For cybersecurity professionals in the UK’s public and private sectors, integrating anti-virus software with endpoint detection and response solutions is becoming a critical component of modern cyber defence strategies. To achieve these benefits, organisations need more than simply deploying an EDR platform. Successful implementation involves integrating EDR with existing anti-virus tools, configuring monitoring and response policies, and ensuring security teams can investigate and respond to incidents effectively.
The following best practices provide a practical framework for public- and private-sector organisations looking to reinforce their cyber defences.
1. Integrate EDR with Your Existing Anti-Virus Protection
The first step is to deploy endpoint detection and response alongside existing anti-virus software rather than treating it as a replacement. While anti-virus remains effective at blocking known malware, EDR adds continuous monitoring and behavioural analysis that helps identify suspicious activity that traditional signature-based tools may miss.
For instance, EDR solutions can monitor endpoint activity in real time, flagging anomalies such as unauthorised file changes or unusual login patterns. By integrating with anti-virus software, these systems provide a comprehensive defence against both known and emerging threats.
This enhanced visibility helps public and private sector organisations identify potential threats earlier, reducing the likelihood of successful attacks and improving overall cyber resilience.
2. Configure Automated Detection and Response Workflows
Once EDR is deployed, organisations should configure automated response policies that align with their risk profile. This may include automatically isolating compromised endpoints, terminating malicious processes or alerting security teams when predefined thresholds are reached, reducing the time between detection and containment.
This rapid response capability is critical in mitigating the impact of ransomware attacks or advanced persistent threats (APTs), where every second counts. Anti-virus tools alone lack this level of automation, making the integration with EDR a game-changer.
For public sector organisations, automated response policies can help protect critical public services while supporting compliance with government cyber security requirements. In the private sector, rapid containment reduces the operational and financial impact of incidents, helping maintain business continuity and customer trust.
3. Use EDR Data to Support Threat Hunting and Incident Investigationss
EDR platforms generate detailed endpoint telemetry that security teams can use to investigate incidents and proactively hunt for threats. Reviewing endpoint activity logs helps identify attack pathways, understand attacker behaviour and uncover vulnerabilities that require remediation.
These insights not only improve incident response but also help organisations strengthen their security posture by addressing underlying weaknesses.
Threat hunting is particularly valuable for organisations managing sensitive information, from public bodies protecting citizen data to private sector organisations safeguarding intellectual property, financial information and customer records.
4. Extend Endpoint Protection Across Hybrid and Remote Environments
As workforces become increasingly distributed, organisations should ensure EDR protection extends across laptops, mobile devices and remote endpoints as well as office-based systems. Cloud-managed EDR platforms help maintain consistent visibility and security policies regardless of where employees are working.
This ensures organisations maintain consistent visibility and protection across distributed workforces, regardless of where users or devices are located.
Conclusion
Successfully using endpoint detection and response solutions requires more than simply installing new software. By integrating EDR with existing anti-virus protection, configuring automated response workflows, using endpoint data to support investigations and extending protection across hybrid environments, organisations can build a more proactive approach to cyber security. For both public and private sector organisations, this combination strengthens threat detection, improves incident response and helps build long-term cyber resilience.
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