There is no doubt that layered security is the best defense in the face of current and future threats to your network. Two solutions are frequently discussed to protect your environment: Managed Antivirus (MAV) and Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR). While these two solutions offer tremendous benefits for your business, as the lines between the two blur – how do you know the difference?
There are advantages to both. The question is which solution you should deploy to address your needs? Neither is a one-size-fits-all solution because they both address different issues, so when deciding between the two, it’s essential to consider the following factors.
Managed AntiVirus
Managed Antivirus (MAV) is a centrally-managed software option that protects all of the computers at your business from virus threats. With MAVs, our Managed Services handle automatic program updates and virus definition updates—so user intervention isn’t necessary. When a virus or malware is discovered, it’s immediately quarantined. It’s a simple, straightforward first line of defense that doesn’t require any technical knowledge and does a great job of turning away many threats.
MAV does require regular definition updates though—and this is one of the differences. The program is only as good as the updates. New threats arise hourly, even by the minute, so ensuring updates get pushed out in a timely fashion is critical. However, there are several reasons to choose MAV, including the ease of use- since they require zero-intervention, and you can look at your Managed Services as the single source for deployment, management, definition updates, and threat debriefings.
Endpoint Detection & Response
On the other hand, EDR is a multifaceted solution that does everything MAV can do but takes things a step further. It provides greater security and, most importantly, peace of mind. EDR is centered on endpoint protection. And like MAV, our Managed Services regulates it without requiring any input from the end-user. Given the number of threats that spawn daily, managing large numbers of endpoints can be more difficult with antivirus and other point solutions. This is where the differences between MAV and EDR come into sharp focus.
EDR is proactive. Comprised of monitoring software and endpoint agents, integrated machine learning and advanced artificial intelligence (AI) allows EDR to identify threat vectors that exhibit suspect behavior and address them before they’re acknowledged as harmful. Instead of relying on definition updates, it looks for abnormal behavior. For example, if several files change at the same time, it’s likely due to an endpoint assault. Additionally, EDR recovers quickly when ransomware or other exploits strike. Remediation and rollback can reverse the effects of an attack and restore endpoints to their pre-attack healthy state to minimize customer downtime. So, while both have advantages, EDR shines.
If you would like to learn more about MAV or EDR and which would be the best defense again current and future threats to your network, contact us at 502.267.2552.
