The cybersecurity landscape is filled with siloed tools and stitched-together so-called platforms. Meanwhile security teams are constantly under pressure to do more with less: faster detection, smarter triage, and reliable outcomes without endlessly expanding headcount or budgets.
Stellar Cyber’s recent recognition as a Challenger in Gartner’s inaugural Magic Quadrant for Network Detection and Response (NDR) is more than just validation by a prestigious analyst —it’s proof that our approach to NDR is fundamentally different and working well. This isn’t just another network sensor or alert engine. It’s a fully integrated detection, investigation and response system for the network and beyond that elevates the entire security stack. Here’s how.
1. NDR That Detects Before Damage
As Subo Guha, Stellar Cyber’s SVP of Product and Strategy, recently explained on the Cybercrime Magazine podcast, modern attacks don’t begin with alarms and explosions. They start with quiet, subtle activity—what he calls “whispers.” These early indicators are easily missed by traditional SIEMs, which rely heavily on historical log data. In contrast, live network traffic is always in motion and always revealing patterns.
Network Detection and Response (NDR) gives security teams a live view into user and system behavior. It picks up on indicators like:
- Repeated login attempts from unusual locations or odd hours
- Lateral movement within the network, where attackers try to escalate privileges or pivot to new assets
- Anomalous access patterns, such as a user logging into systems they typically never touch or download huge amount of data they from a server they usually don’t use
These aren’t theoretical use cases. They’re real-world behaviors that Stellar Cyber’s NDR catches in real time. That early detection matters—especially when the time between compromise and data exfiltration can be measured in minutes.
2. A Platform, Not a Patchwork
Many security vendors offer NDR as a standalone solution as part of their broader product portfolio . They piece together separate legacy tools either built in house or via acquisitions and then label the bundle as a “platform.” But behind the scenes, these systems often lack cohesion. Data doesn’t flow smoothly, integration is shallow, and analysts are forced to pivot among different consoles.
Stellar Cyber takes a different approach. Our NDR is natively built into our Open XDR platform, offering a truly unified experience. That means:
- Correlated insights across network, endpoint, cloud, and identity data
- Built-in AI/ML for triage, noise reduction, and root cause analysis
- Single-pane-of-glass operations, where detection, investigation, and response all happen in one place
This is not just about saving clicks. It’s about enabling security teams to move from alert to action with context, speed, and confidence—without juggling a jumble of disconnected tools.
3. The Human-Augmented SOC: Empowering, Not Replacing
The idea of an “Autonomous SOC” often raises eyebrows. Will automation replace human analysts? Is this another AI buzzword?
At Stellar Cyber, the answer is clear:automation should augment, not replace. Our model is the Human-Augmented Autonomous SOC. Live network traffic is fed into an intelligent AI engine that:
- Prioritizes and triages threats automatically
- Filters out false positives using behavioral analytics
- Surfaces only high-fidelity alerts with rich context
Security analysts stay firmly in control. But instead of wasting hours chasing noise, they can focus on what matters most: confirming threats, understanding impact, and initiating response.
This model is particularly powerful for lean security teams that don’t have the luxury of 24/7 Tier 1 coverage. With Stellar Cyber, they gain the efficiency of automation without sacrificing the insight and decision-making power of human operators.
4. Built for the Teams Who Need It Most
Not every organization has the budget or capacity to build a massive Security Operations Center. That’s why Stellar Cyber’s approach is so effective for:
- Organizations, who need enterprise-grade detection but can’t manage dozens of tools
- MSSPs, who must scale services across many customers without inflating headcount
- Regional IT teams, who are expected to deliver both IT and security outcomes
With Stellar Cyber, you can start small and grow:
- Begin with NDR for live traffic monitoring and actionable insights
- Layer on automated triage and Open XDR integration as your maturity increases
- Expand into full SOC-as-a-Service capabilities without rebuilding your stack
This “crawl, walk, run” model works. Many of our partners and customers begin with network visibility, and as trust and capability grow, they expand organically into broader detection and response services.
5. Recognition You Can Trust
Being named a Challenger in Gartner’s NDR Magic Quadrant is more than a logo on a slide. It’s a testament to the performance, vision, and results that Stellar Cyber delivers.
But more importantly, it reinforces what our customers already know: this platform works in the real world. It doesn’t require a massive SOC investment. It plays well with your existing tools. And it gives your analysts the context and clarity they need to stop threats faster.
Ready to See It in Action?
If you’re exploring how to modernize your detection strategy without blowing up your stack or your budget, Stellar Cyber is ready to show you a better way.
Visit our homepage to download the Gartner NDR Magic Quadrant or book a short demo.
See why more security teams are choosing Stellar Cyber to build a smarter, faster, and more unified SOC.
