The evolution of cyber threats is forcing organizations across industries to rethink their security strategies. Attackers are bypassing traditional defenses using encryption, exploitation techniques, and lateral movement. Security teams are seeing extensive damage before threats are detected. Even after an attack is detected, it is difficult to prove to auditors that the attackers have completely closed their path of entry.
Four critical industries are turning to NDR technology
Security teams around the world are prioritizing endpoint detection and response (EDR) systems. EDR has become so effective that threat actors are shifting their tactics to avoid attack vectors that host-based defenses protect against. These advanced threats are particularly problematic for critical infrastructure providers such as financial services, energy and utilities, transportation, and government agencies.
The financial sector is the most targeted industry globally. Banks and investment firms are using NDR solutions to detect data exfiltration attempts hidden within encrypted channels. High-frequency trading environments face special security challenges due to their ultra-low latency requirements. Regulations such as DORA, NIS2, and FINRA require banks to maintain comprehensive audit trails of network activity.
The energy sector has become a prime target for criminals and nation-state actors with operational technology (OT) environments that control traditional IT networks and physical infrastructure. The Volt Typhoon attacks exemplify threats that target systems that cannot be protected by traditional endpoint security. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued Order 887, which requires internal network security monitoring for highly effective electrical system security stacks.
The increasingly connected systems in the transportation sector are allowing cybercriminals to access more data and potentially disrupt operations across entire supply chains. Fleet management, control systems, and passenger data require constant monitoring. Railroad signaling systems, air traffic control communications, and traffic management platforms represent critical control points where malicious interference can have catastrophic consequences.
Government agencies are constantly being targeted by advanced persistent threats (APTs) from nation-state adversaries. The imperative to adopt zero-trust architectures is increasing the importance of NDR. For national security agencies, understanding who is behind an attack is as important as detecting it. NDR provides rich forensic data that helps analysts identify tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) associated with specific threat actors.
