The cyberthreat landscape is constantly changing as attackers find new and innovative ways to get into your network. Indeed, some attacks are now so complex that they go undetected until it’s too late. Most businesses simply don’t have the resources necessary to keep a close eye on every single endpoint and communication channel throughout their IT infrastructure, so they need to turn to external services for help.
What is managed detection and response (MDR)?
Managed detection and response (MDR) is a type of service dedicated to the real-time tracking and resolution of cyberthreats. MDR vendors use a combination of automation and expertise to proactively analyze and mitigate potential threats. While all service providers have their own sets of tools and processes, the process revolves around even management and advanced analytics. The detection process largely relies on automation, while response typically involves human expertise. Any MDR solution should work around the clock.
#1. Align business and security
MDR isn’t an all-in-one cybersecurity solution, but one of several layers of security you need to protect your organization. There are many different services to choose from, and you should select a vendor that can accommodate the unique needs of your business. The purpose of outsourcing any security process is to augment your existing capabilities by closing gaps in areas like visibility, alerts, skills, and knowledge.
#2. Protect against new threats
While MDR will help proactively defend your business against the same sort of cyberattacks that have targeted other companies in the past, its main value is its ability to protect against new and unknown threats. This is something the conventional anti malware solutions simply cannot do since they’re reactive measures that largely rely on someone getting infected first, rather like a vaccine.
MDR uses AI-powered threat detection to gather intelligence about every activity that happens on your network. If anything out of the ordinary happens, the incident will be flagged for review and dealt with by an expert technician.
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Further reading: Cybersecurity in 2021: Charles IT’s Top 6 Recommendations |
#3. Reduce false positives
We’ve all heard of important emails landing in the spam filter or overzealous antivirus software quarantining a legitimate app. False positives like these can be highly disruptive, but that does not mean you can afford to compromise on security.
Aside from greatly reducing the chances of a devastating attack on your IT infrastructure, MDR services can also keep false positives to a minimum. Highly advanced AI models are better than ever at preventing false positives, but the added input from human experts is impossible to beat. These factors combine to keep your infrastructure running without disruption.
#4. Involve human expertise
Automation is a powerful thing – that much is certain. But it’s also important to remember that cybersecurity is far from just a technical problem. After all, most attacks exploit people rather than technology, typically by way of phishing and other social engineering scams. Most attacks don’t actually include any malware at all, or at least not during the early stages.
Achieving the optimal blend of people, process, and technology, is critical for reaching a high level of cybersecurity maturity, and that’s why you need access to human expertise. An MDR vendor should provide expert reviews into every potential attack and consultation services to help ensure the alignment between your business goals and your cybersecurity strategy.
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Related article: 5 Common Misconceptions About Managed Service Providers |
#5. Gain visibility into your network
Most business IT infrastructures now comprise a dizzyingly complex range of endpoints, cloud platforms, operating systems, and apps. All too often does this complexity lead to having many single points of failure that attackers can exploit to forge a path to your most valuable assets.
MDR revolves around threat intelligence and highly detailed analytics to provide full visibility into everything that happens on your network. This makes it possible for technicians to figure out, in advance, what an attacker is trying to do, and which systems they’re trying to exploit to reach that goal. Armed with complete visibility into your network and every attempted attack, you can find and patch vulnerabilities quickly, before they put your whole business at risk.
Charles IT helps companies better navigate the constantly evolving cyberthreat landscape with managed detection and response services that always keep you ahead of the threats. Call us today to find out more!
