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Protecting yourself from today’s evolving cyber threats requires careful navigation through the crowded marketplace of MDR providers. Choosing the right MDR provider is crucial for addressing risks specific to your organization.
Understanding the Flexibility and Partnership of an MDR Provider
The working relationship with an MDR provider is just as vital as the monitoring, threat detection, and incident response services. Your MDR vendor should seamlessly fit into your organization and act as an extension of your team. Instead of viewing MDR as a one-sided client-service relationship, consider it a collaborative partnership. In this partnership, both parties prioritize the other’s best interests and maintain open communication to achieve optimal security results.
Solution flexibility is paramount in MDR services. During procurement, look for the red flags. Is the provider too rigid? Will they stay strict with the contract’s deliverables, or can they quickly add ad-hoc services based on your needs? This type of responsiveness is vital to successfully integrating MDR into your business.
Consider the ramifications, say, during an actual cyber attack. Imagine a scenario where your company is amid a critical incident response. If, in such a situation, your MDR provider delays assistance to review service terms, the consequences could be catastrophic. Treat MDR like a staff member. If you get pushback when assigning or needing specific tasks, that’s a red flag.
Check out our panel discussion with Mike Cena and Richard Weiss in the video below on the importance of MDR responsiveness to your needs.
(Watch the full Panel Discussion Series on our YouTube)
Managing and Utilizing Logs in MDR Services
Security logs play a crucial role in MDR services for network visibility. These solutions enable providers to investigate abnormal activity and identify threats. They also help providers ensure their controls work as intended and spot areas on the network that need security improvements. Without access to this data, there’s no way an MDR can effectively provide their services.
Though necessary, these logs come with their fair share of challenges. Companies are constantly undergoing digital transformations. These changes can involve investments in new software like SaaS products or major shifts in their IT infrastructure, such as switching cloud providers. If you don’t inform your MDR provider about infrastructure changes, they will lose access to new log data. This lack of information will leave them blind to potential security threats on your network.
As mentioned, the working relationship and MDR partnership contribute to optimizing your logs. Keep in touch with your MDR provider through routine meetings to get clear guidance on managing logs and maintaining visibility. They can even make recommendations that expand your security capabilities, such as application programming interfaces (APIs) or hooks.
For more detailed insights from our expert panel on MDR log management, check out the video below.
(Watch the full Panel Discussion Series on our YouTube)
The Importance of Industry-Specific Experience in an MDR Provider
Because so much of cybersecurity and compliance management are intertwined, it’s essential to consider industry-specific experience in your MDR selection process. You need an MDR provider who can differentiate themselves by specializing in your industry niche. They must have expertise in meeting unique regulatory requirements, infrastructure needs, and business goals.
Bringing in an MDR vendor to check off a box can be detrimental. That’s especially true in highly regulated industries like financial services or healthcare. Non-compliance or incidents can result in hefty fines and harm your brand’s reputation. Regardless of whether or not there are strict data security regulations in your industry, every company is now a technology business at its core.
For incident response, you need fundamental controls like identity management, firewalls, endpoint security, and operational capabilities like MDR. In addition to the solutions, ensure your MDR provider complements your technology stack. They should have a pricing model that fits your budget. Check if they offer service packages tailored to your needs, like complete or co-managed MDR services.
The video below explains the benefits of finding an MDR partner with industry-specific experience.
(Watch the full Panel Discussion Series on our YouTube)
Enhancing Security Investments Through MDR Platforms
MDR enhances existing security solutions like network firewalls, endpoint security tools, and SIEM systems. This enhancement boosts the overall value of your security investments. In addition to its primary services, MDR offers more. It provides 24×7 monitoring for threat detection and incident response. MDR also allows you to consolidate your data sources. This feature enables centralized reporting on activity, security performance, and potential risks.
These singular reporting systems provide a comprehensive view of your security program. This comprehensive view offers critical insights that enable you to manage controls by:
- Comparing key performance indicators (KPIs) to your security metric goals
- Running quarterly reviews to ensure government policies are effective
- Reviewing threats your security tools spotted (or failed to spot)
Check out the video below for our panel discussion on the value of MDR platforms in your security reporting.
(Watch the full Panel Discussion Series on our YouTube)
Decoding the MDR Provider Selection Process
When evaluating MDR options, find a vendor who can expand past the service provider role and be a true business partner. When evaluating MDR providers, consider several key differentiators. First, assess their ability to rapidly respond to changes in your needs, including ad-hoc services. Second, determine how they can enhance your existing security controls. Lastly, ensure they meet industry-specific requirements. These factors are critical in differentiating providers in the MDR marketplace.
Download our Managed Detection and Response Buyer’s Guide to sort through the noise and get insights on finding an MDR vendor that serves your priorities and regulatory needs while aligning with today’s security analysis best practices.