XDR vs SIEM vs SOAR: Choosing The Best Security Solution

XDR vs SIEM vs SOAR: Understanding the Core Differences

In today’s ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape, choosing the right threat detection and incident response (TDIR) strategy is paramount. It’s like selecting the perfect toolset for a critical job – you need it to be precise, reliable, and efficient. 

When it comes to coverage and capabilities, many believe that extended detection and response (XDR) is ahead of its field. However, does it really supersede the traditional incident response platforms like SIEM and SOAR? Are any of these solutions truly effective for understaffed security operations center (SOC) teams, or are they just “good enough” because they are the status quo or bundled “freebee” capabilities? The rest of this blog will provide information about SOC tools that some perceive to be “good enough” for types of cybersecurity attacks and incidents. 

What sets XDR, SIEM, and SOAR apart? Are these even the right questions to be asked or categories to be evaluated to select a solution that will maximize automation ROI and SOC outcomes? At the end of the day, outcomes are all that matters. Let’s unpack the reality of XDR, SIEM, and SOAR technologies so that you can make an informed decision for your security solutions. 

What is Extended Detection and Response (XDR) in Cybersecurity?

XDR, or Extended Detection and Response, is a cybersecurity solution designed to go beyond traditional endpoint detection and response (EDR). It integrates and analyzes data across multiple security layers to detect threats faster and respond more intelligently. As cyberattacks grow more sophisticated, XDR helps organizations stay ahead by unifying detection and enabling swift, coordinated responses across the environment.

XDR is a trending approach that consolidates threat detection and response into a single management console. There are two types of XDR solutions: Open XDR and Native XDR. Open XDR relies on third-party integrations to gather telemetry from various sources, enabling broader visibility through strategic security automation. Native XDR, on the other hand, is offered by a single vendor who standardizes telemetry around their own ecosystem.

Want a quick breakdown? Watch this short 2-minute video where Swimlane Co-founder Cody Cornell and TAG Cyber CEO Ed Amoroso discuss the realities of XDR.

XDR in Cybersecurity Functionality 

To better understand what XDR represents in security, let’s take a look at its capabilities below. Many of these capabilities can also be achieved through AI automation platforms.

• Gathers and evaluates data from various sources such as cloud, networks, and endpoints
• Streamlines the entire detection and response process
• Make use of a single console to deliver relevant insights
• Leverages different AI and micro-automation features for security
• Integrates siloed security solutions
• Offers potential access to key threat specialists in managed solutions

What is Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)?

SIEM platforms first entered the crowded security landscape in 2005. At this time, SIEM presented itself as a consolidated version of security event management (SEM) and security information management (SIM). The purpose of SIEM is to identify unusual system behavior that may indicate a cyberattack within a system’s log data. Most importantly, SIEMs generate alerts based on this information.

As the name implies, SIEM was created to help security professionals manage security events. At its core, it should make incident response faster and easier. The truth is, SIEM vendors never truly got around to the “EM” part of their namesake. That’s why many have acquired SOAR companies to supplement this feature set. 

Unfortunately, early adopters have found that this bundled SIEM and SOAR platform approach is not working. That’s why many customers are looking for alternative solutions like XDR, or independent security automation platforms, to replace this legacy SOC technology.

SIEM Core Functions

• Utilizes log data and security events 
• Analyzes key information to assess the security incident
• Unifies all event data into a centralized platform to provide the visibility of malicious activities
• Provides security alerts and reports

What is the Difference Between XRD vs SIEM? 

Aspect	SIEM	XDR
Purpose and Evolution	Built to collect, correlate, and analyze logs for security events.	Extends detection and response across multiple security layers like endpoint, network, identity, and cloud.
Incident Response Capabilities	Requires manual work or bolt-on SOAR integrations for incident response.	Designed with native, automated response workflows for faster detection, triage, and remediation.
Visibility and Data Sources	Focuses mainly on logs and event data; may struggle with deep telemetry correlation.	Natively collects and correlates telemetry across multiple domains for broader and more actionable visibility.
Automation and Orchestration	Often a patchwork of SIEM + SOAR with inconsistent automation capabilities.	Provides seamless, integrated orchestration and automation out-of-the-box.
Role in the Modern SOC	Essential for log management, compliance, and big data analytics.	Focuses on proactive threat detection and streamlined incident response, complementing SIEM.

What is Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR)? 

Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) refers to platforms that help security operations teams manage and respond to threats by automating routine tasks and orchestrating complex workflows across multiple security tools.

SOAR was developed to address a growing challenge in cybersecurity: overwhelming alert volumes and the difficulty of responding quickly and consistently to incidents.

Both EDR and SIEM solutions are critical for detection and analytics, but they often contribute to alert fatigue and poor signal-to-noise ratios. Security teams cannot effectively detect and respond to threats without these tools—but without automation, they cannot scale their response efforts to match today’s threat landscape.

This is where SOAR comes in. This traditional security automation solution simplifies the incident response process, emphasizing the orchestration and automation of routine responses. There are many key benefits of SOAR, but these benefits can be enhanced by using an AI automation platform to extend the impact of automation beyond SOAR use cases.

SOAR vs XDR: Simplifying Automation

Is XDR the same as SOAR? The answer is no. If we compare XDR with SOAR, there’s still a substantial disparity in terms of function. The backend capabilities of XDR do include “SOAR-lite” features, but XDR maxes out at micro-automation outcomes. SOAR on the other hand provides extensible automation capabilities. Its main goal is to efficiently collect data against cyber threats by automating key responses. Traditional SOAR platforms are built to primarily respond to the data gathered from the SIEM. This is one of the main reasons why some vendors employ SIEM optimization by pairing the two traditional security platforms together to increase response time and efficiency. 

