With increasingly artificial intelligence-powered cyber threats, classical antivirus programs are increasingly failing to meet digital security demands. This has led global organizations to acquire EDR solutions—the sophisticated tools aimed at protecting all networked and connected devices and diminishing vulnerability.
Kaspersky Turkey General Manager Ä°lkem Ozar said to Anadolu that Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions are quickly establishing themselves as the number one cybersecurity priority for companies of all kinds.
"Traditional antivirus programs are no longer enough. Institutions are subject to threats that need to be monitored and addressed, and not merely prevented," Ozar said.
Working with EDR
Whereas conventional antivirus programs primarily detect and prevent known malware, EDR solutions have ongoing visibility into end-point devices such as desktop and notebook computers, mobile telephones and other smartphone devices, and Internet of Things units. The technology continuously tracks anomalous activity in actual time, determines attack sources, records suspicious activity, and performs automatic remediation to quarantine threats and forestall their propagation.
He compared EDR with airport security: "Passport control is akin to antivirus, and EDR is akin to comprehensive checking at the airport. Organisations need to transition from verification of identity to comprehensive checking procedures."
The Widening Attack Surface
The Internet of Things greatly amplified risk for enterprises. Ozar pointed out that with every endpoint—Internet-enabled glasses, smartwatch, sensor, or retail cashier—there is risk involved.
The retail point-of-sale terminals need to be tested for security as well. Custom-designed embedded EDR products geared towards this type of equipment are equally crucial to IT infrastructures and operational technology (OT), she said.
Along with this wider attack surface is the need for EDR products to cover segments from finance to manufacturing.
Relevance of Human Consciousness
Whereas technology is at the heart of cybersecurity, Ozar noted further that fallibility is still a broader organizational weakness. Employee awareness and training are critical pillars to strengthening organizational defenses, she further added.
"Cybersecurity awareness is quite disparate. Finance is ahead of the pack, but retail and manufacture—particularly small and medium sized enterprises—must up their game," she said.
To cover those areas, Kaspersky is investing further in Turkey, Brazil, and India by growing local sales and technical support teams and providing ongoing training to partner organizations.
Türkiye: The Favorite Target for Cyberattacks
Türkiye is still one of the world's most frequently attacked nations by cyberattacks. Ozar disclosed that it is the most assaulted nation from the African region and is always ranked among the global top three to ten nations.
"Even though ransomware attacks decreased by 16% during the previous year, we still registered 28,000 to 30,000 attacks. They are increasingly selective, swapping out large-scale campaigns with high-end ops to strike at selected organizations," she stated.
It illustrates the significance of EDR solutions as a pre-emptive defense system. Unlike standard antivirus software, EDR lets businesses identify subtle threats, pinpoint vulnerabilities in closed network environments, and respond prior to an attack inflicting heavy losses.
SMBs Should Avoid Neglecting Cybersecurity
Ozar warned that SMEs are not exempt from sophisticated threats. Attackers are now seeking out smaller organizations ever increasingly, oftentimes because those defenses are weaker.
"Closed networks are never closed anymore. Updates and data transfer always need external connections, and through those connections, there are vulnerabilities. EDR introduces visibility to those blind areas," she clarified.
She urged large and small enterprises to embrace integrated security strategies and include EDR as a standard deployment.
EDR as the New Standard
In her final statement, Ozar pointed out that cybersecurity protocols must adapt with technology. "Advanced cybersecurity is a requirement wherever technology is present. The near future is when all endpoints will deserve to have EDR protection at all times. EDR has to become a new global standard," she added.
