How NetWitness NDR Detects Threats That Firewalls and Endpoints Miss

NetWitness NDR detects threats that firewalls and endpoints miss by providing deep network visibility, behavioral analytics, and real-time detection of lateral movement, encrypted traffic, insider threats, and credential abuse.

Cybersecurity threats have entered a new era. Today’s attackers are no longer relying on noisy malware or obvious intrusion methods. Instead, they move quietly, automate their attacks, and exploit the gaps between traditional security layers.
Most organizations have already invested in strong defenses such as:
• Firewalls
• Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)
• Antivirus tools
• SIEM platforms
• Threat intelligence feeds
And yet, breaches continue to rise.
Why?
Because many of today’s most dangerous threats operate beyond the visibility of firewalls and endpoints.
This is exactly where Network Detection and Response (NDR) becomes essential.
NetWitness NDR provides the deep network-level intelligence needed to detect threats that other tools often miss—especially those moving laterally, hiding in encrypted traffic, or abusing legitimate credentials.
The Blind Spots of Traditional Security Tools
Firewalls are designed to protect the perimeter. They control what enters and exits the environment.
Endpoint tools focus on devices such as laptops, servers, and workstations.
But modern adversaries don’t attack only at the perimeter, and they don’t always drop malware on endpoints.
Attackers increasingly use techniques such as:
• Credential theft instead of malicious payloads
• Encrypted communication instead of obvious exploits
• Insider-like behavior instead of external intrusion
• Lateral movement instead of direct ransomware deployment
• Living-off-the-land tools instead of suspicious binaries
The reality is clear:
The most critical attack activity happens after the attacker is already inside.
Firewalls and endpoints alone cannot provide full visibility into that stage of the breach.
NetWitness NDR Services closes this gap.
What Is Network Detection and Response (NDR)?
Network Detection and Response (NDR) is a cybersecurity capability that continuously monitors network traffic to detect abnormal behavior, hidden threats, and attacker movement inside the environment.
Unlike traditional detection methods that rely heavily on known signatures, NDR focuses on:
• Behavioral analytics
• Anomaly detection
• East-west traffic visibility
• Threat intelligence correlation
• Real-time response actions
In simple terms:
Attackers may bypass endpoints, but they cannot bypass the network.
Every attack requires communication. NDR makes that communication visible.
Threats Firewalls and Endpoints Commonly Miss — And How NetWitness NDR Detects Them
1. Lateral Movement Across the Network
Once attackers compromise one system, their next goal is expansion.
They move laterally to find high-value assets such as:
• Domain controllers
• File servers
• Databases
• Backup infrastructure
Firewalls often do not inspect internal east-west traffic, and endpoint tools may only detect activity locally.
NDR network detects lateral movement by identifying:
• Unusual internal connections
• Suspicious SMB, RDP, or LDAP activity
• Abnormal authentication flows
• Unexpected access paths between systems
This visibility is critical for stopping ransomware before it spreads.
2. Credential-Based Attacks Without Malware
Many modern breaches involve no malware at all.
Attackers increasingly rely on:
• Stolen credentials
• Token hijacking
• Legitimate remote access tools
• Privilege escalation through native utilities
Endpoint defenses may not trigger because nothing “malicious” is installed.
NetWitness NDR identifies credential abuse through network behavior such as:
• Logins from unusual geographies
• Access anomalies across multiple systems
• Identity-based lateral movement
• Privilege escalation indicators
This allows defenders to stop attacks that appear legitimate on the surface.
3. Encrypted Command-and-Control Traffic
Attackers must communicate with external infrastructure to:
• Receive commands
• Exfiltrate data
• Deploy ransomware payloads
Most of this traffic is encrypted over HTTPS, making it invisible to traditional inspection.
NetWitness NDR detects encrypted threats by analyzing patterns such as:
• Beaconing behavior
• Rare outbound destinations
• Suspicious DNS requests
• Abnormal encrypted session characteristics
Even when attackers hide behind encryption, behavioral signals remain detectable.
4. Insider Threats and Internal Abuse
Not all threats originate externally.
Insiders—malicious or compromised—already have access to systems, making detection difficult.
Firewalls cannot detect internal misuse, and endpoint alerts may not trigger on legitimate access.
NetWitness NDR uncovers insider threats by monitoring:
• Unusual file transfers
• Unexpected access to sensitive systems
• Abnormal data movement
• Internal reconnaissance activity
Network-level context is essential for identifying internal risk.
5. Supply Chain and Third-Party Compromise
Attackers increasingly target trusted vendors and third-party access channels.
These compromises are difficult to detect because the traffic appears authorized.
NetWitness NDR detects anomalies in third-party behavior such as:
• Unexpected connections to critical assets
• New communication patterns
• Activity outside normal operational hours
• Indicators of compromise spreading internally
This ensures trusted access does not become an invisible attack path.
Why NetWitness NDR Matters for Modern Security Operations
Security today is not just about visibility—it is about outcomes.
NetWitness NDR enables organizations to achieve:
• Faster detection of hidden threats
• Reduced attacker dwell time
• Prevention of ransomware spread
• Network-wide investigation context
• Real-time containment and response
Most importantly:
NetWitness NDR detects what traditional tools cannot see.
NDR as a Core Pillar of Threat Detection and Response (TDR)
NetWitness NDR does not replace firewalls or endpoint protection.
It strengthens security by adding the missing network layer of defense.
As part of a complete Threat Detection and Response strategy, NetWitness enables:
• Unified visibility across endpoints, network, cloud, and identities
• Automated investigation and enrichment
• Coordinated containment actions
• Outcome-driven cybersecurity operations
Conclusion
Firewalls protect the perimeter. Endpoints protect devices.
But attackers exploit what happens in between.
NetWitness NDR detects threats that firewalls and endpoints miss by monitoring network behavior, lateral movement, encrypted communication, insider activity, and supply chain compromise.
In a world where adversaries move faster than human response, NDR is no longer optional.
It is the network-level intelligence layer modern organizations need to stop breaches before impact occurs.