EDR is endpoint detect and response. You manage it. MDR is EDR, but someone else manages it. XDR is EDR, but someone else manages it. And in addition to EDR logs, it correlates the data with other tools like your firewall logs. Answer from ShameNap on reddit.com
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CrowdStrike
crowdstrike.com › en-us › cybersecurity-101 › endpoint-security › edr-vs-mdr-vs-xdr
EDR vs MDR vs XDR: Everything You Need To Know | CrowdStrike
June 26, 2025 - EDR is the baseline monitoring ... on endpoints to capture data, which it sends to a centralized repository for analysis. MDR is essentially EDR purchased as a service....
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SentinelOne
sentinelone.com › cybersecurity-101 › endpoint-security › edr-vs-mdr-vs-xdr
EDR vs. MDR vs. XDR: Choosing the Best Option
October 7, 2025 - MDR provides instant remediation and response to security events within a customer’s network. XDR provides threat detection and response for cloud security tools, services, endpoints, and networks. It is an extension of traditional EDR solutions.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/cybersecurity › eli5: edr vs mdr vs xdr?
r/cybersecurity on Reddit: ELI5: EDR vs MDR vs XDR?
February 10, 2022 -

Looking for a clear cut comparison between three but google inundates me with unhelpful marketing nonsense.

Also what’s a practical reason a business would switch from one *DR to another *DR?

