Best 11 MDR Solutions For Enterprise (2026)

We reviewed 11 MDR providers on SLA commitments, analyst response quality, and what their platforms do versus what their teams do. The split matters more than vendors admit.

Last updated on Jul 7, 2026
Joel Witts Written by Joel Witts
Craig MacAlpine Technical Review by Craig MacAlpine
Best 11 MDR Solutions For Enterprise (2026)

Your security team cannot watch everything, all the time. Attackers know it. Managed detection and response fills that gap, but the market is crowded with services that look similar on paper and perform very differently when an incident is live. The wrong MDR service means slow response times, high false positive rates, and an analyst team that triages noise while real threats advance.

We evaluated 11 MDR platforms for detection coverage, response speed, analyst quality, transparency, and whether the service model matches the environments it claims to protect. What we found: the gap between “24/7 monitoring” and “24/7 monitoring that actually stops attacks” is significant. Some services deliver elite threat hunting but require security maturity to operate effectively. Others prioritize simplicity and get SMBs protected fast, but hit ceilings as environments grow.

This guide cuts through the noise to show you which platforms deliver when an attacker is inside your environment, and which ones are better suited to a different use case than yours.

What is MDR?

Managed detection and response (MDR) is a security service where an external team monitors your systems around the clock, investigates suspicious activity, and takes action to stop threats on your behalf. Instead of building and staffing your own security operations center (SOC), you outsource that function to a provider with trained analysts and specialized tools. When something goes wrong, the MDR team detects it, investigates it, and either contains the threat directly or tells your team exactly what to do.

MDR providers deploy a combination of endpoint agents, network sensors, cloud connectors, and SIEM integrations to collect telemetry across your environment. That telemetry feeds detection engines that use behavioral analytics, machine learning, and threat intelligence to surface anomalies. Human analysts then triage, investigate, and escalate confirmed threats, filtering out false positives before they reach your team. Response models vary: some providers take containment actions directly (isolating hosts, killing processes, blocking IPs) under delegated authority, while others deliver guided remediation with step-by-step instructions.

The quality gap between MDR providers shows up in three areas: detection coverage (endpoints only vs. endpoint, cloud, identity, and network), response speed (time to acknowledgment vs. time to containment), and analyst depth (tiered offshore SOCs vs. dedicated in-house threat hunters). Understanding where each provider falls on these axes determines whether the service is a genuine security extension or expensive alert forwarding.

Managed Detection and Response Solutions Compared

A high-level comparison of the 11 MDR services reviewed in this guide.

Product Best For Coverage Published MTTR Threat Hunting
ESET PROTECT MDR
Mid-market all-in-one managed protection
Endpoints, servers, cloud
Yes
Acronis MDR
Integrated backup-based recovery as part of response
Endpoint
60 minutes
Yes
RocketCyber
MSPs serving SMB clients
Endpoints, network, cloud
Yes
ThreatLocker Cyber Hero MDR
ThreatLocker platform users
Endpoints
<60 seconds
Yes
Arctic Wolf MDR
Strategic security team extension
Endpoints, network, cloud
Yes
CrowdStrike Falcon Complete
Enterprise with security maturity
Endpoints, identity, cloud, SIEM
4 minutes
Yes
Expel MDR
Teams wanting SOC transparency
Endpoints, cloud, SaaS, email, identity, network
14 minutes
Yes
Huntress
SMBs under 1,000 users
Endpoints
Yes
Rapid7 MDR
Multi-layer detection with deception
Endpoints, network, user behavior
Yes
Red Canary (Zscaler)
Confirmed-threat-only alerting
Endpoints, identities, cloud
Yes
SentinelOne Vigilance Respond
SentinelOne platform users
Endpoints, cloud, identity
18 minutes
Yes

How We Tested

Expert Insights evaluated 11 MDR platforms for detection coverage, response speed, analyst quality, transparency, and service model fit. Each product was assessed through hands-on evaluation of detection workflows, dashboard navigation, and incident response processes, alongside customer feedback and implementation documentation. This guide was researched and written by Joel Witts and technically reviewed by Craig MacAlpine. Read our full methodology

ESET PROTECT MDR Logo
ESET

Best for mid-market teams needing multilayered protection with managed response

ESET is one of the world’s best known cybersecurity providers, supporting over a billion users worldwide across more than 200 countries. ESET PROTECT MDR is their fully managed cybersecurity solution for small to mid-sized enterprises, combining endpoint security, file server security, extended endpoint detection and response (XDR), and premium support from ESET’s expert global team. We think ESET PROTECT MDR is a strong option for mid-market teams that need multilayered protection with managed detection and response under one contract.

