Managed Detection & Response

Managed Detection and Response (MDR) is an advanced security solution that brings together threat detection, response and remediation activities in one solution to help organisations proactively hunt for, investigate, respond to and remediate threats around the clock. By gaining comprehensive visibility of threats through MDR solutions, companies are better able to enhance their security posture and reduce their risk exposure.

An effective MDR solution combines the people, processes and technologies required to provide actionable insights and analytics and enable organisations to significantly strengthen their security posture. This supports greater incident awareness and faster, more reliable decision-making. A good MDR solution will apply a structured approach that should cover ingestion, analytics, investigation and response.

An effective MDR service brings together many key security elements. It is defined by aspects such as real-world cyberoffensive intelligence, high-quality detection tools and experienced Security Operations Centre (SOC) experts who can act as an extension of an organisation’s team. Other key elements of a high-quality MDR service should include the integration of network and endpoint telemetry from a wide range of log sources, scenario-based testing to simulate potential attacks, and integrated incident response.

The length of time it takes to implement an MDR service varies according to an organisation’s scope, size and requirements. Rather than being defined by their underlying technologies, MDR services offer a turnkey approach built around defined outcomes and goals to address specific security use cases. This means they can be deployed in weeks instead of months, greatly reducing time to value.

Taking a more proactive approach to threat detection is now an important element of achieving compliance with the latest regulations and standards. By providing this type of insight and detailed reporting, MDR solutions help organisations to meet monitoring requirements and standards, including those within the GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, the Directive on the Security of Networks and Information Systems (NIS Directive or Cyber Security Directive), Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) and more.

MDR solutions are significantly more affordable than the equivalent costs of setting up an in-house SOC. Because it removes the requirement to recruit a team of security specialists, deploy and manage a wide range of technologies and run a 24/7 monitoring operation, MDR offers organisations significant financial savings. The cost of an annual MDR solution subscription will be defined by aspects such as the type and number of technologies being deployed and the number of network assets and endpoints being monitored.