The Rise of XDR and the Decline of SIEM and SOAR

Michael de Neuilly Rice, NEC XON Cyber Security Architect

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NEC XON often finds itself at the nexus of innovation, exploring new technologies to enhance defence mechanisms against evolving threats. Recently, while implementing a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) solution for a client, our team had a moment of reflection: could a mature Extended Detection and Response (XDR) system have provided even greater benefits?

The contemplation led us to delve deeper into XDR and its potential to render traditional SIEM and Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) solutions obsolete. XDR represents a paradigm shift in cybersecurity, consolidating functionalities that were once dispersed across multiple tools. Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), automation, and SIEM seamlessly converge within XDR platforms, offering a unified interface for detection and response.

XDR: Redefining Detection and Response
Modern XDR embodies years of refinement, addressing the challenges that security teams faced with disparate tools and configurations. Traditional approaches required analysts to navigate between EDR, automation, and SIEM, consuming valuable time during incident investigation. With XDR, this fragmentation is dissolved. Many EDR solutions now rebrand as XDR, expanding their coverage to include signals from various sources such as devices, identities, networks, applications, and cloud environments. The emphasis shifts towards ingesting and analysing these signals to generate actionable insights, streamlining incident response. Simplified usability and implementation have become paramount, driving the evolution of security software vendors.

Even industry giants like Microsoft are recognising the significance of this shift, evident in the integration of their SIEM and SOAR solution, Sentinel, into Defender XDR. This trend underscores the value of centralised solutions capable of processing and responding to diverse signals, greatly benefiting Security Operations Centres (SOCs).

Who's Falling Behind?
Meanwhile, traditional endpoint protection solutions focusing solely on host-based and agent-based software signatures and behaviour analysis are rapidly becoming obsolete. Many antivirus vendors struggle to defend modern infrastructures against organised cybercrime operations orchestrated by sophisticated adversaries. The need for comprehensive data on environmental activities is paramount, as merely detecting malware is insufficient. Machine learning and AI offer powerful capabilities, but their effectiveness hinges on data availability. Relying solely on endpoint software analysis is inadequate in today's dynamic threat landscape.
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Looking Ahead: Innovations on the Horizon
As the competition for the ultimate XDR solution intensifies, anticipation grows for the innovations that lie ahead. Failure to innovate promptly risks being left behind, akin to operating a SIEM without XDR integration. As we navigate this new era, embracing XDR becomes imperative for organisations seeking to fortify their defences against new threats.