Managed detection and response (MDR) is rapidly becoming one of the darlings of the cybersecurity world. Research firm Gartner estimates that about half of organizations will be utilizing MDR by 2025. Clearly, it’s a big deal. But what sets MDR apart, and what should you expect from good MDR services?
What Is MDR?
What sets MDR services apart is the fact it can outsource much of your day-to-day cybersecurity needs. While that might sound scary for some, especially considering an enterprise’s network is one of its most critical assets, it actually comes with many benefits, which will be discussed later.
MDR services combine a third-party security operations center (SOC) with cutting-edge security tools. This allows any organization to have a world-class security team working for them without having to invest in new infrastructure or tools or employees of their own. Instead, many duties are given to the MDR service, which alerts enterprise stakeholders when they detect network threats.
Why Is Opting for MDR Services Smart?
Now that you understand the definition of MDR services, why does it make sense to adopt it for your security posture?
These are a few of the top motivators:
- Industry-leading team without the price tag – Many organizations don’t have the scale or internal expertise to build out their own SOC. And even if they do, there’s not guarantee they’ll do it well; and ignorance in cybersecurity is more dangerous than about anywhere else. A good MDR service will have great bang for the buck in terms of expertise-cost.
- You don’t have to make upfront investments – Spreading costs out over time can be highly beneficial to any organization—but especially those that currently need to be spending capital elsewhere.
- You can generate ROI – Not only can enterprises actually save money by choosing a good MDR over on-premise options, it can also generate ROI by vastly reducing the potential financial damages of a breach. This is incredibly important considering the average cost now runs over $4 million.
It’s clear there are advantages to MDR services. But what should stakeholders expect from good MDR services?
What to Expect from Good MDR Services
Understanding what makes a good MDR service can help organizations ensure their capital is well spent. There are several things to look for when evaluating MDR services to know which are good or bad.
- Look at the quality of their tools – MDR isn’t about installing some antivirus software and calling it a day. In today’s world, basic networking security protocols aren’t going to stop the most dangerous threats—especially targeted and zero-day attacks. A good MDR will have bleeding-edge tools powered by AI and machine learning to learn the behaviors of the network. Having these strategic technologies is essential in an environment where malicious actors will use them against you.
- The best experts, all the time – There are no time outs when it comes to defending enterprise networks. The game is on all the time. No weekends, no holidays, nothing. This is why world-class experts and analysts staff a good MDR 24-hours per day, every day of the year. Stakeholders should expect no less from a good MDR.
- Lightning-fast response times – Timing is everything when it comes to cyberthreats. If you’re too slow to react, the breach will succeed before you can contain it. This is simply the nature of network security today. Therefore, a good MDR will be able to find and react to attacks faster, limiting the chances of a breach’s completion.
- Compliance capabilities – Many organizations have strict compliance regulations they must follow due to the sensitivity of their data. A good MDR will be versed in these issues, and know exactly what’s needed.
No matter the industry, a good MDR can be a blessing to enterprises. By cutting costs and boosting security, there’s little not to like about a good MDR.
