Managed detection and response (MDR) services furnish businesses with 24/7 advanced cybersecurity protection and threat-hunting capabilities. By leveraging this technology, businesses can access the technologies and personnel needed for round-the-clock defense against evolving threats.

Many small businesses lack the appropriate measures needed to address the top security concerns facing modern businesses, including malware, insider threats, and hidden vulnerabilities. MDR services give you protection against a range of evolving threats, usually at a lower price than building your own specialized security team.

Generally speaking, all businesses using the internet need protection from cyber criminals.  While advances like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and the Internet of Things (IoT) are generally helpful, attackers can use these innovations for malicious purposes. This increases the potential for a cyberattack exponentially, and businesses that don’t have a plan in place to address these threats may find themselves in the crosshairs. Therefore, businesses should consider the following reasons for adopting an MDR software solution:

• Security immaturity: For businesses without the resources to build a robust cybersecurity system, MDR offers a 24/7 security program that can be deployed quickly and easily.
• Data protection: Modern businesses collect large amounts of data, including personal information and private business communications. MDR helps with threat monitoring and addressing accidental or intentional misuse of data across the organization’s endpoints, whether on-premises or in the cloud.
• MDR dashboard: An MDR dashboard provides a clear view of all threat activities and related details at any given time. This visibility is essential for a strong cybersecurity posture.
• Proactive threat identification: MDR software is constantly updated and offers proactive threat-hunting, which helps to detect and resolve issues caused by cyber criminals who may have more advanced or covert attack methods.
• Intelligent threat detection: MDR catches most attacks immediately by using advanced algorithms to detect the difference between normal operating procedures and cyber criminal activities. This allows companies to avoid costly cyberattacks that may otherwise go unnoticed.

MDR for small business

Many small business owners believe they are simply too small to be attacked, but Verizon’s 2021 Data Breach Investigation Report found that 43 percent of all data breaches involve small and medium-sized businesses.

Large targets such as banks and hospitals have become difficult to target, so many cyber criminals are shifting to smaller targets that have weaker security infrastructures. Additionally, there are low-level cyber criminals who bounce from site to site in the hopes of gaining easy access with backdoor passwords purchased on the darknet.

According to Chase Norlin, the CEO for Transmosis, “61% of all SMBs have reported at least one cyberattack in the past year, and an astounding 83% are not financially prepared to recover, with the majority going out of business within six months after an attack.”

Though smaller companies often lack the security resources of larger corporations, they are still responsible for the sensitive customer data they have stored. MDRs for small businesses can provide new defenses or supplement existing security tools. It allows a business to become proactive in locating, stopping, and repelling cyber threats at a more affordable cost.

Also read: Managed Service Providers for Small Businesses

Top MDR provider comparison

Few businesses can afford a cyberattack that causes a lengthy downtime or the loss of important data, so selecting the right MDR will help ensure long-term business preservation. The chart below compares the top small business MDR service providers:

Sophos Managed Threat Response

Sophos Managed Threat Response (MTR) monitors apps and programs across all endpoints to hunt and mitigate malicious activity. This product uses a global database to alert customers before they visit phishing sites. It also scans website codes to protect customers against compromised sites and downloads infected by hackers.

Sophos MTR is built on the Intercept X Advanced platform, which leverages machine learning technology to investigate alerts and address problems quickly and efficiently. This tool also supports endpoint security as well as SNAP-Defense integrations.

Abacode Cyber Lorica

Abacode’s Cyber Lorica solution is a perfect fit for small businesses looking to outsource their MDR needs. The combination of software-driven security solutions supports Virtual Compliance SOC and extends MDR and EDR (endpoint detection and response) coverage to provide full compliance reporting, detections, and responses.

Abacode offers a number of services under the MDR umbrella in addition to 24/7 threat hunting and intelligence. These services include intrusion detection and prevention, reputation monitoring, and user behavior analytics among others.

Blackpoint Cyber MDR

Blackpoint Cyber’s MDR provides affordable, effective responses to threats for organizations of all sizes. The cornerstone of Blackpoint’s MDR offering is its proprietary SNAP-Defense platform, a comprehensive solution that combines network visualization, insider threat monitoring, anti-malware, traffic analysis, and endpoint security.

