Why You Need NDR in a World of EDR and SIEM/SOAR

Organizations today are under no illusion: cyberattacks are inevitable. To stay ahead, security teams have invested heavily in Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) tools and Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) platforms paired with Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) capabilities.

So why do you still need Network Detection and Response (NDR)?

The short answer: visibility gaps. Each security technology sees a different slice of your environment. EDR watches endpoints. SIEM aggregates logs. But the network — where lateral movement, C2 communications, and data exfiltration actually happen — often remains a blind spot.

The Modern Security Stack

Let’s break down what each component does:

EDR: Endpoint Detection and Response

What it sees:

• Process execution
• File system changes
• Registry modifications
• Local network connections

What it misses:

• East-west traffic between systems
• Network protocol anomalies
• Encrypted traffic patterns
• Infrastructure-level attacks

Best for: Detecting malware, ransomware, and endpoint-based attacks

SIEM/SOAR: Log Aggregation and Orchestration

What it sees:

• Application logs
• Authentication events
• System logs
• Alert aggregation from other tools

What it misses:

• Real-time network behavior
• Layer 2-7 protocol analysis
• Zero-day network exploits
• Encrypted payload analysis

Best for: Correlation, compliance reporting, workflow automation

NDR: Network Detection and Response

What it sees:

• All network traffic (Layer 2-7)
• Protocol-level anomalies
• Lateral movement patterns
• C2 communications
• Data exfiltration attempts

What it misses:

• Endpoint-specific details
• Application-level logs
• User authentication context

Best for: Detecting network-based attacks, lateral movement, and data exfiltration

Why NDR is Critical

1. Attacks Happen on the Network

Every cyberattack involves network activity at some point:

• Initial Access: Phishing payload downloads
• Command & Control: Beaconing to attacker infrastructure
• Lateral Movement: Spreading across the network
• Exfiltration: Sending data out

EDR can see the endpoint, but not the network patterns that reveal the full attack chain.

2. Visibility into Encrypted Traffic

80% of network traffic is now encrypted. EDR can’t see inside TLS connections between hosts. SIEM only sees what applications log. NDR analyzes traffic patterns, timing, and metadata even when payloads are encrypted.

3. Detection of East-West Attacks

The most damaging attacks involve lateral movement — compromising one system and moving to others. This happens on the network, between endpoints. EDR on each endpoint might see local activity, but only NDR sees the pattern across all systems.

4. Cloud and Hybrid Visibility

Modern infrastructure spans on-prem, multiple clouds, and SaaS applications. EDR coverage is inconsistent. SIEM depends on what logs are forwarded. NDR sensors deploy everywhere and see everything.

5. Faster Detection

EDR depends on signatures or behavioral patterns that run on endpoints. SIEM waits for logs to be forwarded and correlated. NDR analyzes in real-time at line speed, detecting threats as they occur.

The Power of Integration

The real magic happens when NDR, EDR, and SIEM/SOAR work together:

Scenario: Advanced Persistent Threat

EDR detects unusual process execution ↓ NDR identifies the process is beaconing to a suspicious external IP ↓ SIEM correlates with authentication logs showing credential theft ↓ SOAR automatically isolates the endpoint, blocks the C2 domain, and resets compromised credentials ↓ NDR confirms no other systems are communicating with the threat actor

Each tool provides a piece of the puzzle. Together, they provide complete visibility and coordinated response.

Interceptor NDR: Built for Integration

Cyber Ninja’s Interceptor NDR is designed to complement your existing security stack:

• BYO SIEM: Feed enriched alerts to Splunk, Sentinel, or any SIEM
• EDR Integration: Correlate network behavior with endpoint telemetry
• SOAR Compatibility: Trigger response playbooks via API
• Agentless Deployment: No conflicts with existing tools

The Cost of Gaps

What happens when you rely only on EDR and SIEM?

Case Study: A mid-sized healthcare provider had comprehensive EDR coverage and a well-tuned SIEM. Yet attackers moved laterally across their network for 45 days before detection. Why? The lateral movement used legitimate protocols and credentials stolen from the initial compromise. EDR saw “normal” process execution. SIEM saw “normal” authentication events. Only network behavior analysis would have revealed the anomaly.

Result: 12 million patient records compromised, $8M in breach costs, 18 months of reputation damage.

With NDR: Lateral movement would have been detected within minutes as unusual network patterns, even using legitimate credentials and protocols.

Making the Business Case

ROI Calculation

Without NDR:

• Average dwell time: 21 days
• Average breach cost: $4.45M
• SOC analyst hours: 2,000+/month
• False positive rate: 90%

With NDR:

• Average dwell time: < 1 day
• Breach prevention: priceless
• SOC analyst hours: 500/month
• False positive rate: < 5%

Implementation Timeline

• Day 1: Deploy sensors
• Day 2-7: AI models learn baseline
• Week 2+: Full autonomous operation

Conclusion

EDR and SIEM/SOAR are essential — but incomplete. The network is where attacks live and move. Without NDR, you’re fighting blind in the most critical battleground.

The question isn’t whether you need NDR. It’s whether you can afford the gaps in your current stack.

Discover Interceptor NDR and close your visibility gaps today.