Managed Detection & Response (MDR)

Network Detection & Response

  • May 9, 2025
  • 0

Sherlocked Security – Network Detection & Response (NDR) Integration & Monitoring

Real-Time Threat Visibility and Response Across Your Network Infrastructure

1. Statement of Work (SOW)

Service Name: NDR Integration & Monitoring
Client Type: Mid-to-Large Enterprises, Critical Infrastructure, Financial Institutions, Government Agencies
Service Model: Retainer-Based or Hybrid Engagements
Compliance Alignment: NIST 800-53, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, GDPR, NIS2

Scope of Work Includes:

  • Deployment of Network Detection & Response (NDR) Sensors and Tools
  • Continuous Monitoring of East-West and North-South Traffic
  • Detection of Network-Based Threats, Lateral Movement, and Command & Control (C2)
  • Threat Hunting and Incident Investigation Based on Network Telemetry
  • Integration with SIEM, SOAR, and Threat Intelligence Feeds
  • Support for Network Segmentation, ACL Analysis, and Traffic Profiling
  • Encrypted Traffic Analysis (ETA) and Behavioral Anomaly Detection

2. Our Approach

[Discovery] → [Sensor Placement & Configuration] → [Baseline Behavior Modeling] → [Live Network Monitoring] → [Threat Detection & Alert Triage] → [Response Coordination] → [Reporting & Optimization]

3. Methodology

  • Discovery & Scoping: Identify network segments, protocols, and data flow patterns to define sensor placement and coverage needs.
  • Sensor Deployment: Deploy physical or virtual NDR sensors at strategic points (e.g., core, DMZ, branch WAN) for optimal visibility.
  • Configuration & Integration: Set up NDR tools (e.g., Darktrace, ExtraHop, Corelight) with proper thresholds, logging, and integration into SIEM/SOAR.
  • Traffic Profiling: Establish baseline behavior models for normal communications across VLANs and subnets.
  • Detection: Identify known signatures and behavioral anomalies including port scanning, beaconing, DNS tunneling, data exfiltration, and malware propagation.
  • Investigation & Response: Triage alerts, correlate with threat intel, and support containment (e.g., block IPs, reroute traffic, enforce segmentation).
  • Reporting: Deliver threat detection reports, investigation summaries, and improvement recommendations.

4. Deliverables to the Client

  • Sensor Coverage Report: Overview of deployed sensors, monitored segments, and traffic types covered
  • Baseline Network Behavior Report: Visual map of standard communication patterns and deviations
  • Threat Intelligence-Correlated Alerts: Real-time detection reports with contextual IOC enrichment
  • Incident Reports: Detailed summaries of observed threats, lateral movement analysis, and actions taken
  • Improvement Plans: Network hygiene reports, segmentation advice, and logging optimizations

5. Client Requirements

  • Network topology and updated diagrams
  • SPAN/mirror port access or TAP configurations
  • Access to firewall and router configs for flow correlation
  • API or log ingestion access for existing SIEM
  • Contacts for escalation and access approvals

6. Tools & Technology Stack

  • NDR Solutions:

    • Corelight (Zeek/Bro-based)
    • Darktrace
    • ExtraHop Reveal(x)
    • Vectra AI
    • Cisco Secure Network Analytics (Stealthwatch)

  • Traffic Collection & Visibility Tools:

    • SPAN ports, TAPs, NetFlow/sFlow/IPFIX collectors

  • Enrichment & Integration:

    • SIEMs: Splunk, ELK, IBM QRadar
    • SOAR: Cortex XSOAR, Splunk SOAR
    • Threat Intelligence: MISP, AbuseIPDB, GreyNoise, STIX/TAXII feeds

7. Engagement Lifecycle

  1. Initial Assessment and Discovery
  2. Sensor Deployment & Baseline Setup
  3. Live Monitoring & Alerting Setup
  4. 24/7 Network Threat Detection
  5. Threat Triage, Correlation & Response
  6. Incident Reporting & Client Coordination
  7. Monthly Reports & Continuous Improvement

8. Why Sherlocked Security?

Feature Sherlocked Advantage
Deep Network Visibility Detects lateral movement, C2 activity, data exfiltration, and unknown threats
Threat-Driven Playbooks SOC-ready escalation and containment SOPs tailored to network-based IOCs
Encrypted Traffic Analytics Behavioral detection even when payloads are encrypted
Vendor Agnostic We work with your stack: Corelight, ExtraHop, Darktrace, and more
Continuous Tuning False positive reduction and model retraining based on threat landscape

9. Case Study

Detecting Lateral Movement via NDR

Client: Large telecom provider
Event: Beaconing from an internal device to an IP linked to known C2 infrastructure
NDR Detection: Unusual SMB traffic across VLANs and beaconing on non-standard ports
Response: Device was isolated, C2 domain was blocked, forensic packet capture was provided for investigation
Outcome: Prevented ransomware detonation and exfiltration within 12 minutes of first alert

10. Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

  1. Define network segments and monitoring points
  2. Configure SPAN/TAP access for sensors
  3. Deploy and calibrate NDR tool
  4. Establish baseline network behavior
  5. Monitor for anomalous activity, C2 traffic, lateral movement
  6. Correlate with threat intel for enrichment
  7. Escalate to SOC/IR team based on playbooks
  8. Assist with network containment and access controls
  9. Conduct post-incident reviews and detection tuning

11. Readiness Checklist

Pre-Deployment

  • [ ] Network diagrams (logical and physical) provided
  • [ ] SPAN/TAP access configured
  • [ ] VLAN and subnet documentation shared
  • [ ] Firewall, DNS, DHCP logs accessible
  • [ ] Threat modeling completed
  • [ ] Access to SIEM/SOAR APIs confirmed
  • [ ] Change control window approved
  • [ ] DNS sinkholing policies reviewed

During Monitoring

  • [ ] Sensors receiving mirrored traffic
  • [ ] Alert thresholds tested and tuned
  • [ ] Behavioral models in learning phase
  • [ ] Known-good traffic whitelisted
  • [ ] Suspicious flows and lateral movement tracked
  • [ ] Correlation with external IOCs verified
  • [ ] Anomalies from encrypted traffic analyzed
  • [ ] Daily and weekly reports generated
  • [ ] SOC or IR team looped in for triage

Post-Incident

  • [ ] Incident report submitted
  • [ ] Root cause analysis completed
  • [ ] IOC blacklisting enforced (IP/domain signatures)
  • [ ] Firewall/ACL updated to block malicious flows
  • [ ] NDR playbooks reviewed and updated
  • [ ] Detection gaps closed (new signatures, rules)
  • [ ] Forensics packet captures stored securely
  • [ ] Lessons learned shared with client team
  • [ ] Metrics gathered for improvement (MTTD, MTTR)

12. Continuous Improvement

  • [ ] Quarterly re-evaluation of sensor placement
  • [ ] Update behavioral models and thresholds
  • [ ] Integrate with updated threat intel feeds
  • [ ] Review false positives and detection gaps
  • [ ] Incident response simulations (tabletops)
  • [ ] Update network segmentation strategies
  • [ ] Align detection use cases with evolving threats (APT, ransomware, supply chain)
  • [ ] Regular feedback loops with client SOC/IT teams
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