Many customers love how easy Blackpoint Cyber’s MDR solution is to implement. Several users have also noted that the Blackpoint support team is quick to respond to any inquiries or issues, which can give you reassurance if your in-house team doesn’t have a lot of technical experience.

Comodo MDR

Comodo’s MDR solution is cloud-based and installs quickly. With this service, you’ll get a holistic approach to cybersecurity that covers your networks, endpoints, and cloud applications. It also uses pre-isolation threat monitoring and threat-hunting to contain threats before they can cause harm.

Other features include behavioral analytics based on your network performance and the Threat Summary dashboard, which shows an attack’s source, type, and more. Comodo’s MDR offering is based on a “defense-in-depth” methodology that monitors and responds to threats on multiple layers.

TransmosisONE

TransmosisONE uses a military-grade cybersecurity platform that combines AI with a virtual security operations center for a low monthly cost. It’s one of the most SMB-centric solutions on the market and has considered the unique needs of everyone from solopreneurs to mid-size businesses. TransmosisONE doesn’t require any contracts and meets a wide variety of compliance standards without sacrificing any of the cutting-edge innovations needed to be competitive.

A standout feature of transmosisONE is its included liability coverage that reimburses up to $500,000 USD of financial losses. No other MDR provider on this list offers this kind of accountability, so it’s a unique safety net that creates a peace of mind.

Useful MDR features

Having the right tools in place for cybersecurity protection is essential. Some of the more valuable features are listed below to help you understand which MDR provider is best suited to your business needs.

Cloud security

Cloud providers typically offer a selection of security features for their platforms, but ultimately the responsibility for fully protecting your data in the cloud is yours. As such, most MDR solutions offer threat monitoring and responses across all environments, including the cloud. A unique security benefit of MDR in the cloud is that it keeps remote workers from circumventing network or endpoint security measures.

SIEM

Security information and event management (SIEM) tools are responsible for gathering and analyzing event and data logs from host systems, applications, and security devices. Comprehensive SIEM tools are often expensive to implement and cumbersome to maintain, but many MDR providers offer SIEM capabilities as well.

The MDR vendors in this list either include SIEM capabilities in their service offering or offer SIEM as an optional upgrade. For example, TransmosisONE developed CyberOps, which is its equivalent to SIEM; Comodo includes SIEM with its SOC platform; and Abacode includes SIEM as part of its basic package.

Managed firewalls

Many SMBs have minimal security, with no one actually in charge of maintaining it. Improving on the firewall or replacing it completely may be long overdue. Firewall perimeters are not as important as they once were, but they still act as a first line of defense against potential threats.

Firewall configurations have become important components of modern cybersecurity. The current next-generation firewalls (NGFWs) use multiple security tools to protect your network, edge, and infrastructures. An MDR will keep your firewall updated and address any patching needs quickly.

How to choose the right MDR provider

The process of choosing an MDR provider should be based on your company’s needs and security concerns. Ensuring the security of important data can be crucial to a business’s survival.

Most of the MDRs on this list offer one month free, which will give you the chance to test drive your top choices for yourself. As you narrow your list of potential MDR solutions, consider the following questions to help you identify the best fit for your needs:

• What are the primary threats and security gaps in your organization? This evaluation may require a consultant and can be compared to the evaluation made by the MDR’s security specialists.
• Are you starting from scratch, or is the goal to improve the current security? Having a description of your current security would be useful when talking to MDR representatives.
• Is there an SLA (service-level agreement)? An SLA clearly defines what the customer should expect from an MDR provider. It ensures that both the customer and the provider share an understanding of the customer’s expectations.
• Is your business subject to any data privacy laws? Compliance requirements vary from industry to industry, and a provider who can support your company’s compliance regulations (including HIPAA, GDPR, or others) should be chosen.
• How much can you afford to spend? The MDRs we’ve compared here are reasonably priced, but MSSPs (managed security service providers) are usually less expensive.
• Can the MDR technology stack integrate with your system? Select a provider that will be easy to implement and works with the tools you already use to run your business.

While spending money on security is generally unappealing to most organizations, the potential cost savings from avoiding a shutdown or paying a ransom can be enormous. MDR services give you the staffing support and active defenses you need to protect your business from a worst-case scenario.

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