organisation obtain advanced detection and response capacity without building a large in-house SOC team.

Why the SecureSys XDR Security Service?

The real value of XDR technology emerges not when the product deployment is complete, but when security events are detected and managed correctly.

The SecureSys XDR security service aims for the holistic assessment of security data from the endpoint, network, identity, email and cloud layers, and for attack chains to be revealed faster.

Depending on the organisation's existing security infrastructure, the XDR platform can be positioned alongside:

SIEM, EDR, NDR, threat intelligence, SOAR and 24/7 SOC/MDR

In the SecureSys approach, the aim is not merely to supply a licence but to address deployment, integration, detection optimisation, alert management, threat hunting, incident response and regular security improvement together.

The SecureSys XDR security service is a managed security service that correlates endpoint, network, email, identity and cloud security data centrally in order to detect and investigate advanced cyber attacks and accelerate response processes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is XDR?

XDR is the Extended Detection and Response approach, which combines data from different security sources such as endpoint, network, email, identity and cloud in order to make attack detection and response easier.

What is the difference between XDR and EDR?

EDR focuses on endpoint devices, whereas XDR also analyses security sources beyond the endpoint — network, identity, email and cloud — to provide broader attack visibility.

What is the difference between XDR and SIEM?

SIEM provides central log management and correlation. XDR focuses more on attack detection, investigation and response. The two technologies can be used together.

Are XDR and MDR the same thing?

No. XDR is a technology platform. MDR is a managed detection and response service delivered by security specialists.

Can XDR detect ransomware attacks?

XDR can help with early detection by correlating the phishing, credential access, lateral movement and other attack activity that can occur before ransomware is executed.

Can XDR detect Active Directory attacks?

When identity and endpoint data are integrated, it can help detect AD-related attack behaviour such as credential theft, unusual authentication and lateral movement.

Can XDR be monitored 24/7?

Yes. An XDR platform can be monitored around the clock together with a SOC or MDR service.

Can XDR work with existing firewall and EDR products?

This depends on the integration capability of the XDR platform in use. Existing security technologies and API/integration support should be assessed before deployment.

What is Managed XDR?

Managed XDR is the 24/7 monitoring of the XDR platform by security specialists, the analysis of alerts and the management of the necessary response processes.

See the Attack as a Whole Story, Not as a Single Alert

Modern attacks are not simple enough for a single security product to see.

An attacker may begin with phishing, execute code on an endpoint, compromise a user account, move through the corporate network and then reach critical systems.

Each security product can see only a specific part of that chain.

XDR's strength is that it brings those pieces together.

With the SecureSys XDR security service you can bring your endpoint, network, identity, email and cloud security together under a common detection and response approach, help your SOC teams understand threats faster, and reduce your response time against critical attacks.

To define the XDR architecture that fits your organisation, assess your existing EDR/SIEM infrastructure and learn more about the Managed XDR service, get in touch with SecureSys.

Why Has XDR Become Critical for Organisations?

Modern attacks no longer take place within a single security layer. An attack can begin over email, execute malicious code on an endpoint device, compromise a user account, carry out lateral movement inside the corporate network, and then reach critical data.

Solutions focused on endpoint security alone can therefore fall short of seeing the attack in full.

The XDR security service brings together security data from endpoint, network, identity, email and cloud sources so that threats can be analysed in a broader context.

In the SecureSys XDR approach, the aim is not simply to generate alerts but to correlate the different steps of an attack and present security teams with a meaningful attack story.

The XDR cyber security approach therefore plays an important role in detecting multi-stage threats such as advanced attacks, ransomware, credential theft and lateral movement.

How Should an XDR Service Be Positioned?

For organisations looking for an XDR service, purchasing a software licence alone may not be sufficient.

The XDR platform has to be:

configured correctly, integrated with the existing security products, have its detection rules optimised, and be managed alongside SOC operations.

An XDR service model therefore has to be considered more broadly than a product sale.

The XDR service delivered by SecureSys can be planned to work in an integrated way with the organisation's existing EDR, SIEM, NDR, firewall, identity and cloud security infrastructure.

Rather than replacing the organisation's existing security investment entirely, the XDR solution can make the security data obtained from those systems more meaningful.

What Is Extended Detection and Response?

Extended Detection and Response, or XDR, is a detection and response approach that allows telemetry from different security layers to be analysed centrally.

In an Extended Detection and Response architecture, it is not only endpoint events that are assessed but also:

network, email, identity, cloud, application and threat intelligence

data.

Security events that appear meaningless in isolation can therefore be correlated within an attack chain.

For example:

a suspicious email was received, the user clicked a malicious link, PowerShell ran on the endpoint, credential access behaviour was then seen, and the same user connected to other servers.

Under an Extended Detection and Response approach, these events can be handled as a single incident.

How Does an XDR Solution Work?

An XDR solution generally collects telemetry from different data sources.

These sources can include:

endpoint detection and response, network detection and response, identity threat detection, email security and cloud security platforms

The data collected is correlated through relationships between user, device, IP address, process, domain and time.