Get Started
  • Market-leading endpoint protection with machine learning and crowdsourced threat intelligence
  • Extended endpoint detection and response (XDR) with threat hunting for zero-day threats
  • File server security and full disk encryption included
  • 24/7/365 premium support with global availability
  • Cross-platform coverage for PC, Mac, and smartphone operating systems
  • Cloud and on-premises deployment options

We think ESET PROTECT MDR is a strong fit for small to mid-sized enterprises looking for an all-in-one endpoint protection, detection, and response solution backed by a premium support offering. Users highly rate this service, highlighting the powerful continuous protection and high-quality support available. The multilayered approach, with endpoint protection, XDR, and managed response wrapped into a single platform, keeps your stack consolidated.

Strengths
Multilayered protection combining endpoint security, XDR, and managed response
24/7/365 premium support with global availability
Full disk encryption included in the package
Cloud and on-premises deployment options
Cross-platform coverage for PC, Mac, and smartphone
Cautions
Pricing not publicly available; requires contacting ESET for a quote
Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud with MDR Logo
Acronis

Best for: 24/7 SOC for MSPs with integrated recovery and endpoint management

Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud is a backup, disaster recovery and endpoint management platform with strong security capabilities. It’s built for service providers. A central pillar of the platform is the 24/7/365 managed detection and response built specifically for MSPs of any size and maturity, catering to SMB clients. This is delivered by a network of global SOC providers, including Acronis’ own.

The major advantage of Acronis is that it integrates MDR with powerful endpoint detection and response, backup, recovery and remote management and monitoring. It’s a one-stop-shop for MSPs looking for backup and security tooling with enterprise level maturity.

Get 1:1 Demo
  • 24/7/365 continuous endpoint monitoring with analyst-led investigation, triage, and prioritization
  • Two tiers: Standard (protection, containment, prioritization) and Advanced (fully outsourced response, recovery, remediation, threat hunting, root cause analysis)
  • Integrated remediation including RMM patching and backup recovery — not just alert-and-contain
  • Flexible SOC delivery: Acronis TRU (direct), Legato (partner), or regional MSSP partners
  • Service portal, monthly reporting (basic or advanced), and on-demand incident investigation (Advanced tier)
  • Threat hunting, threat intelligence news, IOCs, and root cause analysis on the Advanced tier
  • Single-click provisioning for MSPs to activate MDR across client environments

Acronis offers a powerful MDR platform. It’s unique in that it offers 24/7 monitoring, remediation and recovery delivered via Acronis’ trusted network and backed by their market leading backup solution. This gives confidence that your clients are protected, and that if a ransomware event does occur, data and devices can be restored.

The key standout feature on the tech side is the fully integrated recovery and RMM. With a single agent you can remediate, restore and manage all of your devices across all tenants under a single admin console. You get integrated remediation, restoration and RMM functionalities such as patching – either delivered via Acronis MDR, or with a single-click via the platform.

The managed service is easy to get deployed and up and running. Monitoring is continuous, and trusted analysts investigate and prioritize incidents on your behalf, with rapid response when needed. We’d recommend it for MSPs of any size supporting SMB clients looking to roll out a managed detection service.

Strengths
MDR with integrated backup recovery and RMM patching as part of remediation — not just detect-and-alert
Choice of SOC provider: Acronis TRU, Legato, or regional MSSP partner
Single-click provisioning across client environments
Standard and Advanced tiers for flexible service packaging
Multi-tenant SaaS platform purpose-built for MSP operations
50+ global data center locations
Cautions
MSP pricing is flexible but not publicly listed; requires contacting Acronis for a quote
RocketCyber Logo
Kaseya

Best for MSPs serving SMB clients

RocketCyber, a Kaseya company, offers a managed Security Operations Center (SOC) service providing 24/7 threat monitoring and response across endpoints, networks, and cloud environments. The solution is designed for MSPs to offer reliable MDR to SMB clients.

