Buyers Guide for Managed Detection and Response (MDR)

What Is Managed Detection and Response (MDR)?

There is a severe shortage of cybersecurity professionals and experts among all industries and verticals. This is a global shortage that impacts organizations of all sizes. This issue has become more critical as hackers and adversaries have started improving their skills and have become more sophisticated. Organizations are finding it difficult to implement early detection security apparatus, work proactively to hunt for threats, and have a fast and effective response to threats on a continuous basis. Having dedicated resources in the security team that is capable of implementing these requirements is something that organizations with large budgets are able to do, but for most businesses, it can be difficult to maintain effective security teams.  

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In response to this need in the market, Managed Detection and Response (MDR) has become more popular. MDR helps organizations improve their threat detection, response, and management. It enables them to continuously monitor their security by providing these capabilities as a service. The goal of MDR services is to quickly identify security threats and limit their impact and damage. MDR service providers use a combination of technologies, advanced analytics, forensic data and human expertise to hunt for threats, investigate events and detect threats. They provide 24/7 remote monitoring.

To support their threat detection and incident investigations, an MDR service provider will make use of an endpoint detection and response (EDR) tool. EDR tools provide visibility to security-related events. Analysts who work at these service providers will monitor for alerts and help respond to them effectively. This response could be in the form of an investigation, taking steps to minimize risk and dilute impact, and finally, fully removing the threat and returning the endpoint to a known good state. 

Why Do Organizations Need MDR?

Maintaining and operating an effective endpoint security team can be expensive and challenging. The tools required by these teams are not easy to use and need a lot of expert human resources to implement effectively. Thus many organizations are unable to take full advantage of the endpoint security technologies they invest in. Organizations whose goal is to establish a strong endpoint security posture face even more challenges. Higher levels of security mean that they need to employ resources that are more costly and difficult to find. When there is a security incident, this situation is exacerbated because the business does not have the required systems and teams in place to effectively respond to the incident. This is why MDR service providers are so essential. They make effective security accessible and affordable.

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