How SOC Teams Can Leverage NDR for Faster Investigations

Security Operations Center (SOC) teams are under constant pressure to detect, investigate, and respond to cyber threats as quickly as possible. However, traditional security tools often generate overwhelming amounts of alerts, many of which lack context or visibility into network activity. Network Detection and Response (NDR) solutions provide SOC teams with real-time network visibility, advanced analytics, and AI-driven threat detection, enabling faster and more efficient investigations.

In this blog, we explore how SOC teams can leverage NDR solutions to streamline investigations, reduce dwell time, and enhance their overall cybersecurity posture.

The Role of NDR in Cybersecurity

NDR solutions focus on analyzing network traffic, detecting anomalies, and providing forensic capabilities to identify malicious activities. Unlike Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) or Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems that rely on log and endpoint data, NDR solutions monitor east-west and north-south network traffic, uncovering threats that evade traditional security measures.

Key capabilities of NDR solutions include:

• Real-time network visibility – Continuous monitoring of network traffic for potential threats.

• AI and machine learning-driven detection – Identifying known and unknown threats through behavioral analysis.

• Threat hunting and forensic analysis – Providing deep packet inspection and historical data to support investigations.

• Automated response integration – Enabling faster containment and mitigation of threats through automation.

How NDR Accelerates SOC Investigations

1. Reducing Alert Fatigue with Intelligent Detection

SOC teams are often overwhelmed by a high volume of security alerts, many of which are false positives. NDR solutions apply AI-driven threat detection and behavioral analysis to prioritize high-risk threats, allowing analysts to focus on genuine incidents.

2. Enhanced Threat Visibility Across the Network

Traditional security tools may lack visibility into lateral movement within an organization’s network. NDR continuously monitors network activity, helping SOC teams detect suspicious behavior such as data exfiltration, command and control (C2) communication, and insider threats.

3. Accelerated Threat Hunting and Incident Response

With NDR, SOC analysts can proactively search for threats using contextual network data and forensic capabilities. The ability to correlate network telemetry with other security data sources accelerates investigations and helps analysts make informed decisions faster.

4. Automated Investigations and Response Actions

By integrating NDR with SIEM, SOAR, and XDR platforms, SOC teams can automate threat investigation workflows. This reduces manual effort, speeds up incident triage, and enables rapid response actions such as blocking malicious IPs, isolating infected devices, or triggering playbooks.

5. Forensic Data for Post-Incident Analysis

NDR provides deep packet inspection and historical network data that allow SOC teams to conduct post-incident analysis effectively. This helps in understanding the attack chain, identifying vulnerabilities, and improving overall security measures to prevent future incidents.

Best Practices for Implementing NDR in SOC

To maximize the benefits of NDR, SOC teams should:

• Integrate NDR with existing security tools – Ensure seamless integration with SIEM, SOAR, and XDR platforms to correlate threat data.

• Utilize AI-driven threat intelligence – Leverage machine learning models to detect sophisticated threats.

• Conduct regular network baselining – Establish normal network behavior to detect anomalies more effectively.

• Automate response actions – Reduce investigation and response time with predefined workflows.

• Continuously train analysts – Equip SOC teams with the skills to interpret NDR data and conduct efficient threat hunting.

Conclusion

As cyber threats continue to evolve, SOC teams need advanced tools like NDR to improve detection, investigation, and response times. By leveraging NDR’s real-time visibility, AI-driven analytics, and automated response capabilities, SOC teams can accelerate investigations, reduce dwell time, and strengthen their security posture.

Implementing an NDR solution within your SOC can significantly enhance threat detection and incident response, enabling security teams to stay ahead of emerging cyber threats. If you're looking to optimize your SOC operations, consider integrating a robust NDR solution to take your cybersecurity strategy to the next level.