Abstract: Moving Target Defence (MTD) represents a paradigm shift from reactive detection to proactive disruption in cybersecurity. Unlike traditional Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) or Extended Detection and Response (XDR) systems that rely on behavioural analysis and signatures, MTD dynamically alters system attack surfaces to invalidate adversary reconnaissance and exploitation. This paper provides a systematic comparison of MTD and EDR/XDR capabilities, identifying distinct advantages of MTD that current XDR implementations cannot replicate. We clarify that MTD complements rather than replaces XDR, as MTD lacks detection, remediation, and forensic capabilities. We conclude with deployment recommendations and a proposed stack combining MTD as a proactive prevention layer with existing XDR for response.
Keywords: Moving Target Defense, MTD, Endpoint security, proactive defense, zero-day protection, memory randomization Endpoint Security, XDR, EDR, Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), Extended Detection and Response (XDR), Enhancing cyber security, log collection and correlations, Threat Detection, Responding to endpoint threats.
Title: Moving Target Defense (MTD) in Enterprise Endpoint Security Comparative Analysis with EDR/XDR and Market Adoption Assessment
Author: Mohammed Mujtaba, Aseel A Omair, Rawan A Zowaid, Zaki S Ahmed
International Journal of Computer Science and Information Technology Research
ISSN 2348-1196 (print), ISSN 2348-120X (online)
Vol. 14, Issue 3, July 2026 - September 2026
Page No: 69-76
Research Publish Journals
Website: www.researchpublish.com
Published Date: 03-September-2026