Get A Demo
  • 24/7 managed SOC with cybersecurity experts who hunt for threats and investigate vulnerabilities
  • Built-in app store with purpose-built detection apps including breach detection and threat hunting
  • 17 hunt test methodologies for advanced threat detection
  • Real-time monitoring of Windows, macOS, and Linux security events, firewall, network, Office 365, and Azure AD
  • Detections aligned with the MITRE ATT&CK framework for forensic timeline creation

RocketCyber is a strong MDR solution for MSPs serving SMB clients. We were impressed by the extensive threat hunting capabilities and the built-in app store approach, which lets organizations enable the specific detection apps they need. The platform doesn’t require additional hardware, and detected threats are fed directly into existing MSP ticketing systems with remediation advice. It also integrates with Kaseya, Autotask, ConnectWise, Syncro, and existing malware protection tools.

Strengths
24/7 managed SOC with threat hunting and investigation
17 hunt test methodologies for advanced threat detection
MITRE ATT&CK framework alignment
Built-in app store with purpose-built detection apps
Cautions
Pricing not publicly available; requires contacting RocketCyber for a quote
ThreatLocker Cyber Hero Managed Detection and Response Logo
ThreatLocker

Best for organizations already running ThreatLocker with sub-60-second response

ThreatLocker Cyber Hero MDR provides 24/7/365 managed threat detection and response services, led by the ThreatLocker team of experts. It helps organizations keep on top of alerts and can significantly improve detection and response times for potential cyber threats. Cyber Hero MDR is an add-on service to the ThreatLocker Detect EDR solution, and we were impressed by the average response time of less than 60 seconds.

Book A Demo
  • Leverages telemetry data from all ThreatLocker Zero Trust agents and Windows event logs
  • Automatic alerts with detailed threat data when unusual behavior is detected
  • Cyber Hero team analyzes alerts to confirm genuine Indicators of Compromise vs. false positives
  • Pre-set runbook agreed with your team governs isolation and lockdown actions
  • Full incident context provided including origin, risk, discovery method, and remediation steps
  • Automated response actions including rule enforcement, network disconnection, and lockdown mode

The ThreatLocker Zero Trust Endpoint Protection Platform underneath Cyber Hero MDR provides application, network, and storage controls, enabling admins to control user-installed apps, lock down applications to mitigate ransomware spread, and facilitate dynamic Zero Trust network controls. We think Cyber Hero MDR is a strong option for organizations already running ThreatLocker Detect that want 24/7 expert monitoring with a sub-60-second response time. The customizable runbook approach means your team controls how incidents are handled without leaving everything to automation.

Strengths
Average response time under 60 seconds
Customizable incident runbooks agreed with your team before deployment
Full context provided on each incident including origin, risk, and remediation
Tight integration with ThreatLocker Zero Trust platform avoids additional agents
Cautions
Pricing requires a custom quote; no publicly listed plans
5.

Arctic Wolf Managed Detection and Response (MDR)

Arctic Wolf Managed Detection and Response (MDR) Logo
Arctic Wolf

Best for organizations needing strategic security guidance beyond alert triage

Arctic Wolf MDR is a 24/7 managed service that goes beyond standard alert triage with its Concierge Security Team model. We think this sets it apart from most MDR providers, which stop at detection and response.

  • Concierge Security Team reviews your environment, surfaces security gaps, and recommends improvements
  • Continuous threat monitoring across networks, endpoints, and cloud
  • Integrates with your existing technology stack to build a unified asset view
  • AI assistance supports SOC analysts in processing telemetry
  • Customizable workflows let you shape incident response to fit your risk tolerance

Customers consistently praise the team as responsive, accessible, and engaged. Based on customer reviews, the a la carte pricing model is a growing concern, with new features outside the core bundle pushing total cost upward. Users have also flagged limited custom log parser flexibility as a recurring pain point when connecting non-standard data sources.

We think Arctic Wolf fits teams that need MDR as a genuine extension of their security function, not just alert monitoring. The Concierge model delivers strategic depth that most managed services skip. Just watch the total cost of ownership as your feature needs expand.

Strengths
Concierge Security Team provides strategic guidance beyond alert triage
24/7 monitoring spans networks, endpoints, and cloud
Integrates with existing stacks without new infrastructure
Cautions
New features fall outside the core bundle, pushing cost upward
Reviews flag limited custom log parser support
6.

