What is Open XDR? 

XDR stands for eXtended (or Cross Platform) Detection and Response. Its purpose is to integrate disparate tools across the security stack—SIEM, EDR, cloud and others to deliver a single, complete view of threats so you can detect, investigate and respond faster to protect your business. Demand for comprehensive and integrated solutions continues to grow, and an XDR platform approach has become crucial. 

Unlike vendor-specific eXtended Detection and Response platforms, Open XDR security (or Hybrid XDR) is vendor-agnostic delivering deep integration across best-of-breed tools from a diverse set of vendors.  

Read more here about the emergence of Open XDR. 

A vendor-specific solution that combines components into a single system is known as native xdr. It promises more seamless, deep integrations for smoother operations but lacks the flexibility and broad compatibility of Open XDR in the evolution of security tools and technologies. 

Think of XDR as a modern SOC-in-a-box designed to integrate controls, normalize telemetry, provide advanced analytics, and automate responses. Jon Oltsik - Senior Principal Analyst, and ESG FellowESG

How Does Open XDR Work? 

open xdr architecture graphic of threat detection and response being achieved through open xdr architecture: tool integrations, data aggregation and normalization. image

Open XDR does not replace your tools. Rather it acts as the integration hub for operations, a “manager of managers,” integrating the functionality of tools including SIEM, EDR, NDR, public clouds, and individual point tools and business applications.   

At the heart of Open XDR’s architecture is an open integration framework for plug-and-play compatibility with a vast ecosystems. The framework is built on standardized APIs and connectors. Organizations can then choose best-of-breed solutions that fit their specific needs. 

The powerful data aggregation engine normalizes data from sources including logs, alerts, and telemetry from endpoints, networks, cloud environments. Information can be analyzed together taking investigation and response times from hours to minutes. 

Additionally, the orchestration layer of Open XDR facilitates coordinated actions across tools, ensuring a cohesive response to incidents. 

It makes the analysts’ job easier and security leaders get higher ROI on investments and confidence in their security. 

How Does XDR Compare to Other Security Tools?

Open XDR VS. EDR VS. SIEM 

SIEM tools focus on bringing together data from security sources that primarily focus on the network, while EDR products focus on detecting advanced threats and monitoring behavior on endpoints. While there can be overlaps where some SIEM tools ingest endpoint data, they lack fidelity and require specific data models. Despite their potential, EDR solutions have faced criticism for not fully living up to expectations in helping security analysts neutralize attacks effectively. Open XDR security builds on the strengths of SIEMs and EDRs and extends these tools. It delivers singular contextual visibility across the enterprise by aggregating the relevant data from all sources, including SIEM and EDR, regardless of deployment model—on-premises, cloud, or hybrid—eliminating any blind spots. Unlike SIEM and EDR tools, Open XDR doesn’t require another data lake or repository or specific data models, it natively collects relevant data, just-in-time, reducing complexity and saving costs. 

Open XDR VS. MDR VS. Managed Services

Managed service providers can help organizations with certain aspects of their security practices. Starting from an event and incident management discipline, some providers have grown to offer managed detection and response (MDR) solutions. But they are limited by their processes and the tools they employ—mostly single-vendor—and their business models most often emphasize generic approaches and may even charge by incident or by the hour. While these service providers may work well at certain stages, MDRs and MSPs fall short of delivering capabilities across your security operations, particularly as your organization matures to keep up with business transformation and growth. Open XDR enables the best of both worlds—the right combination of technology— existing and new, curated integrations and content wrapped with security expertise so security professionals can focus on what’s most relevant for the business. 

Primary Characteristics of Open XDR

 

Managed, vendor-agnostic integrations for singular visibility across any source or deployment

 

 

Unified detection, investigation, and response capabilities to streamline operations

 

 

No expensive data lakes or data model expertise required

 

 

Continuous optimization of your security tools, technologies, and processes

 

 

A metrics framework for continuous security program measurement to increase maturity

 

 

Automation across the security lifecycle—from data collection through detection, investigation and response to resilience