Integrating XDR with Other Cybersecurity Technologies

Businesses are continuously challenged to protect their IT environment in today’s sophisticated threat landscape. Effectively protecting mission-critical systems and sensitive data requires a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity. The addition of an Extended Detection and Response (XDR) solution gives organizations a valuable tool to detect and respond to threats before they impact the environment.

An XDR platform represents the evolution and consolidation of multiple cybersecurity technologies such as Network Detection and Response (NDR), Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), and Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR). XDR incorporates strengths from these technologies and addresses their weaknesses to provide a platform which can detect current and future cybersecurity threats before they can cause damage.

Cybersecurity is enhanced by integrating XDR with other security technologies. The information provided by an organization’s existing cybersecurity solutions can be used to improve the threat intelligence and therefore the performance of the XDR platform. This post discusses the benefits of integrating XDR with other technologies.

Key Technologies for Integration

An XDR solution relies on accurate threat intelligence, anomaly identification via machine learning, artificial intelligence, and pattern matching to fuel its threat detection capabilities. It accumulates this threat intelligence from a variety of proprietary sources and through integration with existing technologies. Key technologies for integration include:

• Endpoint protection - These solutions are designed to monitor and prevent malicious entities from entering the IT environment. They are a viable first level of defense and can provide XDR with reliable information regarding specific threats and attempts to subvert security and gain entry into the infrastructure.
• Cloud security - Security solutions that monitor and detect potential threats in cloud environments and services. These may include a cloud access security broker (CASB) or other tools that focus on protecting data resident in the cloud.
• Identity management - Information about suspicious or anomalous user behavior can be instrumental in identifying threats. Insider threats which can be devastating to an organization can be minimized with a strong approach to identity management.

Samurai XDR integrates with these solutions to provide enhanced threat detection capabilities. The platform also leverages the superior threat intelligence of NTT's Tier 1 ISP, which analyzes more than 40% of the internet.

The main benefit of integrating other cybersecurity technologies with XDR is that it expands the potential threat intelligence available to the platform. More telemetry provides XDR with additional raw material with which to detect threats to the environment.

Steps to Integrating XDR With Your Existing Cybersecurity Stack

Integrating XDR into your existing cybersecurity stack is facilitated by employing a methodical approach that incorporates the following steps.

• Assess the current infrastructure to identify potential vulnerabilities where XDR can improve security.
• Define business objectives and the types of threats you are attempting to detect.
• Select an XDR solution that aligns with business needs and integrates with existing cybersecurity tools.
• Plan the integration with an initial focus on integration points to establish communication between XDR and other solutions.
• Configure data sources to collect and provide security information to the XDR platform.
• Test the effectiveness of the integrated systems with simulated attacks to evaluate their detection accuracy.
• Provide training to the IT personnel responsible for using the XDR platform.
• Implement continuous monitoring of the XDR solution to identify areas that can be optimized.

Examples of Samurai XDR-Supported Integrations

Samurai XDR provides customers with the ability to provide telemetry to the platform via dedicated data collectors. Samurai XDR also offers supported integrations that make it easy to incorporate information from existing, third-party cybersecurity solutions. Following are some of the products supported by Samurai XDR with a brief overview of the integration process.

• CrowdStrike - Integration requires the user to create a new API client in the CrowdStrike Falcon Console. Telemetry and responses are then integrated into Samurai XDR.
• Microsoft Defender for Endpoint - Integration requires global administrative access to the Microsoft Defender Security Center and Microsoft Azure Portal. Users are also advised to enable advanced settings in Defender.
• Microsoft M365 - Integrate the telemetry available from M365 into Samurai XDR.
• Cisco Secure Firewalls - Both the ASA appliance and Threat Defense versions of the firewall can be configured to provide syslog information to Samurai XDR. Integration with Cisco Meraki is also supported.
• Google Workspace - Users perform the integration using the Google Cloud Administrative Console.
• New integrations with products such as 1Password and Okta extend Samurai’s capabilities to protect your environment.

Challenges When Integrating XDR Into Your Environment

Companies may encounter the following challenges when integrating XDR into an existing cybersecurity environment.

• Integration complexity can make it difficult to effectively leverage information from other platforms. Samurai XDR’s supported integrations and data collectors facilitate a smooth integration with your other security solutions.
• Data silos may inhibit the free flow of information throughout the environment. Ideally, all telemetry will be made available to XDR for maximum threat detection.
• Lack of data standardization can affect the ability of an XDR platform to provide effective threat detection.
• Security and compliance concerns may be an issue if the XDR platform does not protect sensitive information.
• Performance impacts on the IT environment from the XDR platform can influence implementation decisions.
• Skills gaps may need to be addressed to get the most value from XDR. The threat prioritization and consolidation provided by Samurai XDR help mitigate this potential problem.

These obstacles can be overcome with sufficient planning and the selection of a solution designed for easy integration like Samurai XDR. Companies should also employ a stepwise implementation that verifies successful integration with one third-party solution at a time.

Integrating XDR with other cybersecurity technologies provides enhanced threat detection to protect an organization’s valuable IT environment. The threat detection capabilities of an integrated XDR platform address the challenges of protecting IT resources from emerging risks.

Incorporating Samurai XDR into your cybersecurity stack gives you added threat detection and response capabilities. In addition to the superior threat intelligence the platform provides, the platform consolidates and prioritizes threat information so teams can proactively address the most important issues.

Samurai’s 30-day free trial allows you to test this superior threat detection platform and see how it elevates your cybersecurity posture. Companies can start small with a single integration and ramp up as they become comfortable with the platform and its capabilities.