The future of SOAR security removes the dependency on SIEM as the alert source for remediation action. As you evaluate technology for your TDIR program, it’s important to evaluate the difference between SOAR, no-code, and AI automation approaches. 

XDR vs SIEM vs SOAR Key Differences 

Feature	XDR	SIEM	SOAR
Primary Purpose	Unified detection and automated response across endpoints, networks, cloud, and identity systems.	Centralized log collection, correlation, and security event analysis.	Automation and orchestration of incident response workflows across multiple security tools.
Core Strength	Broad telemetry integration with automated detection and response.	Data aggregation, compliance reporting, and historical event analysis.	Workflow automation, playbook-driven response, and process efficiency.
Data Focus	Telemetry from multiple sources (endpoint, network, cloud, identity).	Primarily log and event data across the IT environment.	Incident data, alerts, and security events needing response actions.
Incident Response	Built-in detection and response capabilities across multiple domains.	Requires integration with SOAR for effective response capabilities.	Automates response steps based on predefined workflows and triggers.
Automation	Native, integrated response and automation capabilities.	Typically limited automation; often relies on SOAR add-ons for automation.	Focused on automating manual, repetitive tasks and orchestrating multi-tool actions.
Role in the SOC	Provides proactive threat detection and response, complementing SIEM and SOAR.	Serves as a repository for logs and compliance reporting with basic detection capabilities.	Acts as a force multiplier by automating and standardizing security operations processes.
Deployment Complexity	Medium; requires integration across telemetry sources but offers faster response.	High; often complex to set up, tune, and maintain due to volume and variability of logs.	Medium to High; depends on integration depth and playbook complexity.

Choosing the Right Solution: XDR, SIEM, or SOAR?

So, what is the best solution for your organization? Only YOU can answer that question. Just remember that the promise of XDR may not require an XDR platform to achieve. Regardless of which technology approach you choose, the right security automation strategy can help you strengthen your TDIR ARMOR. After all, it’s not only about enhancing security posture but also automating manual processes, freeing up time for your SecOps team, and providing broader organizational coverage.

Aligning your Cybersecurity Needs with the Right Solution

It’s no secret the cybersecurity market is saturated with challenges in critical infrastructure and countless solution options, including various extended response examples. But choosing the right cybersecurity solution for your organization is crucial to your success. A quick tip: select a solution that will be easy for your team to deploy, manage, and customize for your organization’s unique environment, requirements, and goals. 

If you’re confident in your security tech stack that you’ve already invested in and would like to improve efficiency without adding a hard-to-hire headcount, consider an AI automation platform like Swimlane Turbine. It offers greater value than legacy SOAR, no-code automation, or a SIEM-XDR combo. Turbine integrates with your existing technology stack, eliminates missed alerts, and provides low-code security automation for comprehensive threat protection from internal and external threats – safeguarding your organization. 

Read our blog for more on SOAR vs SIEM.

Impact of XDR Security

Now, after understanding the XDR definition and capabilities, it’s time to unravel the key benefits and weaknesses. From enhanced threat visibility to accelerated security operations, an XDR endpoint offers an incident management process. The strength of an XDR approach lies in its comprehensive data collection and analysis capabilities across multiple domains:

• XDR for Advanced Threat Detection
• XDR for Multi-Vector Threat Response
• XDR for Rapid Incident Response

From a business point of view, XDR by itself, means a more secure system against cyber threats. To maximize the impact of XDR, it’s important to be aware of common pitfalls.

• Offers a similar signal-to-noise ratio as EDR 
• The cost of initial deployment and configuration services averages an additional 37%
• Telemetry consolidation requires robust APIs and automation. Many XDR platforms are light on these capabilities.  

To enhance XDR, combining it with low-code automation as a force multiplier will streamline visibility and actionability at the point of inception.

XDR and Other Security Technologies

MDR vs XDR

Managed Detection and Response (MDR) is associated with both XDR and EDR. Considered “as a service”, MDR offers the same features as EDR, only with more capabilities. These include managed remediation, cyber threat hunting services, and guided response.

XDR vs MXDR

Managed Extended Detection and Response (MXDR) is a term that service providers use to differentiate their managed XDR services from their managed EDR, or other managed security services. Simply put, MDR or MXDR are the service components that typically accompany an XDR platform deployment. The high level of technical expertise and time required to manually monitor XDR alerts often require the support of a managed service.

XDR vs Traditional Security Solutions

Long before XDR platforms gained traction within the industry, security information and event management (SIEM) and security orchestration automation and response (SOAR) were invented to help SOC teams consolidate alerts and streamline remediation actions. With so many technology acronyms and options available, it’s important to know the difference between XDR, SIEM and SOAR.

Can XDR replace SOAR?

While XDR platforms offer built-in detection, correlation, and response capabilities, they are not a full replacement for SOAR. XDR focuses on automating responses across integrated security layers like endpoint, network, and cloud, but it typically lacks the deep customization, complex workflow orchestration, and broad third-party integration flexibility that SOAR platforms provide. For organizations with mature SOCs or diverse technology stacks, SOAR remains critical to extend automation beyond what XDR can natively support. Instead of replacing SOAR, XDR and SOAR are often used together to build a more complete, scalable security operations strategy.

XDR vs EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response)

Originally envisioned as the “next generation” of EDR, XDR aims to overcome the complexity and manual effort traditionally required to manage endpoint tools. It promises higher alert accuracy and fewer false positives. However, it’s important to recognize that many XDR vendors differentiate primarily by expanding front-end integrations—such as EDR, email security, web gateways, CASB, IAM, DLP, and firewalls—rather than strengthening back-end capabilities like incident response, automation, workflows, and APIs.

When evaluating XDR solutions, it’s critical to assess whether a checkbox-driven or “SOAR-lite” approach can truly deliver the operational outcomes your organization needs.