What Is EDR and Why Does 24/7 Security Monitoring Matter for Small Businesses?

What Is EDR?

EDR stands for Endpoint Detection and Response. An endpoint is any device that connects to your network: laptops, desktops, phones, tablets, and servers. EDR is software that runs on those devices and monitors what is happening on them in real time.

Traditional antivirus compares files against a list of known threats. If a threat is on the list, it gets blocked. If it is not on the list, it passes through. Attackers know this, so modern malware is specifically designed to avoid matching any known signature.

EDR works differently. It watches behavior. If software starts encrypting files rapidly, accessing unusual parts of the operating system, or communicating with an external server it has no reason to contact, EDR flags it. It can automatically isolate the affected device before the damage reaches the rest of your network.

What EDR Does That Antivirus Does Not

• Monitors every endpoint continuously, not just during a scheduled weekly scan
• Detects threats based on behavior, so new and unknown malware can still be caught
• Isolates a compromised device from the rest of your network automatically
• Records exactly what happened so your IT team can understand the attack and close the gap
• Sends alerts in real time when something suspicious is detected

What Is a SOC?

A Security Operations Center, or SOC, is a team of security analysts who monitor your IT environment around the clock. They review alerts, investigate suspicious activity, and respond when something needs attention.

Large enterprises have their own in-house SOC teams. For a small business, that is not realistic. A dedicated security analyst costs upwards of $70,000 per year, and a single person cannot cover nights, weekends, and holidays.

A managed SOC gives small businesses access to that same monitoring capability without the hiring cost. Your EDR software generates alerts. The SOC analysts review those alerts, determine whether they represent a real threat, and take action.

Why 24/7 Coverage Matters

Attackers do not keep business hours. The majority of ransomware attacks are launched late at night, on weekends, or during holidays. The reason is simple: if no one is watching, the attacker has more time to work before anyone notices.

A 24/7 SOC means someone is always watching. If an attacker gets into your network at 2am on a Saturday, the SOC is alerted. They isolate the affected device, investigate what happened, and start remediation before your team arrives Monday morning to find everything encrypted.

Without that coverage, the attacker has the entire weekend.

EDR Alone vs. EDR With SOC Monitoring

EDR alone is a tool. It detects threats and can take automated actions like isolating a device. But automated responses have limits. A sophisticated attack may not trigger an automatic response, or the automated response may not go far enough.

EDR with SOC monitoring means a trained analyst reviews every significant alert, decides whether it is a real threat, and takes appropriate action. They also identify patterns that a single automated alert would miss. The combination is significantly more effective than either one alone.

Is This Overkill for a Small Business?

It depends on what your business handles. If you manage client financial data, medical records, legal documents, or any information your clients trust you to protect, the answer is no.

A ransomware attack at a small business is not an inconvenience. For many businesses, it is a serious financial event or a reputational one they do not recover from. The cost of managed EDR with SOC monitoring is a fraction of what a breach typically costs to remediate.

This is especially true for CPA firms and accounting practices, where client financial data is the primary target and the reputational risk of a breach is significant.

What to Ask Your Current IT Provider

• Do we have EDR deployed on every endpoint, or just traditional antivirus?
• Who reviews security alerts, and during what hours?
• If an attack started at midnight on a Friday, when would someone know?
• Do we have a documented incident response plan?
• When did we last review our security setup?