What is MDR?
Managed Detection and Response (MDR) is a cybersecurity service that combines technology and human expertise to perform threat hunting, monitoring, and response. MDR helps rapidly identify and limit the impact of threats without the need for additional staffing. Managed detection response services are just the initial part of an intricate process that is used to stop cybersecurity threats from doing serious harm to a company’s network.
The MDR prioritizes threats based on threat intelligence collection, advanced analytics, and forensic data before passing the risks onto a security team to be reviewed. AI is responsible for investigating and prioritizing threats found through threat hunting. The AI then delivers action items, known as a guided response, for how to eliminate the threat or how to recover from an attack. The human element can then focus on remediation and incident recovery.
Simpler than Threat Detection
When a MDR zones in on a potential threat, it alerts the service provider, like ERGOS, that suspicious activity has been detected. These services help to monitor endpoint data and perform threat sweeps where they look for specific indicators of compromise.
When the MDR detects a potential threat, a notification is then sent to the service provider. The service provider then investigates the origin of the attack and evaluates the nature of the attack. Severity and the potential of the threat is also determined before taking action.
MDR is the proper balance of AI and human cooperation. Relying on the human element, the service is more effective when looked at by its potential to do harm to the organization. Organizations utilizing this service can expect to have direct interactions with the security team to deal with online threats accordingly.
Five Reasons Organizations Benefit from MDR
Centralized Security Information
Organizations today use a myriad of devices and software that provide diverse services. These devices create a network and consist of edge devices, such as firewalls and IDS/IPS systems, wireless access points, antivirus tools, endpoint threat detection, and many more.
Each of these devices or software tools generate thousands of siloed event logs that would take a small task force to trudge through. This makes it imperative to centralize and aggregate the data in a digestible fashion. Once the data is aggregated it becomes easier to identify anomalous activities that may indicate malicious activity for investigation. Centralized security also eases the burdens of compliance reporting that mandates the collection of system and user activity.
Pinpoint Threat Detection
MDR is designed to detect real-time threats to the enterprise. Devices and monitoring software on a network generate waves of alerts that can often result in false positives that are expensive and time consuming to resolve.
MDR delivers automated cross-correlation and analysis of alerts collected across multiple systems. This enables service providers such as ERGOS to provide centralized visibility to events in real time, allowing for faster and more accurate identification of what is real vs. what is not. Faster, more accurate identification can help mitigate the burdens of alert fatigue.
System Customizations for Protection
MDR solutions are designed to customize a tailor-made protection force by recognizing your network devices and understanding actual threats. These customized configurations are based on the type of servers, applications, and community profile types in use by an organization.
As your environment changes, the solution can be easily modified to adapt to changes as they occur in the environment. This was most noticeable when the world suddenly shifted to remote activity as opposed to office-based user activity. Drastic shifts in the way your users are working can be easily identified as threatening or non-threatening.
Real-Time Notifications and Efficiency
While the MDR solution constantly detects and protects against changes within network devices such as routers, firewalls, and servers, it is also gathering full configuration information and can recognize changes in threat feeds, blacklists, and geolocations. This improves the accuracy of the monitoring and reporting.
Combining enhanced accuracy and reporting with an expert staff of Security Operations Center analysts creates a well-rounded security solution. The threat detection system is ready to identify, respond to, and remediate threats to your business.
Regulatory Compliance Fulfillment
Many organizations operate within industries that require regulatory compliance. Organizations that handle personal information are bound to compliance models such as FFIEC, HIPAA, and PCI. A MDR solution helps maintain compliance standards as set forth by the regulatory body.
Requests for audit reports or exams can easily be generated by the MDR. The MDR can generate reports on controls, user access logs, system changes, and monitoring adherence as needed.
MDR Advantage
Managed Detection and Response is designed to detect real threats to an organization. Today, networks generate massive amounts of user and system activity data resulting in an avalanche of alerts. MDR solutions are the right way to manage these alerts to avoid leaving your organization vulnerable and overwhelmed.
Organizations implementing MDR solutions vastly improve their security posture. They become more resilient to potential attacks by optimizing security configuration and eliminating rogue systems. They are able to identify and stop hidden, sophisticated threats with continuous managed threat hunting.
Organizations are also able to respond to threats more effectively through guided response and remediation.
Delivering the visibility and protection needed, ERGOS can facilitate designing the solution that is right for your business. Call ERGOS today to discuss how we can help you achieve better security and compliance outcomes.