What Is Managed Detection and Response? (MDR)

Why MDR?

Why is MDR needed?

MDR helps organizations manage risks with always-on monitoring by an expert cybersecurity team, advanced threat intelligence resources, and tools. Streamlined incident prioritization, investigation, and response optimize operations to protect valuable data from known and emerging threats.

What are the benefits of MDR?

MDR solutions help you:

• Gain visibility through constant cloud, network, and endpoint monitoring
• Prioritize incidents using detailed threat analysis, human intelligence, and tools
• Draw upon detailed enrichment for context and decision-making
• Respond faster with security orchestration and automated responses

What are the types of MDR?

MDR services can include: 

• Managed Endpoint Detection and Response (MEDR) to protect endpoints
• Managed Network Detection and Response (MNDR) covers network infrastructure
• Managed Extended Detection and Response (MXDR), which extends coverage to endpoints, networks, clouds, and the Internet of Things (IoT)

How do you enable MDR?

Seek a security partner that provides MDR, MEDR, MNDR, or MXDR as a service. Look for a well-resourced, always-on provider with enhanced threat intelligence and threat-hunting capabilities, along with proven enterprise experience to help ensure high availability and effectiveness.

What is the difference between MDR and EDR?

MDR

Managed Detection and Response (MDR) is a comprehensive managed security operations solution that protects organizations against threats by using security experts, advanced tools, and threat intelligence. Key benefits include:

• 24/7 environment monitoring
• Threat investigation
• Expert human and automated response
• Expert-managed security operations

EDR

EDR solutions continuously monitor endpoints for threats, generate alerts when any suspicious activity is detected, enhance the investigation, and provide the ability to respond to and contain potential attacks. Key capabilities of endpoint detection and response include:

• Detection
• Containment
• Investigation
• Eradication

Discover EDR capabilities

How MDR and EDR differ

MDR is an expert-managed, 24/7 threat detection, threat-hunting, and response service that defends networks, endpoints, and clouds. EDR focuses on endpoint device protection. MDR services can leverage EDR technology to add additional layers of security at endpoints and enhance EDR's threat detection and analysis capabilities.

Explore MDR in detail