WatchGuard EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) is a cloud-managed security service that adds advanced detection, investigation, and response capabilities to protected endpoints. It works on top of the Zero-Trust Application Service to classify process behavior using machine learning, detect Indicators of Attack (IOA), provide root cause analysis through visual attack graphs, enable automated containment actions, and deliver proactive managed threat hunting. EDR is designed for organizations that need more than prevention and want the ability to detect and respond to threats that are already inside the environment.

Traditional antivirus relies primarily on signatures and heuristics to block known malware at the point of execution. It is a prevention-focused tool with limited visibility into what happens after a file is opened or a process starts. WatchGuard EDR continuously monitors endpoint activity, records process behavior, network connections, file writes, and registry changes, and uses machine learning to detect attack patterns that signatures would miss entirely. When a threat is identified, EDR can isolate the endpoint, kill the process, and quarantine the file automatically. It also provides a visual kill chain so analysts can understand exactly how the attacker moved through the environment, something traditional antivirus cannot do.

When EDR detects a confirmed threat, it can take automated response actions without requiring manual analyst intervention. These actions include isolating the affected endpoint from the network to stop lateral movement, terminating the malicious process, and quarantining associated files. All response actions are logged in the WatchGuard Aether cloud console with full context, including the triggering event, the classification, and the steps taken. Administrators can also trigger response actions manually from the console for cases where a human review is preferred before containment.

Yes. WatchGuard EDR includes a managed threat hunting service as part of the subscription. WatchGuard's security analysts proactively search for hidden threats in your environment using the telemetry collected by the EDR agent. Threat hunting goes beyond automated detection to look for low-and-slow attacks, persistent threats, and attacker tradecraft that may not yet have triggered an alert. Findings and remediation recommendations are surfaced directly in the Aether console so your team can act on them without needing dedicated in-house hunting expertise.

WatchGuard EDR is licensed on a per-seat, subscription basis, typically available in 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year terms. Licenses are managed through the WatchGuard Aether cloud platform, so there is no on-premises infrastructure to maintain. Volume pricing is available for larger seat counts, and licenses can be mixed across Windows, macOS, and Linux endpoints under a single subscription. Contact Firewalls.com for current pricing, volume discounts, and multi-year bundle options.