Antivirus vs EDR: which solution offers the best protection?

The challenge of endpoint protection

Antivirus was once the only layer of protection, but attackers now leverage advanced techniques, from zero-day exploits to living-off-the-land tools, which bypass traditional defences.

This makes it clear that while AV remains a critical foundation, it is no longer enough on its own. EDR takes protection a step further, providing visibility, detection, and active response capabilities.

Traditional antivirus to prevent common threats

Antivirus is the baseline security tool present on almost every device. Its role is primarily preventive, acting as a gatekeeper by scanning files and processes at execution time to detect malware.

AV relies on two core techniques:

• Signature-based detection: comparing file code against a database of known malware fingerprints.
• Heuristics: scanning for suspicious code patterns that may indicate new variants.

This makes AV highly effective at blocking most commodity threats such as viruses and trojans. However, its fundamental weakness is that it reacts primarily to known threats.

Against zero-day attacks or malicious activity that hides behind legitimate processes, AV alone is insufficient. It is essential, but no longer complete.

EDR: active monitoring and threat hunting

EDR does not replace AV; it complements and extends its capabilities. Instead of focusing only on prevention, EDR continuously monitors endpoint activity, detecting suspicious behaviour and responding after execution.

EDR tracks every process, registry change, and network connection, creating complete visibility. If it detects unusual behaviour, such as a script attempting credential theft or encryption, it can:

• Flag the anomaly instantly.
• Isolate the affected endpoint to stop lateral movement.
• Provide detailed attack context for investigation.

EDR is critical for proactive threat hunting and fast incident response. Adoption is growing rapidly, positioning it as the new security standard for advanced detection.

Strategic complement: unified EPP and EDR

The most resilient security strategy is not to choose between AV and EDR, but to combine them. AV filters out the noise of commodity threats, while EDR focuses on advanced attacks.

Many vendors now deliver integrated endpoint protection platforms (EPP) or even extended detection and response (XDR), which expands visibility beyond endpoints.

This layered approach ensures defence in depth: if AV misses something, EDR detects it in action.

• AV/EPP: designed to stop attacks.
• EDR: designed to detect, contain, and remediate once the attack is underway.

Integrated solutions are also more cost-effective long term than managing separate tools. IBM’s “Cost of a data breach 2024” Report highlights integration as a key factor in reducing breach-related expenses.

EDR requires expertise

EDR generates constant streams of data and alerts that must be analysed 24/7. Without skilled security analysts, organisations risk missing critical alerts or drowning in false positives.

True EDR value lies in the human ability to:

• Correlate signals.
• Conduct forensic investigations.
• Apply the right remediation measures.

This operational burden is particularly difficult for in-house IT teams already stretched thin. Regulations such as GDPR also demand rapid, well-documented responses to incidents.

For many organisations, the solution is a managed SOC (Security Operations Center), outsourcing EDR operations to cybersecurity experts.

From tool to service: turning EDR into managed security

EDR is the eye that sees sophisticated threats. A managed SOC is the brain that interprets and acts. Deploying EDR is an important milestone, but only expert operations ensure maximum value.

A trusted partner ensures that your EDR is:

• Properly configured and tuned.
• Monitored by analysts who track the latest attack techniques.
• Backed by immediate incident response, minimising impact.

Whether you are an MSP offering premium security to clients or an end user seeking complete protection, the question is not whether to deploy EDR, but how to manage it.

If 24/7 analysis, threat hunting, and incident response are beyond your internal capacity, this is the signal to partner with experts.

Antivirus is still the baseline, but EDR has become essential to deal with modern attackers. However, EDR alone does not close the gap. It produces the data, but without continuous expert monitoring, threats can slip through.

The path to true resilience lies in combining AV, EDR, and managed SOC services. This transforms tools into operational security, delivering peace of mind through round-the-clock oversight and proactive threat hunting.

At Cyna, we remove the operational barrier by providing SOC expertise that turns EDR into a fully managed, effective security service. This ensures your protection extends beyond software limits and gives you the assurance only 24/7 expert monitoring can provide.