EDR vs. SIEM vs. FIM — What’s the Difference?
1. What Is EDR?
Definition: Continuous monitoring of endpoint behavior (processes, network, files) to detect and respond to suspicious activity in real time.
Core Functions:
- Telemetry collection on endpoints
- Behavioral analytics and machine learning
- Automated response (isolate, kill process)
- Forensic data for investigations
Ideal Use Cases:
- Rapid containment of malware and ransomware
- Threat hunting and deep endpoint forensics
2. What Is SIEM?
Definition: A centralized platform that collects, aggregates, and correlates logs and events from across your entire IT environment.
Core Functions:
- Log aggregation from devices, applications, network
- Event correlation and alerting based on rules and analytics
- Dashboards and compliance reporting
Ideal Use Cases:
- Cross-system threat detection (e.g., combining web logs with network alerts)
- Long-term retention and compliance audits
3. What Is FIM?
Definition: Real-time monitoring of changes to critical files, directories, and configurations to detect unauthorized modifications.
Core Functions:
- File checksums and change detection
- Alerts on modifications, additions, or deletions
- Audit trails for compliance and forensics
Ideal Use Cases:
- Protecting system binaries and configuration files
- Meeting compliance (PCI DSS, HIPAA, ISO 27001)
4. Key Differences & Synergies
Feature | EDR | SIEM | FIM |
Scope | Endpoint-centric | Enterprise-wide | File and config-specific |
Data Type | Live behavior & telemetry | Logs & events | File integrity checksums |
Response | Automated & manual endpoint action | Alerting & workflow | Alerting and forensic details |
Ideal for | Malware, ransomware, intrusions | Correlation, compliance | Unauthorized changes, audit trail |
Synergy:
- EDR provides deep endpoint context to SIEM’s event correlation.
- SIEM centralizes alerts from EDR and FIM for a unified view.
- FIM feeds SIEM and EDR with file change events for complete coverage.
5. Suitable For & Not Suitable For
Suitable For:
- EDR: Organizations needing rapid endpoint response and threat hunting.
- SIEM: Enterprises with diverse log sources requiring correlation and compliance.
- FIM: Regulated environments needing change tracking and file integrity assurance.
Not Suitable For:
- EDR: Environments with no centralized endpoint agent deployment.
- SIEM: Small setups without resources to manage log volumes.
- FIM: Systems with frequent legitimate file changes (unless tuned carefully).
At Cybersec.net, we integrate EDR, SIEM, and FIM into a cohesive monitoring strategy—ensuring optimized detection, minimal false positives, and clear response workflows under NDA.
🔗 Related Resources:
- How Endpoint Monitoring Stops Threats Before They Escalate
- File Integrity Monitoring Explained
- Offensive vs. Defensive Security — Why You Need Both
