The cybersecurity industry is chock-full of acronyms — it really doesn’t run out of them. From MDR to EDR to SOC to XDR. A stream of alphabet soup that’s bound to drive you wild. This bizarre enthusiasm for acronyms can cause a lot of confusion, particularly among newcomers. In this post, we are going to tackle the subject of MDR vs SOC as a service and why you must know the difference between each. We’ll talk about what each of them is and, finally, how to choose the right service for your organization.
What is MDR?
MDR stands for Managed Detection and Response services. This is a 24/7 outsourced service that includes the fundamentals of a good cybersecurity strategy; monitoring, detection, and response. The primary goal of MDR security services is to help businesses with their IR – Incident Response. Depending on the organization you hire, this type of service may include a wide range of automated technology, including AI lead software, which is deployed not only in your network but on the cloud.
MDR security services often employ advanced analytics and up-to-date intelligence which empowers their threat analysis capabilities.
They offer a wide range of features and excellent remote response services. One of the most striking features of this type of service is that it never stops — it keeps running its configuration, protecting your system, 24/7 all year long.
How does MDR work?
It is a complex system with multiple moving parts, particularly since each service is unique and has been tailored to its architect input. In other words, no two services are the same and each honors its creator’s parameters and configuration. Nevertheless, here’s a quick snapshot of how their type of services operate — what their process is:
- Raw data is collected.
- Data is passed through a series of filters, firewalls, and algorithms.
- Based on those barriers, observations, alerts, and red flags are created.
- These markers are passed on to staff members — both human as well as robotic/AI.
- Threats are analyzed.
- These threats are given different levels of priority.
- Action-oriented reports are crafted based on which threats need a response ASAP.
- Key recommendations.
- Threats are either contained, tracked, or eliminated.
What Challenges do MDR Services Solve?
The truth is that most organizations have a hard time mixing their own infrastructure with those of outsourced services — there are a lot of growing pains involved. They simply don’t click together. Luckily, as these types of services have become ubiquitous and more and more enterprises are using them, they slowly become more user-friendly and adaptable.
In the case of MDR, these are the challenges they meet:
- Advanced threat detection.
- Fast configuration.
- Threat hunting.
- Customization.
- Full system analysis to detect bad practices
What is SOC?
SOC, meanwhile, stands for Security Operation Center. This is a required component of any MDR security service. A SOC team is a dedicated security team that monitors, assess, and, ultimately, deal with threats and breaches. They are constantly parsing data, hunting hackers, and identifying threats.
They are the backbone of any cybersecurity organization — providing much-needed context, and guidance, as well as recommendations, to strengthen their client’s security posture.
The reason why MDR vs SOC has become a confusing topic, and in many cases, why most newcomers think they are two different types of services is mainly on account of SOC. Why? All MDR business requires SOC teams, it’s part of their DNA. BUT not all SOC teams are dependent on an MDR infrastructure. Over the years, many companies have developed their own in-house SOC team.
SOC teams are generally housed on a specific physical location and offer expert threat intelligence and SIEM and EDR administrators that provide content monitoring and follow a specific cybersecurity playbook.
Is SOC the same as SOCaaSS?
It’s important to understand that this is a fairly new industry, cybersecurity, and one that is still trying to find a common nomenclature and stature. In other words, what one acronym means to one company might differ wildly from another.
Also, the industry, like most industries today, is saturated by services — most of which simply outsource their own services, and in many cases are simply intermediaries /salesmen, which generally translates to “we really have no clue what we’re selling.”
It’s critical to understand this because not all MDR or SOC teams will offer the same things. For example, SOCaaSS, in many cases, is a type of SOC function. Not just software but also people.
When a company tells you they offer SOCaaS – Security Operations Center as a Service – this generally means that they not only offer a software solution but an actual flesh-and-bone team to process, detect, and manage SIEM platforms. Still, some organizations, since SOCaaSS is such a mouthful, simply brand themselves or promote their services as SOC teams.
Pro-tip: Before you hire a service, make sure you read the fine print and, if you’re still hesitant, and their services aren’t too clear, then contact their customer services specialist and let them alleviate your concerns.
What type of security threats do these services deal with?
These types of services deal with all manner of threats. Today, most cybersecurity threats are divided into three categories:
- Third Parties: this includes ransomware, malware, supply-chain attacks, virus, security breaches, etc from people outside your organization.
- Insider threats: problems within your infrastructure. Issues that have to do with your staff’s security practices, your software’s updates, and other internal risks.
- Nation-State Actors; this last category rarely affects small businesses. Nation-State deals with threats that are backed by foreign Nations — this is mostly a category that affects federal or governmental institutions — or businesses that supply the government.
How to choose the right service?
In the MDR vs. SOC battle line, it all comes down to your budget. The truth is that an in-house SOC team is only advantageous to companies that can fund them properly. To corporations that can maintain a constant professional staff at hand, and can invest in technology.
One that can constantly update its tech and experts. If you can’t maintain that level of excellence, then an MDR is your best solution. Why? All updates, all maintenance, are done by them. You won’t have to worry — They future-proof themselves.