Top answer
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EDR is endpoint detect and response. You manage it. MDR is EDR, but someone else manages it. XDR is EDR, but someone else manages it. And in addition to EDR logs, it correlates the data with other tools like your firewall logs.
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I only have about a 3 yr old understanding of the topic and a knack for explaining things to 5yr olds like their 20, but I'll give it my best starting with AV to start somewhere hopefully we are all familiar with. AV - this is your basic anti virus. A program that should scan all files/processes in the system, detect malware, and auto delete/quarantine. EDR - Extended Detection and Response, AV but with much better reporting to allow forensic review of how the malware got on the system, the process chain for execution etc. Also should have additional Response options like being able to isolate a host to clean up etc MDR - Managed Detecting and Response, typically an EDR product though it could be a simple AV with a 24/7 SOC (Security Operations Center) monitoring and responding to any alerts. There are some variations in what "Respond" means. Some MDR services will actually actively clean up an infected endpoint, others will just open a ticket for your internal IT to clean things up. Depends if you want this parties taking scrubs in your environment or just giving guidance and coaching to clean up yourself. XDR - eXtended Detection and Response, this is the newest and most poorly defined term. I don't remember the actual origin story, but my web search reads like the xdr category was invented by an analyst and now everyone marketing department are rushing to justify why the same thing they had last year is now XDR. So what is it.. it's indeed to be a "replacement" or improvement over a SIEM. In short XDR should aggregate events from EDR, spam filter, firewall, possibly auth logs from your cloud services etc etc so you can corelate across multiple platforms and see the full stack from first email phish to credential compromise and on to malware on an endpoint. There are lots of variables here, some "open XDR" offerings that should allow integrations with third party tools, it closed platforms that only integrate one vendors set of tools.
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SentinelOne
sentinelone.com › cybersecurity-101 › endpoint-security › mdr-vs-edr-vs-xdr
MDR vs EDR vs XDR: Key Differences Explained
October 2, 2025 - EDR gives granular control to teams that can oversee their threats, while MDR offers expert-led protection for those needing 24/7 protection. For larger and more complex environments, XDR gives a unified view of threats across multiple environments.
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Red Canary
redcanary.com › cybersecurity 101 › endpoint security › edr vs. mdr vs. xdr: which is right for you?
EDR vs. MDR vs. XDR: Which is right for you? | Red Canary
September 16, 2025 - Endpoint detection and response ... center (SOC) Extended detection and response (XDR) extends threat detection and response beyond the capabilities of traditional tools like EDR and antivirus...
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Balbix
balbix.com › insights › mdr-vs-edr-vs-xdr-whats-the-difference-and-which-do-you-need
MDR vs. EDR vs. XDR: Comparisons and Differences | Balbix
May 15, 2025 - EDR secures endpoints, MDR adds expert monitoring, and XDR unifies detection and response across multiple security layers like endpoint, network, and cloud.
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StrongDM
strongdm.com › what-is › edr-vs-mdr-vs-xdr
EDR vs MDR vs XDR: What's the Difference? | StrongDM
March 18, 2024 - EDR focuses on detecting and responding to threats on endpoint devices using real-time monitoring and analysis. MDR offers managed security services, including 24/7 monitoring and threat response, beneficial for resource-limited organizations.
Find elsewhere
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Secureworks
secureworks.com › blog › edr-vs-xdr-vs-mdr-whats-the-difference
Understanding EDR vs MDR vs XDR | Secureworks
So, in the case of Taegis XDR, you can freely choose between Secureworks’ native EDR capabilities, your incumbent EDR, or any other EDR available on the market today or in the future. MDR is a catch-all term that refers to any detection-and-response solution delivered on an “as a service” basis with a packaged offering delivered by a managed security service provider (MSSP) or other security partner.
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TechTarget
techtarget.com › searchsecurity › tip › EDR-vs-XDR-vs-MDR-Which-does-your-company-need
EDR vs. XDR vs. MDR: Key Differences and Benefits | TechTarget
EDR is used to continuously monitor endpoints locally or in the cloud. MDR provides around-the-clock monitoring, threat detection, threat hunting, AI-based analysis, threat containment and elimination, all while providing reports on their activities.
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ClearNetwork
clearnetwork.com › home › mdr vs edr vs xdr: what’s best for your business?
MDR vs EDR vs XDR: What’s Best for Your Business? - ClearNetwork, Inc
January 7, 2023 - Endpoint Detection and Response ... EDR is better suited for those looking specifically to enhance their endpoint security, whereas MDR is a better option for those looking for a comprehensive IT management and security service...
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Sysdig
sysdig.com › learn-cloud-native › edr-vs-xdr-siem-vs-mdr-vs-soar
EDR vs. XDR vs. SIEM vs. MDR vs. SOAR | Sysdig
In summary, SOAR is used to automate and improve the efficiency of security tasks. XDR provides an extended view from what is visible with EDR. EDR's primary focus is endpoint security.
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Cynet
cynet.com › edr security: protecting the network from endpoint threats › edr vs mdr: how they compare and the xdr connection
EDR vs MDR: How They Compare and the XDR Connection
October 9, 2025 - MDR services are typically built on top of an EDR platform. The EDR provides the tooling and telemetry; the MDR provides the human expertise and active response. ... XDR extends the visibility and correlation beyond endpoints to include data ...
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Cybereason
cybereason.com › blog › edr-mdr-and-xdr-what-are-the-differences
What Are the Differences Between EDR, MDR and XDR?
Given the findings mentioned above, some may be inclined to lump all detection and response approaches as the same–equally created and effective–but they’d be wrong. MDR (Managed Detection and Response), EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response), and XDR (Extended Detection and Response) serve different needs and it's important to understand the differences to determine which is right for your environment
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Acronis
acronis.com › acronis blog › what is the difference between edr,mdr,xdr?
What is the difference between EDR vs. MDR vs. XDR?
January 7, 2024 - General endpoint detection and ... remediation recommendations. MDR provides the same capabilities as EDR but offers 24/7 managed services to monitor endpoints and eliminate and remediate threats....
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Arctic Wolf
arcticwolf.com › home › understanding the lines between edr, ndr, xdr, and mdr
EDR, NDR, XDR, and MDR | Arctic Wolf
September 4, 2025 - Faster alert response: Because there are fewer false positives, and investigation and remediation actions can be conducted through a single interface, security teams utilizing XDR are often able to respond to alerts faster and more thoroughly, which can prevent incidents from escalating into full-scale breaches. MDR is a detection and response solution that combines human effort and expertise with a unified platform.
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TierPoint
tierpoint.com › home › blog › edr vs mdr vs xdr: key differences explained
EDR vs MDR vs XDR: Key Differences Explained | TierPoint, LLC
2 weeks ago - EDR provides visibility only to end user and server endpoints, while XDR offers multi-layer visibility across an environment for the full view of an attack path. MDR includes the management resources in addition to what EDR and XDR offers, providing ...
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Palo Alto Networks
paloaltonetworks.com › cyberpedia › what-is-mdr-vs-edr
What is the Difference Between EDR vs MDR? - Palo Alto Networks
Ultimately, the decision should ... and available resources. XDR augments the capabilities of EDR by providing a comprehensive and integrated security approach that spans multiple security vectors....
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Field Effect
fieldeffect.com › blog › mdr-xdr-edr
What is the difference between MDR, XDR, and EDR?
June 16, 2025 - By combining technology with 24/7 access to security professionals, MDR offers advanced threat detection, real-time response, and continuous protection—all while operating as an extension of your team. As we’ve touched on, EDR and XDR generate significant amounts of information, requiring teams to parse greater volumes of alert data and determine what is a false positive and what is an actual threat.
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Splunk
splunk.com › en_us › blog › learn › edr-vs-xdr-vs-mdr.html
EDR, XDR & MDR: Which Detection & Response System Is Best? | Splunk
EDR provides endpoint-focused visibility and response. XDR offers broader visibility across multiple environments. MDR is a fully managed and outsourced approach for organizations lacking internal resources or expertise in security operations.
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ThreatDown
threatdown.com › blog › edr-vs-mdr-vs-xdr-whats-the-difference
EDR vs MDR vs XDR: What’s the Difference? - ThreatDown by Malwarebytes
June 3, 2025 - EDR, MDR, and XDR alleviate the challenges of most small business cybersecurity teams, but the differences between these solutions are significant.