CrowdStrike Falcon Complete

CrowdStrike Falcon Complete Logo
CrowdStrike

Best for enterprise organizations with security maturity needing elite threat hunting

CrowdStrike Falcon Complete, now branded as Falcon Complete Next-Gen MDR, combines enterprise endpoint security with a fully managed service layer and the OverWatch threat hunting team. We think this is one of the strongest MDR options on the market for organizations with the security maturity to operate a platform this capable. CrowdStrike reports a mean time to detect of four minutes.

  • OverWatch provides continuous threat hunting across endpoint, identity, cloud, and Next-Gen SIEM data
  • Lightweight agent deploys in minutes and connects to existing tools through APIs
  • SOC analysts can isolate hosts, kill processes, and remove malicious files under delegated authority
  • Four-minute mean time to detect reported by CrowdStrike

Customers consistently praise the lightweight agent and behavioral detection capabilities, reporting no impact on system performance. Some customer reviews note that the admin portal is built for experienced engineers, and third-party integrations take time to configure correctly. Pricing is the most frequently flagged concern, particularly when additional modules push costs up.

We think Falcon Complete fits organizations with the security maturity to fully leverage the platform. The OverWatch team adds a dedicated threat hunting layer that most MDR services can’t match. If your security operations are still maturing, the complexity and cost demand careful evaluation.

Strengths
OverWatch hunts continuously across endpoint, identity, cloud, and SIEM data
Four-minute mean time to detect with delegated containment authority
Lightweight agent deploys in minutes with no performance impact
Cautions
Pricing is high, especially with additional modules
Customers note a steep learning curve on the admin portal
7.

Expel Managed Detection and Response

Expel Managed Detection and Response Logo
Expel

Best for security teams wanting operational transparency into investigations

Expel MDR covers cloud, Kubernetes, endpoints, SaaS, email, network, and identity from a single platform with 130+ native integrations. We were impressed by the transparency of the Expel Workbench, which gives your team direct visibility into how every alert is triaged, enriched, and investigated. That level of SOC transparency is a genuine differentiator in this market.

  • Expel Workbench shows your team exactly what analysts see in real time from alert to resolution
  • AI and automation handle detection, correlation, and prioritization before human analysts step in
  • 14-minute critical alert MTTR with auto-remediation enabled
  • 130+ native integrations across cloud, SaaS, email, endpoints, and identity
  • Analysts proactively surface configuration gaps, logging blind spots, and detection tuning opportunities

Customers consistently describe Expel as feeling like an extension of their internal security team, freeing up internal resources from L1 triage. According to customer feedback, integration depth varies by tool, with some data sources delivering rich context and others feeling limited. Self-service tuning options are a recurring frustration for teams with custom detection needs.

We think Expel suits security teams that want operational transparency alongside managed coverage. If your team needs to stay close to investigations rather than hand everything off, the Workbench model is a strong fit. Onboarding is fast too, with Expel reporting that environments can be ingesting signals within seven minutes.

Strengths
Workbench gives full visibility into alert triage and investigations
130+ native integrations across cloud, SaaS, email, endpoints, and identity
14-minute critical alert MTTR with auto-remediation
Cautions
Self-service tuning options are limited
Reviews note integration depth varies by tool
8.

Huntress

Huntress Logo
Huntress

Best for SMBs under 1,000 users needing ransomware defense without security staff

Huntress is a managed detection and response platform built for small and mid-sized businesses, specifically targeting persistent foothold attacks and ransomware. We think this is the strongest MDR option for SMBs under 1,000 users that need ransomware defense without dedicated security staff. The one-click remediation model reduces the expertise barrier significantly.

  • Ransomware canary files deployed across all protected endpoints trigger immediate SOC investigation
  • One-click remediation with step-by-step guidance lets IT teams handle incidents without deep security expertise
  • 24/7 human threat hunting runs in the background without requiring internal SOC coverage
  • Fast setup with a dashboard that requires no specialist training

Customers highlight fast setup and a dashboard that requires no specialist training. Remediation workflows with tailored assessments and clear next steps get consistent praise. Some users report that post-isolation response times have slowed as Huntress has grown, with gaps of 15 to 30 minutes between isolation events and receiving actionable details.

We think Huntress is the go-to MDR for SMBs in the core use case. Ransomware canary detection, one-click remediation, and clear incident guidance deliver strong coverage without added complexity. If your environment has grown past 1,000 users, assess whether the additional modules justify their cost.

