Endpoint security solutions range from the original antivirus solutions of yesteryear to extended detection and response (XDR) platforms that tie multiple security solutions together for a better ecosystem. As the needs arise for endpoint security solutions, vendors will attempt to make their solutions match buyer expectations and analyst terms through their messaging but not their engineering.

Not all EDR vendors are the same. To discover what is best for one’s organization, buyers must ask critical questions about the capabilities of the market’s EDR platforms and if they are up to the task to protect their endpoints no matter where they work or how they connect to the internet. Consider your timeline for moving to an XDR solution and see if the EDR solution on offer today can help bridge that gap as your security plans drive toward orchestration.

This checklist provides nine criteria informed EDR purchasers consider when evaluating a change or supplement to their endpoint security strategy.