This correlation makes attacker behaviour quicker to understand.

The real value of an XDR platform should be measured not by how many different sources it takes data from, but by how accurately it turns that data into attack context.

What Should You Consider When Choosing an XDR Provider?

When choosing an XDR provider, the product brand alone should not be the deciding factor.

The ability to integrate with the organisation's existing infrastructure, SOC support, response processes and technical expertise all have to be assessed together.

It is important that the provider is experienced in:

EDR, NDR, SIEM, identity security, cloud security, threat hunting and incident response

XDR is far less a standalone technology than an operational layer connecting different security systems to one another.

The SecureSys XDR service model aims to address technology, process and expert resource together.

Managed XDR as a Service

Managed XDR is a service model in which the XDR platform is continuously monitored and managed by an expert security team, with response carried out for security events.

A managed XDR service can cover:

24/7 alert monitoring, incident analysis, threat hunting, attack chain analysis, escalation and response support

Managed XDR can offer a significant advantage where organisations do not have their own SOC team, or where existing security operations need support.

What Is MXDR?

MXDR – Managed Extended Detection and Response is the abbreviated form of managed XDR.

An MXDR service does not provide technology alone.

Expert security analysts examine the security events coming from the platform continuously.

When a high-risk XDR incident occurs, for example, analysts can:

verify whether the event is a genuine attack, identify the endpoints and users affected, analyse the attack chain and initiate the necessary response actions.

MXDR can therefore be seen as the combination of:

XDR platform + SOC analysts + threat hunting + incident response

XDR SOC Integration

The events an XDR platform produces have to be assessed by security analysts.

XDR SOC integration is therefore one of the fundamental parts of a strong security operation.

By assessing XDR incidents, SOC teams can determine:

which user was affected, which endpoint was the attack's starting point, whether the attacker moved through the organisation and whether response is required

The SecureSys XDR service can be delivered as a 24/7 SOC XDR service where required.

24/7 XDR Monitoring Service

Cyber attacks do not happen only during office hours.

Continuous monitoring of XDR platforms is therefore important in critical organisations.

24/7 XDR monitoring aims to have XDR incidents assessed by security analysts at any hour of the day.

When a critical alert is detected, the event can be taken through:

verification, classification, escalation and response

This approach helps reduce response times particularly in ransomware incidents and active attacker activity.

XDR and MDR Integration

Using XDR technology together with Managed Detection and Response – MDR services can create a strong security model.

XDR collects and correlates the attack data.

The MDR team then analyses that information and turns it into action.

The XDR MDR model can therefore be seen as the combination of:

technology + expert analysts + threat hunting + response

In the SecureSys XDR MDR approach, the aim is not simply to generate alerts but to detect genuine attacks early so that the organisation can take the necessary actions quickly.

The Difference Between EDR and XDR

The difference between EDR and XDR is one of the questions organisations research most often when choosing security technology.

EDR analyses the activity present on endpoint devices.

XDR also takes data from systems beyond the endpoint.

In short:

EDR = endpoint visibility

XDR = extended attack visibility

XDR combines EDR data with network, identity, email and cloud sources in order to see a broader portion of the attack.

Rather than saying XDR replaces EDR, it is more accurate to say that it extends EDR's capabilities.

The Difference Between XDR and SIEM

The difference between XDR and SIEM is also among the topics organisations research frequently.

SIEM offers broad log collection, correlation, archiving and compliance capability.

XDR is more focused on threat detection and response.

SIEM collects logs from a large number of systems, while XDR correlates security telemetry in an attack context.

XDR SIEM integration is therefore preferred in many corporate environments.

The high-quality incidents coming from XDR can be forwarded to the SIEM, or SIEM data can be used in XDR analysis.

XDR NDR Integration

Network detection and response is used to detect attacker behaviour at the network level.

XDR NDR integration allows network activity to be correlated with endpoint and identity data.

NDR may have detected a connection from a server to an unknown external IP, for example.

XDR may at the same time see a suspicious process running on the endpoint and unusual authentication behaviour on the user account.

Assessing these three pieces of information together makes genuine attack detection easier.

Endpoint Detection and Response and XDR

Endpoint Detection and Response – EDR is one of the most important data sources in an XDR architecture.

EDR produces telemetry on the endpoint such as:

process, file, registry, network connection and user activity

XDR combines this telemetry with other security layers in order to show the attack's effects beyond the endpoint as well.

Strong endpoint visibility is therefore usually the foundation of a strong XDR architecture.

Network Detection and Response and XDR

Network Detection and Response – NDR monitors behaviour within the corporate network and anomalies in network traffic.

NDR can play an important role in detecting threats such as:

lateral movement, command and control, network reconnaissance and data exfiltration

By correlating NDR data with endpoint and identity telemetry, XDR can more easily reveal which user and system the attack is associated with.

What Is Identity Threat Detection?

One of attackers' objectives in modern attacks is to compromise user identities.

Identity threat detection aims to detect suspicious behaviour in user and authentication activity.

