Spotlight

Report:

Magic Quadrant for Network Detection and Response

How does Gartner define the Network Detection and Response market in 2025?

Network detection and response (NDR) products detect abnormal system behaviors by applying behavioral analytics to network traffic data. They continuously analyze raw network packets or traffic metadata within internal networks (east-west) and between internal and external networks (north-south). NDR products include automated responses, such as host containment or traffic blocking, directly or through integration with other cybersecurity tools. NDR can be delivered as a combination of hardware and software appliances for sensors, some with IaaS support. Management and orchestration consoles can be software or SaaS. Organizations rely on NDR to detect and contain postbreach activity such as ransomware, insider threats and lateral movements. NDR complements other technologies that primarily trigger alerts based on rules and signatures by building heuristic models of normal network behavior and detecting anomalies.

Key Facts for Magic Quadrant for Network Detection and Response in 2025

Strategic Planning Assumptions

No strategic planning assumptions provided.

How was the Network Detection and Response market evolved in 2025?

What product features are required to be included in this year's evaluation?

What are the common features of top products in the Network Detection and Response space?

Scope Exclusions

Inclusion Criteria

Vendors must, among other requirements:

Ability to Execute — Relative Weighting

Completeness of Vision — Relative Weighting

FAQs

Q: What does this research cover?

A: This research covers the Network Detection and Response (NDR) market, analyzing vendors that provide products which detect abnormal system behaviors by applying behavioral analytics to network traffic data. It evaluates 12 vendors across two dimensions: Ability to Execute and Completeness of Vision. The research includes mandatory and optional features for NDR products, vendor positioning in the Magic Quadrant (Leaders, Challengers, Visionaries, Niche Players), detailed strengths and cautions for each vendor, and market trends including third-party integrations, new detection techniques, managed NDR services, evolving architecture, visibility capabilities, and OT use cases.

Q: Who should use this research?

A: This research should be used by CIOs and CISOs to make informed decisions about Network Detection and Response solutions. It is particularly valuable for: 1) Large to very large organizations with established security programs looking to enhance their threat detection capabilities, 2) Security operations teams seeking complementary detection technology to work alongside SOAR, SIEM, EDR and other SOC tools, 3) Organizations needing to detect and contain post-breach activity such as ransomware, insider threats and lateral movements, 4) Buyers evaluating NDR vendors and wanting to understand vendor positioning, strengths, and limitations, 5) Security leaders planning their security architecture and determining how NDR fits into their broader security program, and 6) Organizations with hybrid environments (on-premises, IaaS, and increasingly SaaS) requiring comprehensive network traffic monitoring.

Q: What are the mandatory features of vendors included in this market?

A: NDR products must deliver network traffic analysis through physical or virtual sensors compatible with on-premises and cloud environments, monitoring both north-south (perimeter) and east-west (lateral) traffic. They must model normal network behavior and detect anomalies using behavioral techniques including machine learning and advanced analytics, not just signature-based detection. Products must aggregate alerts into structured incidents for investigation and provide automated or manual response capabilities. Traditional detection techniques like IDPS signatures and rule-based heuristics must be included. Automated response capabilities such as host containment or traffic blocking must be available either directly or through integration with other security tools. Finally, threat detection using both internal and external intelligence feeds is required.

Q: What are some reasons for not being included in this report?

A:

  • Product not generally available by the specified deadline (31 October 2024)
  • Inability to operate in air-gapped environments without internet connectivity
  • Insufficient cloud deployment presence (fewer than 30 deployments across AWS, GCP, and Azure)
  • Lack of enterprise scale (failing to meet at least two of: $30M revenue, 150+ enterprise customers with 5,000+ seats, or 4M+ devices under support)
  • Limited geographic diversity (more than 85% revenue from single region)
  • Insufficient market presence (not in top 15 of Customer Interest Index based on inquiry volume, search data, peer mentions, social media, and trends)

Q: What differentiates Ability to Execute vs. Completeness of Vision?

A: Ability to Execute focuses on current performance and operational capabilities including product quality, financial viability, sales effectiveness, market responsiveness, marketing execution, customer satisfaction, and operational excellence. It measures how well vendors deliver and support their solutions today. Completeness of Vision assesses strategic direction and future potential, including market understanding, strategic planning across marketing/sales/product/business model, industry specialization, innovation capabilities, and geographic expansion plans. It evaluates how well vendors anticipate and prepare for future market needs and their ability to influence market direction.

Reference

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