Incident Response (IR) VS. Network Detection and Response (NDR)
Incident Response (IR) and Network Detection and Response (NDR) are both critical components of a modern cybersecurity strategy — but they serve distinct roles.
Here’s a clear comparison of Incident Response (IR) and Network Detection and Response (NDR)—two critical but distinct components of cybersecurity operations:
Incident Response vs. Network Detection and Response (NDR)
| Aspect | Incident Response (IR) | Network Detection and Response (NDR) |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A structured process to handle, manage, and recover from security incidents | A cybersecurity technology that detects, investigates, and responds to threats across network traffic |
| Focus | People and process – Responding to confirmed incidents | Technology and visibility – Detecting suspicious behavior in network traffic |
| Purpose | Contain, eradicate, and recover from attacks | Detect advanced threats and lateral movement that bypass traditional tools |
| Timeframe | Triggered after a threat is detected | Runs continuously, analyzing network activity in real time |
| Tools Used | Playbooks, forensics tools, EDR, SIEM, communication platforms | Deep packet inspection, AI/ML anomaly detection, threat intelligence |
| Output | Incident reports, root cause analysis, recovery actions | Alerts, network threat detection, enriched investigation data |
| Primary Users | IR teams, SOC analysts, legal, PR | SOC teams, threat hunters, security engineers |
| Role in Security Stack | Responds to threats after detection | Helps detect and accelerate incident response |
Key Capabilities Comparison
| Capability | Incident Response | NDR |
|---|---|---|
| Threat Detection | (reactive, based on alerts) | (proactive, continuous monitoring) |
| Threat Hunting | (manual or tool-assisted) | (often AI-driven behavioral analytics) |
| Investigation | (in-depth forensic analysis) | (contextual network-based insight) |
| Containment & Mitigation | (core function) | (feeds IR; does not contain threats directly) |
| Automation | (via SOAR or EDR tools) | (via AI, machine learning, and rules) |
| Visibility | Partial (depends on tool coverage) | Full visibility into network-level activity |
How They Work Together
NDR feeds into IR:
NDR solutions detects abnormal traffic or signs of compromise and sends alerts to the SOC or IR team.IR responds to confirmed threats:
The Incident Response services team uses NDR data (like packet captures or session logs) to investigate, contain, and recover.
Think of NDR as your early warning radar, and IR as your emergency response team.
Example Scenario:
NDR detects data exfiltration from an internal server to an unknown IP.
SIEM raises an alert and correlates with other indicators.
IR team:
Confirms it’s an attack (e.g., credential theft)
Isolates the affected system
Investigates the attacker’s method using NDR logs
Patches the vulnerability and restores operations
Summary
| Category | Incident Response (IR) | Network Detection & Response (NDR) |
|---|---|---|
| Nature | Process + team function | Security technology/platform |
| Primary Goal | Contain and recover from incidents | Detect and analyze network threats |
| Who uses it | IR teams, SOC analysts, CIRT | SOC analysts, threat hunters |
| Value | Reduces impact of breaches | Improves threat visibility and detection accuracy |
NDR is a critical input to Incident Response. The more advanced your NDR, the faster and more precise your IR actions can be.