What Is Threat Detection?

Threat detection and response solutions are tools and processes that identify and respond to security threats before they can damage systems or data. These solutions detect and remediate threats across networks, cloud, endpoints, email, and applications.

Why is threat detection important?

Timely threat detection and response is important to prevent and thwart malware, ransomware, and other attacks that could damage critical data and disrupt business operations. Organizations of all sizes need threat detection to secure applications, assets, and data against costly cyberattacks.

How does threat detection work?

Threat detection works by quickly identifying and remediating threats in an environment. Organizations achieve this by deploying vulnerability scanning and intelligence, insider threat detection and behavioral analytics, threat hunting, ransomware detection, and other advanced technologies.

How do you enable threat detection?

Organizations can enable their own threat detection capabilities by deploying tools that protect business-critical data and applications. For those wanting a managed threat detection and response solution, look for a trusted, proven security partner that provides MDR, NDR, EDR, or XDR as a service.

What are the common types of threat detection?

Network Detection and Response (NDR)

An NDR solution monitors and detects suspicious traffic throughout network infrastructure using artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), or other non-signature-based techniques.


Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)

EDR solutions continuously monitor and collect data at endpoints and execute rules-based automated responses. EDR is an endpoint security offering that helps to protect an environment's perimeters.


Extended Detection and Response (XDR)

XDR is a detection and response solution for security operations teams that detects, prioritizes alerts, and remediates threats more efficiently across secure endpoints, networks, email, cloud workloads, and more.


Email threat detection

Email threat detection is provisioned as a standalone solution or as an integrated feature of XDR solutions. Email threat detection monitors emails to uncover, quarantine, and contain threats in inbound, outbound, and internal messages.


Vulnerability management (VM)

Vulnerability management is the process of identifying, monitoring, investigating, prioritizing, and remediating known and unknown vulnerabilities in IT systems and infrastructure before or after an exploit has taken place.


Managed detection and response (MDR)

MDR is a threat-detection and response service provided by security vendors that leverages human investigation, advanced threat intelligence, and integrated security tools. MDR monitors, identifies, and contains threats for an organization.