Strengths
Ransomware canary files enable earlier detection
One-click remediation with step-by-step guidance
24/7 human threat hunting without requiring internal SOC
Cautions
Users report post-isolation response times of 15-30 minutes
Admin console lacks granular sub-team permissions
9.

Rapid7 Managed Detection and Response Services

Rapid7 Managed Detection and Response Services Logo
Rapid7

Best for multi-layer detection with deception technology

Rapid7 MDR provides multi-layer detection across endpoints, network traffic, user behavior, and deception technology in a single managed service. We found the deception technology layer is a distinctive addition that most MDR services don’t include, creating internal traps that catch malicious behavior before attackers reach high-value targets.

  • User behavior and attacker behavior analyzed separately with baselines of healthy activity
  • Centralized log management, file integrity monitoring, and network traffic analysis feed the SOC
  • Deception technology creates internal traps to catch malicious behavior early
  • MDR for Microsoft launched in January 2026 for organizations running Microsoft Defender

Customers describe Rapid7 MDR as functioning like a genuine team extension, with analysts handling triage and delivering clear action steps. Based on customer reviews, the onboarding process ran slower than expected for some deployments, and alert ordering issues in the portal can make incident prioritization harder under time pressure.

We think Rapid7 MDR fits organizations that need detection depth across more than just endpoints. If network traffic monitoring and deception technology matter for your environment alongside endpoint coverage, this is a strong option. For buyers focused purely on endpoint MDR, simpler options offer a cleaner fit.

Strengths
Deception technology traps catch malicious behavior before it reaches targets
Dual behavior analytics cover user and attacker activity separately
Centralized log management and file integrity monitoring included
Cautions
Customers note onboarding ran longer than expected
Alert ordering issues make prioritization harder under pressure
10.

Red Canary (A Zscaler Company)

Red Canary (A Zscaler Company) Logo
Zscaler

Best for confirmed-threat-only alerting with high accuracy

Red Canary, acquired by Zscaler in August 2025, delivers 24/7 threat detection and response across endpoints, identities, and cloud environments. We think the standout here is alert fidelity: Red Canary reports a 99.6% accuracy rate backed by multi-expert validation before alerts reach your team. If your team has been burned by high false positive rates, this changes the signal-to-noise ratio at the source.

  • Over 4,000 behavioral analytics running continuously with automated and ad-hoc threat hunts
  • Alerts only reach your team after multiple analysts confirm them
  • 99.6% accuracy rate backed by multi-expert validation
  • Guided remediation playbooks walk teams through response steps
  • Transparent reporting tracks threats stopped over time

Customers consistently highlight high-fidelity detections and a reduction in false positives compared to previous solutions. Onboarding gets consistent praise, with customers reporting immediate value once their environment was configured. Some customer reviews note that email-based alert communication creates confusion when managing multiple concurrent incidents.

We think Red Canary suits organizations that need confirmed-threat-only alerting. The validated alert model means your team acts on real threats, not noise. The Zscaler acquisition is worth tracking for long-term roadmap and integration direction, particularly if you’re already in the Zscaler ecosystem.

Strengths
99.6% accuracy rate with multi-expert alert validation
Over 4,000 behavioral analytics with automated threat hunts
Fast onboarding with immediate security value
Cautions
Customization options are limited
Reviews flag email-based alerts cause confusion during concurrent incidents
11.

SentinelOne Vigilance Respond MDR

SentinelOne Vigilance Respond MDR Logo
SentinelOne

Best for organizations already running SentinelOne endpoint protection

SentinelOne Vigilance Respond is an MDR service built on the Singularity XDR platform, with a mean time to respond of 18 minutes delivered by a dedicated in-house expert team. We found the tight integration between the managed service and the XDR platform gives analysts richer context faster. SentinelOne has begun rebranding this service as Wayfinder MDR, though the core offering remains the same.

  • Active threat hunting combined with automated incident response on SentinelOne’s AI-based detection engine
  • 18-minute mean time to respond from a dedicated in-house expert team
  • Pro tier adds digital forensics and malware investigation on top of standard triage
  • Straightforward deployment for organizations already running SentinelOne endpoints

Customers consistently say Vigilance frees up internal resources, with users praising it as a cost-effective alternative to hiring dedicated security staff. Some users report that response consistency varies across incidents and doesn’t always match the headline 18-minute MTTR. Exclusions are hash-based only, with no application-level option available.

