Comparing EDR vs. Antivirus - A Guide by a Bakersfield IT Services Provider

Most businesses still depend on antivirus software as their primary line of defense. These tools have been around for decades and were once the standard for preventing infections from viruses, malware, and other harmful programs. They worked well when most attacks came from predictable sources and followed familiar patterns.

However, that world no longer exists. Today’s attackers don’t play by old rules. They use stealthier techniques, target endpoints through unpredictable entry points, and don’t always rely on files to carry out attacks. Fileless malware, zero-day exploits, and credential misuse have become routine in targeted attacks. Unfortunately, most antivirus products are not designed to handle these modern tactics.

According to Microsoft, more than 560,000 new pieces of malware are discovered each day. Attackers now use automation and AI to change tactics faster than traditional tools can update their databases. That makes antivirus software a weak defense on its own.

Brian Lynch, Chief Executive Officer of Bakersfield Networks, says, “Businesses are realizing that antivirus just reacts while EDR sees more and acts faster.”

It’s no longer a matter of whether antivirus will fail. The more important question is when, and whether your business will be ready when it does.

In this blog, we explore why traditional antivirus tools fall short against modern threats and how businesses can strengthen their defenses with advanced solutions as part of comprehensive IT services in Bakersfield.

Antivirus: Where the Old Standard Falls Short

Traditional antivirus tools were built to identify known threats by scanning files and comparing them against databases of virus signatures. When a match is found, the file is blocked or quarantined. That used to be enough to stop most threats. It’s no longer enough today.

Modern attacks don’t always rely on files. Many threats now launch from inside memory, disguise themselves as normal processes, or hijack trusted applications. Cyber experts never designed antivirus solutions to track real-time system activity, monitor process behavior, or detect unusual user actions. They simply scan and block what they recognize.

Here’s what traditional antivirus tools offer:

• Signature-based detection: They look for known malware patterns stored in a database. This works only for threats that have already been identified and cataloged.
• On-demand scanning: They check files during access, downloads, or scheduled scans. If a file looks suspicious, they block or quarantine it.
• Low visibility: They don’t track system-level behavior. That means they can’t detect unusual access to sensitive files, privilege abuse, or remote access abuse.
• High maintenance: They require constant updates to their threat databases. If they’re not updated, they’re ineffective.

These tools miss most of the subtle activities that take place during a real-situation attack. They don’t know how to follow an attacker’s steps, especially if the attacker is using legitimate tools in illegitimate ways. That leaves a massive visibility gap for businesses that rely on antivirus alone

What EDR Actually Does

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) fills the gap left by antivirus. Instead of scanning files, EDR tools continuously monitor everything happening on your endpoints, devices like laptops, desktops, and servers. That includes every running process, every memory event, registry change, script execution, and user action. The system doesn’t just collect data. It uses real-time analytics to identify suspicious behavior and act on it.

EDR works like a 24/7 security analyst embedded in every endpoint. It builds a timeline of activity, identifies anomalies, and flags or blocks activity that doesn’t match normal patterns. Some platforms use behavioral baselines. Others use threat intelligence and machine learning. But the goal is always the same: spot the signs of an attack early, and respond before damage is done.

Here’s what EDR offers:

• Continuous monitoring: Tracks all endpoint activity in real time. Unlike AV, it doesn’t wait for a file to be scanned, it sees everything as it happens.
• Behavior-based detection: Analyzes patterns instead of just looking for known threats. That makes it effective against unknown or custom-built attacks.
• Automated response: Can isolate a device, stop a process, or alert a security team immediately. This reduces the time attackers have to move through your systems.
• Forensics and investigation: Stores endpoint data for review, so you can trace the source of a problem and fix it at the root.

This level of visibility means that even if a threat doesn’t use malware, EDR can still catch it. Whether it’s a rogue PowerShell command, a login at an unusual time, or suspicious file encryption, EDR can detect it and respond immediately.

AV vs EDR in Real World Scenarios

Let’s say a user clicks a phishing email and downloads a malicious script. That script executes directly in memory and starts stealing credentials or encrypting files. If your business only uses antivirus, that attack may never be stopped. There’s no file to scan. No known signature to match.

EDR, on the other hand, would notice something wrong immediately. It would see the new process launching from an unexpected parent process. It would detect the script’s attempt to access protected system files. It could stop the script, isolate the endpoint, and alert the IT team, all in seconds.

Or imagine this scenario: a legitimate contractor logs in using stolen credentials from a new country at 2:30 AM. Antivirus tools won’t notice this because there’s no malware involved. EDR, however, is built to notice unusual behavior like this and can automatically flag it for investigation or deny access based on policy.

Here’s how they differ:

• Antivirus: Looks for bad files and blocks them.
• EDR: Looks for bad behavior and intervenes.

Relying on antivirus alone means your business is blind to most modern threats. EDR gives you awareness and control.

Why Antivirus Still Has a Role—But a Smaller One

Antivirus is still useful for catching basic threats. It blocks older, widely known malware and helps stop nuisance attacks. It’s fast, simple, and easy to manage. However, it shouldn’t be your only line of defense.

Today’s attacks don’t rely solely on malware. They involve multiple steps: gaining access, moving between systems, escalating privileges, and avoiding detection. Antivirus plays no role in stopping these actions.

EDR is the better solution because it:

• Sees the full attack path: You don’t just get an alert. You get a timeline showing how the attack began, what it did, and how far it spread.
• Stops attacks midstream: It can shut down dangerous processes, disconnect endpoints, or stop user sessions automatically.
• Supports audits and compliance: Logs all activity for later review, helping you meet standards like HIPAA, CMMC, and FTC Safeguards.

You don’t need to remove antivirus entirely. In many cases, EDR and AV can run together. But AV should be a support layer and not your primary defense.

Cost and Complexity Myths

Some business owners assume that EDR is expensive, hard to deploy, or too advanced for small teams. That’s no longer true. Cloud-based EDR platforms make deployment fast and management simple. Many managed service providers now offer EDR as a service, reducing internal workload and removing the need for in-house expertise.

With an average endpoint attack costing $8.94 million, EDR proves to be a cost-effective solution by reducing downtime, speeding up investigations, and limiting the scope of breaches, ultimately lowering recovery expenses.

68% of retail businesses have paid ransoms of at least $1 million. The longer it takes to detect and respond, the more you pay. EDR helps you respond before the damage spreads.

When You Should Consider Switching

Contact Information:

Bakersfield Networks IT Services Company

3605 Coffee Rd Suite 500
Bakersfield, CA 93308
United States

Brian Lynch
(661) 241-9357
https://bakersfieldnet.com/