Managed Detection and Response (MDR) is a managed cyber security service that provides threat-hunting services. It then responds to rapid incident response (RIS) to eliminate those intrusions that have been detected with malware or malicious activity in your network.
MDR typically combines a technology solution with outsourced security analytics that extend your technologies and team. It also involves a human element: Security providers provide their MDR customers access to their pool of security researchers, who are responsible for monitoring networks, analyzing incidents, and responding to security cases. An MDR security platform is considered an advanced 24/7 security control that often includes a range of fundamental security activities.
To have a better understanding of the above, let us break down what exactly MDR is :
- Cloud-managed Security: for organizations that cannot maintain their own security operations center
- Threat Intelligence: includes threat hunting services for detecting malicious intrusions
- Human Expertise: in incident investigation and response deployed at the host and network levels
Is it any different from MSSP?
As the name implies, an MSSP is a vendor that provides security services, whereas MDR is a specific service that includes both threat detection and response. While all MDR services would be provided by MSSP, not all MSSPs offer MDR.When assessing MDR vs. MSSP, the key is understanding why the two aren’t interchangeable and how each handles response.
While MSSPs offer a greater breadth of offerings and can provide you with a bird ’ s-eye view of your security posture, they alone do not eliminate threats—this solution is much more focused on prevention, with the investigation and response elements left up to the customer. MDR goes deeper, leveraging the human expertise required to quickly detect and analyze threats and respond to vulnerabilities.
Uncovering key differences between MDR and MSSP
Even though we have established the two cyber security services, MDR and MSSP in brief above, let us now break down the key differences between them for a better understanding.
| Category | MDR | MSSP |
|---|---|---|
| Event Response | Yes | No |
| Solution Set | 24/7 Security Operation Centre (SOC) as well as a team of human set hunters and incident responders | This is largely preventive. It may include antivirus solutions, firewalls, web gateways, intrusion prevention systems to prevent breaches |
| Human Oversight | Yes.it is a combination of advanced technology and human threat hunters and incident responders | Limited Human Oversight. It generally relies on technology alone to detect threats within the customer’s IT environment |
| Proactive/Reactive | It is a comprehensive service that relies on both (IOA) indicators of attack, which occur before the breach, and (IOC) indicators of compromise, which are present after the fact , to determine if the organization is at risk | MSSPs are largely reactive in nature. They alert the organisation to a breach or security event only after the fact using IOCs |
| Cost | Since it offers more robust services, including remediation capabilities, the cost is usually higher as compared to an MSSP | Cost is generally lower since it does not provide any remediation services or round-the-clock monitoring |
How Does MDR Address CyberSecurity’s Biggest Challenges?
With each new data breach or cyber attack, the complexity around threat detection and response grows, and the pressure on enterprise security teams intensifies. Threat detection and response are more difficult today than they were two years ago. MDR providers have the potential to play a vital role in supporting an organization’s ability to mitigate cyber threats.
- Talent Shortage: According to research on the current threat landscape, results show dramatic surges across the board, with triple-digit increases between both botnets and exploits. Cybersecurity and IT teams work 24/7 as skeleton crews due to the cybersecurity talent shortage. As a result, in-house security teams are often overworked and stretched too thin.
- Limited Budget: Speaking of resources, budget can be an issue for businesses of any size. Small to medium-sized businesses may struggle to allocate the budget at all, while even larger businesses may see their security spend under threat if it is deemed ineffective today. MDR solutions can help you get the most out of your cybersecurity budget by providing a cost-effective solution that is tailored to your specific needs.
- Ineffective Current Cybersecurity Investments: Staying on the topic of money for a moment, it’s common for organizations to invest in new technologies, only to have assets be partially implemented, improperly tuned, and underutilised. MDR solutions provide expert guidance on how to implement and use your technologies properly. This way, you can be sure that you are making the most of your current cybersecurity investments and that your organization is as protected as it can be.
Benefits of Managed Detection & Response
MDR acts as a full-service outsourced SOC for its customers. Today, there have been seemingly overwhelming security threats and campaigns. Organizations are also coping with increasing security budgets, and a challenging security job market leans on skilled security analytics.
Gaining more protection, insight, and compliance without adding more tools and people is a goal that all enterprises seek. MDR can provide beneficial security services capable of meeting and sustaining an organization’s goals.
Let’s discuss some of the top benefits here:
- 24/7 Monitoring: MDR offers round-the-clock monitoring and protection for client networks. Since cyber-attacks can happen at any hour of the day, this constant protection is necessary for rapid response to threats.
- Improved Threat Response: MDR provides proactive monitoring, such as threat hunting and vulnerability assessments. By identifying and closing security holes before they are exploited by an attacker, MDR helps to reduce cyber risk and the likelihood of a successful cybersecurity incident.
- Better Intelligence: MDR providers have both deep and broad visibility into client’s networks. This enables them to develop and use threat intelligence based on both wide industry trends and enterprise-specific threats during incident detection and response.
- Vulnerability Management: Vulnerability management can be complex and time-consuming, and many companies rapidly fall behind. MDR providers can help to identify vulnerable systems, perform virtual patching, and support the installation or required updates.
- Improved Compliance: MDR providers often have expertise in regulatory compliance, and their solutions are designed to meet the requirements of applicable laws and regulations. Additionally, the deep visibility of an MDR provider can simply streamline compliance reporting and audits.
- Experienced Analytics: MDR helps to close the cybersecurity skills gap by providing customers with access to skilled cybersecurity professionals. This helps to meet the headcount and ensures that customers have access to a specialized skill set when they need it.
How do you choose an MDR Solution?
The functions and capabilities of an MDR solution can be overwhelming. So the question arises here is: How do you choose one that is appropriate for your organization?
For many organizations, there simply aren’t enough resources to employ a full-time, dedicated cybersecurity operative, let alone a whole team. Although the dangers that cyberattacks pose are significant, these risks must be side-lined for a more pragmatic approach.
We have identified a list of criteria for a fully developed MDR. An MDR service provider must be able to :
- Correlate alerts and telemetry data across data sources for analytics, threat detection, forensic investigation, and response.
- Offer services across managed and unmanaged devices, incorporating tools like user and entity behavior analytics (UEBA), network traffic analysis (NTA), endpoint detection and response (EDR), and endpoint protection platforms (EPP).
- Pivot instantly from threat hunting to incident response.
- Provide 24/7 coverage with MTTD and MTTR service level objectives.
Related Reading: Choosing the Ideal MDR Provider-10 Essential Factors You Must Consider
The Bottom Line
Although the clue is in the title, it is impressive that your MDR solution can provide an effective and comprehensive response to the threats once they are detected.Response capabilities should be configured to run automatically, where appropriate.
Without an effective and proactive response, any intelligence is of limited use. Specific intelligence can ensure that remediation capabilities are precise and quick.