We think Vigilance Respond is the most natural fit for organizations already running SentinelOne endpoint protection. The managed layer sits directly on the XDR engine your team already knows. Without an existing SentinelOne deployment, weigh the platform dependency against the coverage benefits.

Strengths
18-minute MTTR from a dedicated in-house expert team
Active threat hunting integrates directly with Singularity XDR
Pro tier adds digital forensics and malware investigation
Cautions
Users report response consistency varies across incidents
Exclusions limited to hash-based rules only

Other Managed Detection and Response Services

Beyond our top 11, these managed detection and response services are worth considering.

12
Palo Alto Networks Cortex XDR

Integrated MDR with AI-driven threat detection and response across endpoints and cloud.

13
Sophos Managed Detection and Response

24/7 threat hunting, detection, and response backed by global security experts.

14
Mandiant Managed Defense (Google Cloud)

Expert-driven MDR with advanced threat intelligence and incident response.

15
Alert Logic MDR

Cloud-native MDR offering continuous threat detection and compliance support.

16
Trend Micro Managed XDR

Cross-layer detection combining endpoint, email, and network data.

17
eSentire MDR

Managed threat detection and response with 24/7 SOC and global coverage.

Managed Detection and Response Pricing

MDR pricing varies significantly based on endpoint count, coverage scope, service tier, and contract length. Most providers operate on a quote-based model. The prices below reflect publicly available starting points where possible.

Product Starting Price Billing Link
ESET PROTECT MDR
Contact for quote
Annual
Acronis
Contact for quote
RocketCyber
Contact for quote
Annual
ThreatLocker Cyber Hero MDR
Contact for quote
Annual
Arctic Wolf MDR
Contact for quote
Annual
CrowdStrike Falcon Complete
Contact for quote
Annual
Expel MDR
From $11,640/yr (125 endpoints)
Annual
Huntress
$8.99/endpoint/mo
Monthly
Rapid7 MDR
Contact for quote
Annual
Red Canary
Contact for quote
Annual
SentinelOne Vigilance Respond
Contact for quote
Annual

Managed Detection and Response Checklist

These are the evaluation and operational steps we recommend when selecting and deploying a managed detection and response service.

Some providers measure time to alert acknowledgment; others measure time to containment action. The difference determines how fast threats are actually stopped.

Ask whether analysts are in-house or outsourced, what their escalation process looks like, and whether you get a named point of contact.

Attackers move laterally across cloud, identity, and network; a service that only sees endpoint telemetry misses significant portions of a modern attack chain.

High false positive rates consume internal resources and erode trust in the service; ask how many alerts are validated by human analysts before notification.

Fully automated response reduces dwell time but can disrupt production; guided remediation gives you control but requires internal bandwidth.

Your team needs enough visibility to learn from incidents, not just close them; avoid services that operate as black boxes.

Some MDR services deliver limited value outside their own platform ecosystem; confirm compatibility with your EDR, SIEM, and identity tools.

Some services start competitive and escalate quickly as you add coverage modules, data sources, or faster response tiers.

Validate response times, communication workflows, and remediation steps under simulated pressure before an attacker tests them for real.

Understand how the MDR team contacts you during an active incident and whether those channels match your internal communication tools.

The Bottom Line

No single MDR service fits every organization. Your choice depends on team size, existing security tooling, detection coverage requirements, and how much internal bandwidth your team can contribute to the service relationship.

If your team is mid-market and stretched across a growing environment without dedicated SOC coverage, ESET PROTECT MDR wraps endpoint protection, XDR, and threat hunting in a single managed contract that handles what your team can’t.

If you are an MSP managing security across multiple client environments from a single console, RocketCyber delivers real-time monitoring across endpoints, cloud, network, and firewall events with direct ticketing integration and MITRE ATT&CK-aligned detections.

If your organization already runs ThreatLocker’s Zero Trust platform and wants 24/7 expert monitoring on top, ThreatLocker CyberHero MDR delivers sub-60-second response times with customizable incident rulebooks built directly on your existing telemetry.

If you need MDR that functions as a genuine security team extension with strategic guidance beyond alert triage, Arctic Wolf MDR delivers continuous monitoring across networks, endpoints, and cloud alongside a Concierge Security Team that surfaces gaps and recommends improvements.

