As cybersecurity providers advance and evolve their service capabilities, they may fall into one of two camps relative to managed detection and response (MDR) or extended detection and response (XDR) technologies — or blur the lines by offering both.
What are the similarities and differences between MDR and XDR? And who are the key players in either space? If you’re an MSSP, MSP or cybersecurity vendor, it’s important to know.
MDR and XDR are both cybersecurity services designed to enhance threat detection and response capabilities. However, they differ in scope, integration and in the way they are delivered.
Human Expertise a Key Component in MDR
MDR is a service that provides organizations with a combination of technology and human expertise to detect, analyze and respond to threats. It focuses on endpoint detection and response (EDR), but may also include network and log monitoring.
MDR typically involves EDR tools and other security monitoring technologies, using security analysts and incident responders who monitor and manage threats 24/7.
MDR is delivered as a managed service by third-party providers. It often includes threat intelligence, proactive threat hunting, incident analysis and response actions. MDR is designed to supplement or replace in-house security operations centers (SOCs) for organizations without sufficient internal resources.
The benefits of MDR include advanced threat detection and response capabilities without requiring extensive in-house expertise. MDR offers continuous monitoring and immediate response to incidents, and it can be tailored to the organization's specific needs.
XDR Stretches Beyond the Endpoints
XDR is a security solution that integrates multiple security products into a cohesive system for improved detection and response. XDR extends beyond endpoints to include data from various sources, such as networks, servers, applications and cloud environments.
XDR technology provides an integration of data from EDR, network traffic analysis (NTA), security information and event management (SIEM), email security and other security tools. XDR is delivered via a unified platform that is centralized for visibility, correlation and analysis of threats across the entire IT environment.
XDR can be delivered as a product (software) or as a service. It often includes automated and semi-automated response capabilities, reducing the need for human intervention. XDR provides a holistic view of the security landscape by integrating data from various sources while enhancing detection and response capabilities through improved context and correlation of security events. XDR also streamlines and simplifies security operations by reducing the complexity of managing multiple disparate tools.
How MDR and XDR are Different
A key difference between MDR and XDR centers on integration versus management. MDR focuses on managed services, relying on human expertise combined with technology to handle detection and response. But XDR’s focus is on integrating various security tools and data sources into a unified system to enhance detection and response capabilities.
As for their respective scope of coverage, MDR is primarily focused on endpoints but can include network and log monitoring. XDR differs from MDR in that it broadens the scope to cover endpoints, networks, servers, applications, and cloud environments, providing a more comprehensive security view.
While both MDR and XDR aim to improve an organization's ability to detect and respond to threats, MDR is more about providing managed services with expert human oversight. XDR focuses on integrating and automating various security tools to offer a more comprehensive and efficient detection and response solution. Organizations may choose one over the other based on their specific needs, resources and existing security infrastructure.
XDR-Only Providers
Some security service providers focus exclusively on XDR. Notable examples include:
Focusing Exclusively on MDR
A number of security service providers focus on MDR services exclusively. Notable examples include:
Vendors Offering Both MDR and XDR
Several security vendors offer both MDR and XDR services. Notable examples include:
Editor's Note: Human editors were assisted by ChatGPT in the preparation of this article.
