During World War I, the French Prime Minister, George Clemenceau said that “generals always prepare to fight the last war.” The problem of course is that the last war used the last war’s technology which is why each subsequent war has such devastating casualties. The new attack methodologies always seem to outflank the defenses. 

The World has Moved Beyond EDR 

We find the same circumstance when it comes to cybersecurity. Many organizations today rely on EDR security tools to protect their users. EDR of course stands for Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR). The key word is ‘endpoint.’  An EDR solution by itself does a great job at securing things that reside on the endpoint. The problem, however, is that the world no longer operates exclusively from the endpoint. Protecting your computer from viruses and malware is no longer the #1 threat.  

The Cloud has Changed Everything 

The web browser has evolved from a simple tool for surfing the internet to become the ubiquitous gateway to cloud-based services. Today, businesses rely heavily on productivity suites like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, which serve as central hubs for communication, collaboration, and file sharing. Many organizations have also migrated critical systems such as ERP, CRM, and HR applications to the cloud. 

This shift to cloud-based operations has introduced new complexities in cybersecurity: 

1. Expanded IT Estate 

The move to the cloud has significantly broadened the digital landscape that IT security teams must protect. This expansion often comes with reduced visibility, making it challenging to maintain comprehensive security coverage. 

2. Increased Human Risk Factor 

Cloud services have simplified access to powerful tools and sensitive data. However, this ease of use also means that a single mis-click or poor judgment call by an employee can potentially lead to a security breach, putting the entire organization at risk. The weak links in your organization aren’t the computers, they are the users.  

Threat Actors Target the Cloud 

It isn’t your devices that threat actors want access to. It is your online accounts, which is why they actively target credentials.  In today’s digital landscape, privileged credentials serve as the keys to the kingdom. Cybercriminals constantly launch phishing attacks to steal credentials by deceiving users into unknowingly providing them. However, phishing attacks are just one part of the equation. Other common attacks include: 

• Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks have become an increasingly significant problem. In these scenarios, threat actors impersonate high-level business executives or trusted partners to defraud companies. The primary objective is typically to persuade someone to initiate a financial transaction to a fraudulent bank account. In some instances, these transactions can involve millions of dollars. 

• Work collaboration tools inadvertently make it too easy for unauthorized users to access sensitive documents stored in the cloud. In some cases, files are accidentally shared on public sites or assigned overly permissive access rights. Data leaks frequently occur as users email or share documents containing sensitive information. 

• Cloud customers bear the responsibility of managing their own security settings. Given the relative novelty of cloud technology, some organizations lack a comprehensive understanding of how to implement best practices for these settings. This knowledge gap can lead to vulnerabilities in their cloud infrastructure. 

Why EDR is Insufficient for the Cloud 

Let’s start by saying that EDR has its place. Despite the rush to the cloud, most organizations still have on-prem resources they must protect and EDR does an adequate job of securing them. The cloud, however, is a different beast.  

The purpose of the traditional perimeter firewall has been to keep threat actors out. Cloud providers have extensive security initiatives to keep cybercriminals out of their own IT environments. However, securing cloud productivity environments such as Google Workspace isn’t just about keeping hackers out. It is about managing internal risks, preventing the accidental sharing of sensitive data or ensuring that all settings are configured according to best practice. These tasks are not the responsibility of the cloud provider.  

Cloud security works under a shared responsibility model. The cloud provider is in charge of underlying cloud infrastructure, while you, the client, is responsible for ensuring that access controls and permissions are implemented correctly, and that sensitive data is only accessed by authorized personnel.  

EDR solutions focus on endpoint protection and often lack visibility into cloud application usage, data movement within cloud environments, or configuration changes that impact security. Cloud environments require application-level security, which is beyond the scope of traditional EDR tools. Additionally, the dynamic nature of cloud environments, with resources scaling up and down to meet fluctuating demands, poses a challenge for EDR solutions to keep pace with perpetual environmental changes. 

Cybersecurity Requires the Right Solutions 

Peace through strength is a principle that extends beyond diplomacy to the realm of cybersecurity. In this digital landscape, cybercriminals often target organizations that present the path of least resistance. They seek out victims that lack robust security measures, vigilant monitoring, and a proactive security mindset. Organizations with weak cybersecurity postures become attractive targets for threat actors. These criminals exploit vulnerabilities in systems, applications, and human behavior to gain unauthorized access and compromise sensitive data. 

Protecting hybrid IT environments demands continuous vigilance and comprehensive monitoring across the entire IT estate. This requires advanced tools capable of seamlessly integrating with cloud-native security controls and APIs that can enhance visibility and control over both on-premises and cloud resources.  

To address these complex challenges, many organizations have adopted Managed Detection and Response (MDR) solutions. These services offer 24/7 monitoring of an organization’s entire IT infrastructure, enabling real-time threat detection and response. It has also become apparent that businesses need access to a team of security experts who can analyze and respond to sophisticated attacks that automated systems might overlook. Furthermore, leveraging security solutions with access to diverse threat intelligence sources proves invaluable in staying ahead of emerging attack methodologies and zero-day vulnerabilities. 

Conclusion  

In today’s rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape, you cannot do it alone. Those that utilize the cloud can no longer afford to rely on traditional EDR solutions that often fall short in addressing the unique challenges of hybrid and cloud environments. The world has indeed changed, and it may be time to change your security tool dependency as well.