If your organization has the security maturity to operate an enterprise-grade platform and needs elite threat hunting on top of AI-driven detection, CrowdStrike Falcon Complete delivers OverWatch continuous threat hunting with a centralized triage dashboard that scales across complex environments.

If your security team wants full operational visibility into how every alert is investigated and triaged, Expel MDR delivers Workbench transparency across cloud, Kubernetes, SaaS, email, endpoints, network, and identity from a single platform.

If you are an SMB under 1,000 users that needs ransomware defense without dedicated security staff, Huntress delivers ransomware canary detection, one-click remediation, and 24/7 human threat hunting without requiring specialist expertise to operate.

If your environment needs detection depth across endpoints, network traffic, user behavior, and deception technology in a single managed service, Rapid7 MDR delivers dual behavior analytics and internal deception traps alongside centralized log management and file integrity monitoring.

If your team has been burned by high false positive rates and needs confirmed-threat-only alerting, Red Canary MDR delivers a 99.6% accuracy rate backed by multi-expert validation and over 4,000 behavioral analytics running continuously across your environment.

If your organization already runs SentinelOne endpoint protection and wants managed coverage built directly on that investment, SentinelOne Vigilance Respond delivers active threat hunting and automated incident response on the Singularity XDR engine with an 18-minute MTTR and optional digital forensics for deeper investigations.

Read the individual reviews above to dig into detection coverage, response models, and pricing that matters for your environment.

Everything You Need To Know About Managed Detection and Response (FAQs)

Managed detection and response (MDR) are outsourced, specialized cybersecurity services, which use combination of machine learning, artificial intelligence, edge computing, and human intelligence to discover and remediate against cyber-threats. MDR services connect organizations to highly trained IT staff who can help to monitor, analyze, and respond to incidents and anomalies in their network.

The best MDR providers implement a wide range of advanced tools as well as offer highly skilled and trained staff to be able to monitor, detect, prioritize, investigate, and remediate threats appropriately and effectively. They utilize artificial intelligence and machine learning tools to automate network scanning and threat detection, and to reduce the overall number of alerts. The human side of MDR consists of threat hunters, data analysts, security analysts, and more to provide specialized insight and problem–solving expertise, to help analyze threats and implement the most efficient, effective incident response workflows.

A Managed Detection And Response (MDR) solution gives you comprehensive threat detection and remediation capabilities, managed for your organization by a team of security experts. When choosing an MDR solution to partner with, there are some key features to consider:

  • Threat hunting and alert prioritization
  • Information analysis, triage, and reporting
  • Automatic, facilitated, and managed remediation options
  • 24/7 Support team on-hand
  • Vulnerability insights

The main reason for deploying an MDR solution is to quickly identify and remove network threats. Because of this, threat hunting, alerting, information triage, and managed threat remediation is extremely important. Choosing an MDR is also about finding the right partner for your business, so it’s also important to consider the credibility of the managed service, your organization’s specific requirements and scale, and of course the cost of the MDR solution.

Threat Hunting: Perhaps the most crucial task completed by MDR services is threat hunting. MDR services proactively seek out potential and emerging known and unknown threats. They aggregate activity data from a wide variety of sources—such as logs, events, endpoints, and user behavior—and analyze that data for vulnerabilities and indicators of active threats. This continuous, extensive approach to threat hunting makes MDR particularly adept in finding advanced and sophisticated threats, such as zero-day malware.

The round-the-clock threat hunting also helps for threats to be discovered and responded to far quicker, meaning the issue can be solved much faster, thereby reducing its overall impact. MDR solutions can also perform dark web monitoring, target- and risk-based threat hunting, Digital Asset Monitoring, and domain registration monitoring.

Data Collection: In order for MDR services to stay one step ahead of the curve, they need to aggregate a lot of data from a wealth of sources to provide detailed forensics about all threats–both new and old. MDR services collect data from assets, user behavior, events, files, logs, endpoints, and any other network activity. They also consult heavily with shared lists on known and emerging threats, and often will regularly trawl the dark and deep web to detect if company information is being misused at any point. This data collection isn’t just stored and left, however; MDR staff also use it for research.

Threat Intelligence: For MDR teams to be able to respond to threats as appropriately and as quickly as possible, they rely heavily on threat intelligence. Threat intelligence pertains to the data that is collected, processed, and analyzed to learn and understand a particular attacker’s target, motive, behavior, and patterns of attack. This information is analyzed to help SOC and MDR teams further understand how threat actors operate, helping them in turn to make quicker and more informed responses to (and anticipate) threats and develop prevention strategies.

