EDR or MDR: Two Paths to Successful Security Defense

EDR and MDR represent two viable paths to achieving successful security defense
Internal teams use EDR tools to launch investigations and guide remediation actions
MDR brings professional cross-skilled security analysts and proactive threat hunters
Security tipping point is determined by gaps in time, skills, efficiency and outcomes

On which side of the security tipping point do you fall?

Security is at a crossroads. Threats are increasingly sophisticated and smaller organizations are now squarely in the sights of cybercriminals wielding automated exploit tools to breach your networks, steal your proprietary information or hold your data for ransom. You can fight back, but it takes an honest assessment of your capabilities and constraints to determine your best path forward. Should you continue providing for your own security defense or should you outsource this responsibility to a professional team of security defenders?

Attackers work 24x7. Part-time defense is a risky proposition.

Attackers never sleep and they’re often working in a time zone far away from your own. So, if your security team is defending Monday through Friday from 9 to 5, that leaves quite a lot of potential running room for attackers to exploit when your guard is down. Can your InfoSec team keep up with the relentless pace of attacks and then recruit and retain the security talent you need?

Do you have the time to triage, investigate and respond to all security alerts?

Does your team have the necessary security skills to know how to respond?
Can you efficiently find the threat information you need all in one place?
Are you satisfied with your current security outcomes?

Security at a Tipping Point: Should You Still Go It Alone? | On-Demand Webinar

EDR excels when you have the team and the time to use it right

Typically, Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) consists of a collection of high-quality security tools managed by the in-house security team. EDR can be very successful, assuming you have powerful, easy-to-use tools, the right skills and enough time to employ them properly to realize their full value.

MDR makes sense when the workload exceeds the internal capabilities

On the other side of the ledger, Managed Detection and Response (MDR) is typically outsourced to a primary security vendor or to a managed security services provider who aggregates tools, teams and processes to deliver security as a service, ideally with an array of additional capabilities that the internal teams have difficulty providing on their own. MDR includes the requisite security tooling plus the complete security team with all relevant skills and disciplines, plus an account management team to make the service successful with the customer.

MDR Security at a Tipping Point | Resources

If you find you’re coming up on the wrong side of the time, skills, efficiency or outcomes gaps—and you’re not realizing full value from your EDR investment—then consider the many benefits of MDR. Think about how your business could improve if risk could decrease by moving to a proactive security posture. Imagine if you no longer needed to worry about security staffing, lacking the necessary time or skills to battle the constant security grind. What could your business accomplish if your internal team was freed to pursue strategic security initiatives like cloud migration, increased mobility or DevSecOps?

MDR takes the pain out of security

Managed Detection and Response can quickly improve overall security outcomes while reducing the cybercrime risks from time and skills gaps. MDR can reduce attacker dwell time and shorten incident detection and resolution windows, providing greater return on your security investments and delivering up-to-date situational awareness throughout the incident response lifecycle.

View the On-Demand Security Tipping Point Webinar