Managed Detection and Response (MDR) is a cyber security service that combines monitoring technology with human security analysts to detect, investigate and respond to threats across a business's devices, network and cloud services. Rather than relying solely on automated tools to flag potential issues, MDR includes a team actively watching for and responding to suspicious activity, providing the kind of continuous threat monitoring that most SMEs could not justify building in-house.
How Managed Detection and Response works
MDR deploys monitoring agents across endpoints, servers and cloud services, including Microsoft 365, feeding activity data into a central security platform. A team of analysts reviews alerts around the clock, investigating anything that looks suspicious and distinguishing genuine threats from false positives. When a real threat is confirmed, the MDR team can take direct action, such as isolating an affected device, to contain the issue before it spreads further across the business.
MDR in practice for UK businesses
- A business without an internal security team uses MDR to get continuous, expert-level threat monitoring across its Microsoft 365 environment and company devices.
- An MDR team identifies unusual login behaviour on a compromised account overnight and isolates it before any data is exfiltrated, alerting the business the following morning with full details of the incident.
- A company combines MDR with endpoint detection and response technology, giving the MDR analysts richer data to detect and investigate suspicious activity.
- A business in a regulated sector adopts MDR partly to demonstrate to clients and auditors that it has proactive, continuously monitored cyber security controls in place.
How Advantage provides Managed Detection and Response
Advantage offers MDR as part of its cyber security service for UK SMEs, providing continuous monitoring and expert response without the cost of building an in-house security operations function. Find out more about our cyber security services.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between MDR and traditional antivirus software?
Traditional antivirus software primarily blocks known malware based on signatures. MDR combines more advanced detection technology with continuous human monitoring and active investigation, identifying and responding to suspicious behaviour and novel threats that signature-based antivirus alone would miss.
Does a business need its own security team to use MDR?
No, this is the main appeal of MDR for SMEs. The service includes the security analysts and monitoring capability as part of the offering, allowing a business to benefit from expert threat detection and response without hiring and maintaining an in-house security operations team.
How quickly does MDR respond to a detected threat?
Response times vary by provider, but a key value of MDR is rapid response, often within minutes of a genuine threat being identified, since the monitoring team is actively watching rather than only reviewing automated alerts after the fact. Specific response time commitments should be defined in the service agreement.