Incident Analysis: MDR solutions provide companies with access to a team of experts who meticulously research incidents as they occur, allowing for them to prioritize threats and assess what the best course of action is to respond to an attack and devise guided responses.

Incident Response: And of course, it’s no good just to have a highly skilled and full kitted out team to just deliver extensive reporting and analysis. MDR services also provide incident response, either through immediate automated response from tools that nip emerging threats in the bud or through a team analyzing and remediating more sophisticated threats that need a pair of human eyes on them. The organization experiencing the breach will be notified and supplied with a root cause analysis and remediation recommendations and toolkits to solve the problem, with some MDR services actually remediating the breaches themselves.

Generally, the quicker the responses to incidents, the greater the reduction in the overall impact a threat can have on a network.

Security Monitoring: MDR services, in addition to threat hunting and responding to said threats, can also be proactive in the actual prevention of attacks. They offer vulnerability management, pointing out to organizations where security may be lacking and offering solutions to patch these oversights. They, of course, also perform dedicated, constant security monitoring of an organization’s network perimeter, network activity, endpoints, and more.

The tools, staff, and capabilities that make up the framework may vary between solutions, but there are some critical features that you need to look out for when choosing an MDR provider:

Adaptability: Good MDR services tend to not overcomplicate things. Rather than tearing out your security architecture and building something from scratch, MDR services tend to make things more manageable by building on what you already have. If appropriate solutions aren’t in place, then MDR services can help you to devise and build your security framework. Most MDR services also have a range of deployment options, covering on-prem, cloud, hybrid, and public environments.

Visibility: Coverage and insights into network activity need to be not only in depth but wide reaching, leaving no stone unturned. MDR services should be applied to every single part of the network, regardless of whether it’s cloud to on-prem, from behind a data center to every single endpoint.

MDR solutions pull data and analytics from every reach of the network and all their threat intelligence from a variety of sources. Good MDR services should provide organizations all of this within a single, intuitive, and clean dashboard that is easy to navigate and understand.

Round-The-Clock Monitoring: Attacks come from all angles and at all hours. MDR revolves around constant detection, investigation, and response. Cyberthreats don’t sleep and neither do MDR services; MDR provides 24/7/365 analysis and response, making sure that organizations are protected at all times. This round-the-clock support is delivered by robust, automated tools that actively hunt for threats and remediate them where they can when no human input is necessary, and a team that covers all hours of the day.

Alongside these benefits, MDR services also bring valuable insights and extensive reporting to the table that wouldn’t necessarily be available from just automated reports or from an in-house team. They can also help devise custom responses to incidents, ensuring a more targeted and effective approach to remediation.

Endpoint Security Resources

Further reading on endpoint security from Expert Insights — buyers' guides, comparison articles, and platform-specific shortlists.

Written By Written By
Joel Witts
Joel Witts Content Director

Joel is the Director of Content and a co-founder at Expert Insights; a rapidly growing media company focussed on covering cybersecurity solutions.

He’s an experienced journalist and editor with 8 years’ experience covering the cybersecurity space. He’s reviewed hundreds of cybersecurity solutions, interviewed hundreds of industry experts and produced dozens of industry reports read by thousands of CISOs and security professionals in topics like IAM, MFA, zero trust, email security, DevSecOps and more.

He also hosts the Expert Insights Podcast and co-writes the weekly newsletter, Decrypted. Joel is driven to share his team’s expertise with cybersecurity leaders to help them create more secure business foundations.

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Craig MacAlpine CEO and Founder

Craig MacAlpine is CEO and Founder of Expert Insights. Before founding Expert Insights in August 2018, Craig spent 10 years as CEO of EPA Cloud, an email security provider that rebranded as VIPRE Email Security following its acquisition by Ziff Davis, formerly J2Global (NASDAQ: ZD) in 2013.

Craig is a passionate security innovator with over 20 years of experience helping organizations to stay secure with cutting-edge information security and cybersecurity solutions.

Using his extensive experience in the email security industry, he founded Expert Insights with the singular goal of helping IT professionals and CISOs to cut through the noise and find the right cybersecurity solutions they need to protect their organizations.