Evaluating MDR Security

Managed detection and response, otherwise known as MDR, is a type of cybersecurity platform that’s gaining traction among organizations across the globe. It’s no secret that protecting enterprise networks is a hot-button issue today. It seems like there’s constantly news about a new high-profile breach that has compromised highly sensitive data. Not only is this bad for the targeted company financially and in terms of their reputation, it’s often even more damaging for the consumers who have their information leaked as a result.

Needless to say, firms of all sizes and varieties need to do whatever they can in order to limit the chances and severity of a potential breach. MDR security is one way organizations are doing this today. In fact, research firm Gartner predicts that by 2025, half of organizations why be utilizing MDR. Clearly, they see some proof in the MDR pudding, or else wouldn’t put their reputation on the line to make that kind of statement.

At its core, MDR security combines a security operations center (SOC) with an array of high-fidelity security tools. The synthesis of these pieces leads to a deeply responsive and functional security service that requires less hands-on remediation from internal employees. Let’s look at how stakeholders should go about evaluating MDR security.

What Are Important Elements to Evaluate with MDR Security Solutions?

As with all enterprise investments, it’s essential to know how to evaluate a tool or service before spending precious capital and time on its adoption and deployment. Organizations should approach MDR security with this in mind. Many will quickly find, however, that premier MDRs, such as the platform offered by Open Systems, will have a certain set of essential qualities. Here are some of the most important points to know when deciding on an MDR security option:

  • Provider reliability – When you’re looking at an MDR solution, the name you’re going with will make a huge difference in overall quality. Network security is too important to choose a security partner that just doesn’t cut it. After all, whoever is working at the MDR provider’s SOC is going to be in charge of stepping in when triage or escalation are necessary. Do you want to have just anyone in charge of this? Going with a trusted partner that has industry accreditation, and can prove the quality of its analysts and engineers, is a must when evaluating the proper MDR security solution.
  • Look in their toolbox – While you don’t’ want someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing safeguarding your networks, even the best cybersecurity experts will be at a loss in today’s world if they don’t have the right tools at their disposal. When thinking about what stakeholders should look for when evaluating MDR security partners, endpoint detection and response (EDR) needs to be at the top of the list. Endpoint security is becoming increasingly important for several reasons. The combination of more remote workforces with other macro trends such as bring-your-own-device policies and the proliferation of Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices has created the perfect storm for endpoint security. With so many attack vectors, nefarious parties are able to find more vulnerabilities at endpoints, which partly explains why around 70 percent of successful breaches start at a compromised endpoint device.
  • Make sure they’re fast to act – Oftentimes, it’s best to take things slow in order to avoid mistakes. This, however, can’t cut it in the world of network security. When a threat has been detected, it needs to be contained as soon as possible. A combination of the right tools that can detect unusual activity, along with prebuilt scripts and individuals who know how to escalate to stop attacks, are all essential to an effective MDR security offering.

When you choose the right MDR security service, it’s likely to pay for itself. Not only can an organization save capital and time upfront due to the service-based nature of MDR, it can avoid the catastrophic losses that go hand-in-hand with a breach. Leaders within an enterprise should take the time to understand MDR security, and how to evaluate different offerings.

Article by Born Realist