Understanding Managed Detection and Response (MDR)

In the last 12 months, 50% of UK businesses have experienced some sort of cyber security breach. Costing on average £10,830 for medium to large businesses. The digital realm is not as safe a place as most believe. Rather than growing safer, it is becoming increasingly fraught with ever-changing, ever-present threats. Awareness and caution are no longer enough to defend against the ruthless and cunning enemies who lurk in the shadows of cyberspace.

Managed Detection and Response (MDR) serves as a bulwark against cyber threats and designed to help organisations stay ahead of threats by combining advanced technology with human expertise.

Department for Digital, Culture,Media & Sport (2024) Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2024. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/cyber-security-breaches-survey-2024/cyber-security-breaches-survey-2024 (Accessed: 6 June 2024).

What is Managed Detection and Response (MDR)?

Managed Detection and Response is a comprehensive cybersecurity service that proactively identifies, monitors, and responds to threats. MDR takes an active approach in threat detection and response. Providers use a specialised set of tools and technologies to actively seek out new and emerging threats and prepare a suitable defence. While automation plays a significant role in the process, the expertise of human analysts is crucial for effective monitoring, analysis, and communication. This human touch is vital for validating incidents and ensuring that security issues are addressed promptly and effectively.

Benefits of MDR

The benefits of MDR are substantial and can greatly enhance an organisation’s security posture.

Time to Detect

One of the primary advantages is he reduced time-to-detect. Slow response times to security threats can result in considerable damage to an organisation, and the speed at which attacks occur is increasing. Quick detection means that threats can be mitigated before they cause serious harm. In 2019 it took attackers on average 60 days to deploy ransomware to a victim's machine; in 2019, 60 days. Now, in 2024, its 24 hours.With businesses in the UK paying on average £3.4m for data breaches in 2023, rapid response is vital. MDR significantly cuts down the time it takes to identify threats, reducing it from months to minutes, minimising the impact of any breaches.

IBM Security. (2023) Cost of a DataBreach for UK Businesses Averages £3.4m. Available at:https://uk.newsroom.ibm.com/24-07-2023-IBM-Security-Report-Cost-of-a-Data-Breach-for-UK-Businesses-Averages-3-4m(Accessed: 6 June 2024).

Security Posture

Improving the overall security posture is another key benefit. MDR optimises security configurations and removes unauthorised systems, ensuring a more robust security setup. It also includes continuous threat hunting, which identifies hidden and sophisticated threats that might otherwise go unnoticed by most off the shelf anti-virus software.

Response and Remediation

MDR also provides guided response and remediation, helping organisations respond effectively to threats. Managed remediation services restore endpoints to a known good state, ensuring that any compromised systems are securely dealt with. This guided response is invaluable in maintaining the integrity and security of the organisation’s IT environment.

Resource Allocation

Strategic resource allocation is another significant benefit of MDR. Many organisations do not have the in-house resources to handle advanced threat detection and response. MDR acts as a force multiplier, performing the work of several IT professionals and freeing up internal resources to focus on other important tasks. This not only enhances the efficiency of the security team but also contributes to the overall growth and development of the organisation’s cybersecurity infrastructure.

Insurability & Market Advantage

In the wake of the economics train on UK businesses caused by cyber-attacks, it's no secret that cyber insurance has become inevitably difficult to obtain without demonstrating IT and Information Security maturity. Cyber insurance firms and brokers are beginning to work more coherently to understand how to reduce risk. One key takeaway from this shift is that Precursor Security frequently see organisations going through the cyber insurance quote process and being asked if the organisation;

A)       Has a Security Operations Centre capability

B)       Has Endpoint Detection & Response

C)      Has an Incident Response capability              

By partnering with a Managed Detection & Response or Cyber Incident Response provider like Precursor Security, this can increase the organisations insurability. Moreover, having cyber insurance is becoming recognised as a notch of business maturity, therefore increasing an organisations likelihood of gaining an advantage over their competition.

How Does MDR Work?

MDR operates through a combination of continuous monitoring, expert analysis, and proactive response.The service continuously monitors security events and analyses data to provide actionable insights. This continuous monitoring ensures that the organisation is always aware of any potential threats and can take appropriate measures to address them.

Implementation within an organisation begins with deploying a suite of security tools, normally referred to as EDRs, across devices and the network to continuously monitor for suspicious activities and potential threats. These tools collect and analyse data in real-time, using machine learning and threat intelligence to detect anomalies. When a potential threat is identified, human analysts step in to validate the incident, assess its severity, and determine the appropriate response. This team of experts collaborates with the organisation's IT staff, providing detailed insights and guidance on how to contain and remediate the threat. Additionally, MDR services include regular reporting and feedback loops to refine security measures and improve overall defences.

MDR is an invaluable service for any organisation looking to enhance its cybersecurity resilience. Explore our Managed Detection and Response Services and if you have further questions or need additional details, feel free to reach out!

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