The reality is that technology solutions alone cannot prevent every cyberattack. Stopping the most advanced attacks requires human-led threat hunting, investigation, and response. Which is where MDR, or managed detection and response, services come in.
MDR is a fully managed, 24/7 service delivered by experts who specialize in detecting and responding to cyberattacks that technology solutions alone cannot prevent.
While threat hunting can be performed in house using EDR (endpoint detection and response) and XDR (extended detection and response) tools, there are extensive benefits to using an MDR service either alongside your in-house team or as a fully outsourced service.
How to work with MDR services
All types of organizations across all sectors use MDR services, from small companies with limited IT resources to large enterprises with an in-house SOC group. There are three main MDR response models:
- MDR team completely manages threat response on behalf of the customer
- MDR team works with the in-house team, co-managing threat response
- MDR team alerts the in-house team and provides remediation guidance
At Sophos we support all three approaches, adapting to individual customer requirements as needed.
Reason #1: Elevate your cyber defenses
One of the major advantages of using an MDR provider over in-house only security operations programs is elevated protection against ransomware and other advanced cyber threats.
An MDR vendor will experience a far greater volume and variety of attacks than any individual organization, giving them a level of expertise that is almost impossible to replicate in house. MDR service providers also have much greater fluency in using threat hunting tools, enabling them to respond more quickly and accurately.
Working as part of a large team also enables analysts to share their knowledge and insights, further accelerating response and developing ‘community immunity’ i.e. where learnings from one organization are applied to others with a similar profile.
Reason #2: Free-up IT capacity
Anecdotally, the biggest benefit reported by IT teams on adopting Sophos MDR is that it frees them up to support business-focused initiatives.
Threat hunting is time-consuming, and unpredictable work that often prevents IT teams from focusing on more strategic projects. Organizations using Sophos MDR report considerable IT efficiency gains from using our service, which in turn enables them to better support their organization’s goals.
Reason #3: Get 24/7 peace of mind
With malicious actors located around the globe, an attack can come at any time. By providing 24/7 coverage, MDR services provide considerable reassurance and peace of mind.
For IT teams this means — literally — being able to sleep better at night. They can relax knowing that the buck stops with the MDR provider. For senior leaders and customers, 24/7 expert coverage and a high level of cyber readiness at all times provides powerful reassurance that their data and the organization itself are well protected.
Reason #4: Add expertise, not headcount
Threat hunting is a highly complex operation. Individuals in this space need to possess a specific and niche set of skills, which makes recruiting threat hunting expertise an uphill task for many organizations. MDR services provide the expertise for you. At Sophos, we have hundreds of expert analysts that provide continuous MDR services to customers across the globe.
Reason #5: Improve your cybersecurity ROI
Maintaining a 24/7 threat hunting team is expensive, requiring at least five or six full-time staff. MDR services provide a cost-effective way to secure your organization and stretch your cybersecurity budget further. Plus, by elevating your protection, MDR services also greatly reduce the risk of experiencing a costly data breach and avoid the financial pain of dealing with a major incident.
If you use an MDR vendor that also offers endpoint – and other – cybersecurity offerings you can enjoy considerable TCO advantages from consolidating with a single provider as well as streamlining your vendor management efforts. Furthermore, by choosing a vendor that enables you to leverage your existing investments you can increase the ROI on existing spend.
Learn more
To learn more about the top benefits reported by organizations that use MDR services, download our whitepaper here.
Sophos MDR is the world’s most trusted MDR service, securing over 17,000¹ organizations against the most advanced threats, including ransomware. With the highest rating on Gartner Peer Insights™² and the Top Vendor recognition in the 2022 G2 Grid® for MDR services serving the midmarket³, with Sophos MDR your cyber defenses are in good hands.
For more information and to discuss how it can help you, speak with one of our advisors or visit www.sophos.com/mdr today.
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1 As of August 2023.
2 Reviews from the last 12 months as of August 1, 2022. Gartner Peer Insights content consists of the opinions of individual end users based on their own experiences with the vendors listed on the platform, should not be construed as statements of fact, nor do they represent the views of Gartner or its affiliates. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in this content nor makes any warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this content, about its accuracy or completeness, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
3 Sophos is rated the Top Vendor in the 2022 G2 Grid® for MDR Services serving the midmarket.
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