The following, for example, can be detected:

unusual logins, MFA anomalies, privilege changes or risky authentication

When XDR correlates this information with endpoint and network data, identity-based attacks can be understood more quickly.

Threat Detection and Response

Threat detection and response refers to the whole process of detecting, verifying and responding to threats.

XDR is one of the technologies that supports this process.

In the SecureSys threat detection and response approach, the following components can be assessed together according to the organisation's existing architecture:

XDR, EDR, NDR, SIEM, threat intelligence and SOC

Advanced Threat Detection

Traditional signature-based security controls are useful in detecting known malware.

Modern attackers can use legitimate system tools and novel techniques, however.

Advanced threat detection aims to detect sophisticated attacks using behavioural and contextual analysis alongside known signatures.

XDR can draw on the correlation of different data sources in this context.

Ransomware Detection and XDR

Ransomware detection is not simply a matter of detecting file encryption activity.

The ideal goal is to notice a ransomware attack before encryption begins.

The following can be seen in the early stages of a ransomware attack:

phishing, credential theft, privilege escalation, lateral movement and access to backups

Assessing this activity together, XDR can help detect the attack before it reaches the ransomware stage.

Lateral Movement Detection

Lateral movement detection aims to detect an attacker moving from one system to another within the organisation.

By analysing endpoint, network and identity data together, XDR can make unusual movement between systems visible.

A standard user connecting to several critical servers in a short period, for example, can be treated as high-risk behaviour.

Credential Theft Detection

Credential theft detection is the detection of attacker activity aimed at obtaining credentials such as usernames, passwords, hashes or tokens.

XDR can assess indicators such as:

credential dumping behaviour, LSASS access, suspicious token usage and unusual authentication

together.

Because compromised credentials allow an attacker to act as a legitimate user inside the organisation, early detection is critically important.

Using MITRE ATT&CK With XDR

The relationship between MITRE ATT&CK and XDR matters for detection coverage.

The activity an XDR platform detects can be mapped to MITRE ATT&CK techniques.

The organisation can then see:

which attack techniques it is able to detect and where detection gaps exist

Initial access may be monitored strongly, for example, while gaps remain in credential access or lateral movement.

This information feeds detection engineering work.

XDR Threat Hunting

XDR threat hunting is the active search for suspicious behaviour in the organisation's telemetry, rather than relying on automated alerts alone.

A threat hunter can query the XDR platform for:

specific users, processes, domains, IPs or behaviour patterns

For a newly emerged attack technique, for example, the past 30 days of endpoint and identity telemetry can be analysed.

This method can help reveal threats that have remained hidden.

XDR Incident Response

XDR incident response refers to the investigation of the security events detected by XDR and the carrying out of the necessary response.

During an incident:

the endpoint can be isolated, the user account disabled, the malicious process stopped or the relevant IOCs blocked.

The response plan has to be built around the organisation's business continuity requirements, however.

In the SecureSys approach, technical response and operational risk are assessed together.

XDR SOAR Integration

XDR SOAR integration can help automate repetitive security response.

For a critical malware incident, a playbook such as the following can be built:

IOC enrichment → endpoint isolation → firewall block → user check → SOC ticket → notification

This approach can help reduce MTTR particularly in high-volume security operations.

XDR SIEM Integration

XDR SIEM integration can strengthen an organisation's central security visibility.

XDR incidents can be forwarded to the SIEM.

Equally, the authentication, firewall or application logs held in the SIEM can be used during XDR investigation.

This model brings together:

the broad log visibility of SIEM with the attack-focused telemetry analysis of XDR

Managed Detection and Response and XDR

Managed Detection and Response is a managed security model that allows organisations to detect advanced threats continuously and have expert teams respond to them.

XDR platforms can form the technological foundation of an MDR service.

In the managed detection and response approach SecureSys can provide, the following processes can be addressed together:

24/7 monitoring, alert validation, threat hunting, incident investigation and response

What Does SecureSys Provide With XDR?

In the SecureSys XDR approach, the aim is not simply to supply a licence.

The organisation's existing security infrastructure is analysed and an appropriate XDR architecture built.

Depending on the scope of the service, the following can be delivered together:

XDR deployment and integration, EDR connections, NDR integration, SIEM integration, threat intelligence, MITRE ATT&CK detection mapping, threat hunting, 24/7 SOC monitoring and incident response

The organisation then has not only XDR technology but also the security operation that runs it.

Why SecureSys XDR?

XDR success does not depend on the features of the product alone.

Correct integration, detection engineering, security operations and human expertise matter at least as much as the technology.

The SecureSys XDR security service aims to:

bring endpoint, network, identity, cloud and email security together under a central detection approach

According to the organisation's needs, a managed XDR or MXDR model can be built so that the XDR platform is supported by a 24/7 SOC operation.

The objective is to reduce the organisation's:

MTTD – mean time to detect and MTTR – mean time to respond

while enabling faster and better-contextualised response to security events.

SecureSys XDR is a cyber security service model bringing Extended Detection and Response, Managed XDR, MXDR, EDR, NDR, SIEM integration, threat hunting and 24/7 SOC services together under an integrated detection and response approach.