Gartner defines managed detection and response (MDR) services as those that provide customers with remotely delivered security operations center (SOC) functions. These functions allow organizations to perform rapid detection, analysis, investigation and response through threat disruption and containment. They offer a turnkey experience, using a predefined technology stack that commonly covers endpoints, networks, logs and cloud. Telemetry is analyzed within a provider’s platform using a range of techniques. The MDR provider’s analyst team then performs threat hunting and incident management to deliver recommended actions to their clients.

MDR offers outcome-driven security incident management that is predicated on the detection, analysis and investigation of potentially impactful security events and the delivery of active threat disruption and containment actions to respond to and mitigate the impact of cyber breaches.