For security teams using Darktrace and similar anomaly-based NDR solutions, the scenario is all too familiar: a constant stream of alerts from ‘model breaches’ requiring investigation, extensive tuning sessions to reduce false positives, and the lingering concern that important threats might be missed in the noise. This alert fatigue isn't just an annoyance—it's a serious operational burden that diverts valuable analyst time away from genuine threats.
Clear NDR from Stamus Networks takes a fundamentally different approach to this challenge through its unique high-fidelity event framework, centered around Declarations of Compromise (DoCs) and Declarations of Policy Violation (DoPVs). These aren't just rebranded alerts—they represent a paradigm shift in how network detection can work.
Before exploring the Clear NDR solution, it's worth understanding the full impact of the false positive challenge with anomaly-only NDR and legacy security approaches:
A recent Forrester Research study entitled “The State of Network Security” found security teams spend an average of 28 hours per week just on alert triage, with 53% of decision makers citing that “too many false positives” is a major challenge. For a typical enterprise, this translates to thousands of wasted analyst hours annually.
Clear NDR's approach to alert management isn't simply better algorithms or more efficient interfaces—it's a philosophical shift from high-volume to high-fidelity detection through its innovative dual framework of Declarations of Compromise (DoCs) and Declarations of Policy Violation (DoPVs).
Declarations of Compromise (DoCs) represent Clear NDR's highest confidence security events that signal "serious and imminent" threats on assets. Unlike traditional alerts that require investigation to determine validity, DoCs automatically collect and present comprehensive evidence.
The architecture behind DoCs explains why they eliminate the false positive problem:
"When we receive a DoC, we don't ask 'Is this real?' – we immediately shift to containment and response," explains a Security Operations Manager who switched from Darktrace to Clear NDR. "The confidence level is so high that we've never experienced a false positive DoC in over six months of operation."
While DoCs focus on malicious activity, Clear NDR's Declarations of Policy Violation (DoPVs) apply the same high-fidelity approach to identifying non-compliant activity. DoPVs are high-confidence, high-priority notifications of security policy violations such as:
This extends visibility beyond just external threats to include high-risk activities that might otherwise only be caught through proactive threat hunting. DoPVs contain the same comprehensive information as DoCs, including:
One of Clear NDR's most powerful capabilities is the ability to customize both DoCs and DoPVs to meet organization-specific requirements:
For example, an organization could create a custom DoPV to detect and alert when FTP applications are used to or from specific servers. This customization ensures that Clear NDR's high-fidelity framework adapts to your specific security policies rather than forcing you to adapt to generic alerting thresholds.
Because both DoCs and DoPVs represent extremely high-confidence security events, they can be configured to trigger automated responses without the false positive concerns that plague traditional NDR solutions. Clear NDR supports multiple integration options:
This automation is only possible because of the high-fidelity nature of Clear NDR's events—organizations can confidently implement automated responses without fear of disrupting operations due to false positives.
The shift from Darktrace or other traditional NDR high-volume anomaly alerts to Clear NDR's high-fidelity DoCs and DoPVs transforms security operations in several ways:
As one Security Director who switched from Darktrace to Clear NDR noted: "We've gone from spending 80% of our time investigating alerts to spending 80% of our time responding to actual threats and policy violations. The difference in operational efficiency is remarkable."
Real-World Impact: From Continuous Tuning to Immediate Value
Organizations that switch from Darktrace to Clear NDR consistently report dramatic reductions in both false positives and tuning requirements:
"With our previous solution, we had weekly tuning sessions and still struggled with false positives. With Clear NDR, we haven't had a single tuning session in over three months, and every DoC has represented a genuine security issue requiring action." – CISO, Financial Services Organization
The impact of Clear NDR's high-fidelity approach extends beyond simply reducing false positives. Organizations experience:
The traditional approach to network detection—generating alerts based on anomalies and requiring security teams to investigate each one—creates an unsustainable operational burden. Clear NDR's high-fidelity event framework, centered on Declarations of Compromise and Declarations of Policy Violation, represents a fundamental shift away from that model.
By providing high-confidence, evidence-rich security events that virtually eliminate false positives, Clear NDR transforms how security teams operate. Analysts can focus on genuine threats rather than alert triage, dramatically improving both security outcomes and operational efficiency.
For organizations currently struggling with Darktrace's – or similar anomaly-based NDR – alert volume and tuning requirements, Clear NDR offers not just an alternative NDR solution, but a completely different approach to network security—one that delivers immediate value without the false positive burden.
About Stamus Networks: Stamus Networks offers Clear NDR, a multi-layered network detection and response solution that provides immediate value, transparent detections, and rich supporting evidence.
Want to experience the difference high-fidelity detection can make? Request a demo at https://www.stamus-networks.com/demo or request custom pricing using our quote generator at https://www.stamus-networks.com/pricing-quote-generator