As cyber threats grow more complex, Security Operations Centers (SOCs) must rethink legacy defenses. Traditional antivirus (AV) solutions, once considered essential, now struggle to keep pace with modern threats like fileless malware, living-off-the-land attacks, and zero-day exploits. In contrast, Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) tools like SentinelOne offer real-time threat detection, autonomous remediation, and actionable telemetry.
This article compares SentinelOne to traditional antivirus from a return on investment (ROI) perspective and highlights why next-generation endpoint protection is indispensable for enterprise SOCs — particularly in ISO 27001-certified environments like ours.
Traditional Antivirus: Legacy Protection with Limited Context
Traditional antivirus operates on:
- Signature-based detection
- Regular definition updates
- Scheduled scans
While these methods work against known malware, they fail against:
- Zero-day exploits
- Polymorphic malware
- Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs)
- Fileless attacks
Moreover, traditional AV lacks behavioral analytics, making it ineffective for detecting sophisticated lateral movement or command-and-control (C2) activity.
SentinelOne: AI-Powered Autonomous Endpoint Security
SentinelOne uses an AI-driven engine to analyze file and process behaviors pre-execution, during execution, and post-execution. It operates in multiple modes:
- EDR: Real-time detection, response, and investigation
- NGAV (Next-Gen AV): Signature-less malware blocking
- XDR Ready: Feeds telemetry to Stellar Cyber or other SIEM/XDR platforms
- Rollback Remediation: Reverts ransomware changes on Windows endpoints
Unlike traditional AV, SentinelOne protects endpoints offline, without signatures, and with automated containment and remediation — minimizing analyst fatigue and dwell time.
ROI Comparison: SentinelOne vs Traditional AV
| Category | Traditional Antivirus | SentinelOne EDR |
|---|---|---|
| Detection Capabilities | Signature-based only | AI/behavioral + signatureless |
| Zero-Day Coverage | Low | High |
| Fileless Malware Defense | No | Yes |
| Automated Remediation | No | Yes |
| SOC Integration (SIEM/XDR) | Minimal | Native |
| Mean Time to Detect (MTTD) | Days or weeks | Seconds to minutes |
| Manual Triage Required | High | Low |
| Ransomware Rollback | No | Yes |
| Compliance Mapping (ISO 27001 A.12.2.1) | Partial | Full with evidence logging |
| Cost of Breach Response | High (due to dwell time) | Lower (automated isolation) |
Operational Benefits in an ISO 27001 Environment
As part of an ISO 27001-certified cybersecurity department, using SentinelOne helps meet Annex A controls such as:
- A.12.2.1: Controls against malware
- A.16.1.5: Response to information security incidents
- A.18.1.3: Protection of records and log integrity
SentinelOne provides auditable logs, incident timelines, and forensic details, which can be crucial during internal or certification audits.
Stellar Cyber & SentinelOne: The XDR Advantage
By integrating SentinelOne with Stellar Cyber, our SOC benefits from:
- Centralized threat correlation
- Real-time threat hunting
- Attack path mapping
- Unified response orchestration
For example, if SentinelOne detects anomalous PowerShell usage, Stellar Cyber can correlate that with lateral movement indicators and elevate it as a prioritized alert — reducing false positives and alert fatigue.
Final Thoughts
The reality for enterprise SOCs is clear: traditional antivirus can no longer keep pace with today’s adversaries. While legacy AV may seem cost-effective on paper, its inability to stop zero-day exploits, fileless attacks, and advanced persistent threats creates hidden costs in remediation, downtime, and compliance risk.
SentinelOne shifts this equation. By combining AI-driven detection, autonomous remediation, and actionable telemetry, it delivers not only stronger protection but measurable ROI through faster containment, reduced analyst workload, and improved compliance alignment with ISO 27001.
For organizations serious about operational resilience, the decision isn’t simply about upgrading endpoint security — it’s about future-proofing the SOC against evolving threats while maximizing security investments.
🛡️ Don’t wait for outdated antivirus to leave your SOC exposed.
👉 Start with Exabytes eSecure to assess your risks, strengthen ISO 27001 controls, and explore solutions to modern cybersecurity challenges.
References
- SentinelOne. (2025). Why Legacy Antivirus Fails and What Modern EDR Offers. sentinelone.com
- Gartner. (2025). Market Guide for Endpoint Detection and Response Solutions. gartner.com
- Stellar Cyber. (2024). Unified SOC Visibility with SentinelOne Integration. stellarcyber.ai
- International Organization for Standardization. (2022). ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Information Security Management. iso.org
- MITRE ATT&CK. (2024). Evaluating EDR Products Using ATT&CK Framework. attack.mitre.org
