4 Questions To Ask Before Investing In EDR

• With threats ramping up, an EDR solution that can’t see the full picture is already a step behind.
• Before investing, asking the right questions can save you from getting stuck with an EDR that can’t keep up.
• Certain endpoint security tools are built to make your life easier—let us show you how.

Ransomware hasn’t just stuck around in headlines, it’s evolved. With 35 years in the making, it’s gotten bigger and bolder. Ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) operators like Medusa are more organized than ever—and they’re lowering the barrier for entry. As if all this weren’t bad enough, threat actors are now leveraging AI and machine learning (ML) to power their efforts, making it easier than ever for inexperienced bogeys to launch enterprise-level attacks, often targeting endpoints as their first way in. 

These new productions are slicing through ill-prepared organizations’ first-line defenses like a hot knife across butter. Nearly six out of 10 (59%) IT and security professionals report an increase in the volume and severity of malware attacks. And small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with fewer resources and leaner security budgets are feeling the heat the most.

To protect millions of users across organizations from evolving threats, compliance regulations are evolving too, making reliable endpoint monitoring and fast response table stakes for avoiding fines and reputational fallout. 

But an endpoint detection and response (EDR) solution is more than a layer of defense—it's the foundation your security stack needs in times of uncertainty. And when it comes to such an important player, you need an EDR built on proven fundamentals, not just hype. 

The right questions lead to the right protection

Choosing the right security partner can be as stressful as vetting a new hire for that hard-fought headcount—because in a sense, you’re hiring an EDR solution to protect you. At the evaluation stage, everyone promises superior detection, speed and coverage, but how can you be sure they’ll deliver?

Here are four questions to ask that go beyond what looks good on paper: 

What level of visibility are we talking about?

Threat intel is a great place to start, but if it's only firing off alerts and not providing context, you’ll waste time piecing things together yourself. The right EDR should give you a full view across all your endpoints with rich insight into attacker behavior, so you’re ready to respond smarter and faster. 

Does it play well with the rest of my security stack? 

For your EDR to really shine as the MVP, it needs to integrate smoothly with the rest of your stack. A robust, reliable EDR comes with solid APIs to ensure interoperability with other tools. You want something that consolidates data and simplifies workflows all from one same place. Trust us, your security team will thank you for it. 

How far does the protection actually reach? 

If your workloads live in containers or on cloud platforms (and many probably do), your EDR needs to extend coverage beyond on-prem systems. Containers often get overlooked, but that’s exactly why bad actors use them as hiding spots. Make sure your EDR can extend protection to all your containers while still integrating with your existing endpoints, giving cybercriminals no room to slink about. 

How much heavy lifting is involved?

Let’s be real, security teams are often working with limited resources, time and bandwidth. That’s why a truly user-first EDR solution should be effortless to deploy, simple to manage and flexible enough to adapt to your needs. You especially want to look out for ongoing vendor support—that cherry on top that keeps things running smoothly and lets your team focus on staying proactive.

When you ask the right questions, the best partner stands out. And you might just be looking at “the one”. 

The EDR with the right answers 

As a trusted leader in cybersecurity and EDR, Carbon Black (one of two legendary portfolios offered by Broadcom’s Enterprise Security Group) is sought after for reliability, transparency and long-term value. Organizations of all sizes have placed their hard-earned trust in us—avoiding costly downtime from data breaches, driving significant cost savings and improving the efficiency of their security operations, according to Forrester’s Total Economic Impact™ (TEI) report. 

With award-winning solutions like Carbon Black EDR, we delivered a composite organization a whopping 427% return on investment (ROI). If that’s not enough to make your knees buckle, Broadcom’s Symantec portfolio pushes endpoint protection even further with new, groundbreaking capabilities like Symantec Incident Prediction, which now leverages AI and threat intelligence to predict an attacker’s next four or five moves with up to 100% confidence.

Our industry-defining portfolio was built to grow with you—today, tomorrow and beyond. 

Do more than check boxes  

Stay one step ahead of threats wherever they come from. With Symantec and Carbon Black, you’re backed by two legendary forces in cybersecurity. We’re here to strengthen your defenses and simplify your security with seamless integrations, comprehensive protections and scalable solutions that grow with your needs. 

Backed by one of tech’s biggest R&D engines, our portfolio outpaces the usual “good enough” offerings from all-in-one vendors. We don’t want to just check your boxes. We want a partnership that’s built on trust and innovation with gold-award defenses that meet you where you are. We’re here to level up your protection—without slowing you down.  

More questions to consider. Get your copy of the eBook How to Feel More Secure About EDR for the full list of questions to ask—and the right answers to look for.