How MDR (Managed Detection & Response) helps keep company data secure when WFH 

A Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service provides a number of capabilities that can make a huge difference in your cyber security if you have team members working from home. In this article, we overview some of the main benefits and explain why you might want to consider an MDR service if your team works from home or you have a hybrid setup. 

Why does WFH result in greater cyber risk? 

There are many additional potential cyber risks when team members work from home.  

These include the danger of using unsecured wifi connections, possibly using their own (unsecured) devices (including mobiles), and the risk of their equipment not being properly maintained or patched. Employees working from home are also on their own and therefore less likely to ask a colleague for assistance if something doesn’t seem right, meaning they might just carry on and hope for the best. 

All-in-all, compared with a work environment completely under your control, the WFH cyber risks are considerably greater. 

What is a Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service? 

MDR is a managed service that helps you stay secure with live 24/7 monitoring and visibility of your environment (on-site and remote), including threat detection and automated alerts that are normally overseen by an outsourced team of experts. 

Normally built on the foundation of a SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) solution, an MDR service will deliver unprecedented visibility of your network, both in near-real-time and historically. 

The value of MDR is in providing a proactive approach to security that helps you understand exactly what is going on and obtain rapid intervention when issues arise without needing to detract your team from getting on with their normal business.  

How does MDR help with WFH? 

In a word – visibility! 

Having an MDR service lets you observe what is happening across your environment, regardless of whether the team is in the office, in their homes or in a public space. 

More specifically, an MDR service will be monitoring and checking for issues such as: 

Managing permissions and credentials 

You need to know who has access to what and ensure it is only ever the people who really need it – the MDR service with its SIEM package makes this easy to monitor and manage so you can ensure sensitive data is only accessible to those it should be. 

Ensuring devices are running the latest software 

One of the greatest risks to security and facilitators of cyber-attacks is simply failing to install the latest software versions and security patches. With remote equipment, this can be extremely hard to manage, but with an MDR service and SIEM solution, it becomes a piece of cake. 

Detecting phishing attacks 

Phishing is the leading risk for most organisations with just one click standing between, for example, business as usual and a potential ransomware situation.  Our MDR service and SIEM solution will help identify malicious emails and neutralise threats automatically. What’s more, if an attack is successful, it makes it much easier to recover from it.  

Monitoring downloads of commercially sensitive files 

It’s hard enough to know if commercially sensitive information – for example, a customer database – is being downloaded onto a USB stick by a disgruntled employee in the office. When team members have access at home, it becomes a different scale of problem. But an MDR service with a SIEM solution gives you full visibility and can automatically issue alerts if sensitive files are accessed or downloaded. 

Providing a history of activity for forensic purposes 

Cyber-attacks happen in many organisations, and the breach may already have happened. Sophisticated criminals don’t just ‘smash and grab’ – they stay in the system, without your knowledge, for weeks, months and even years. An MDR service not only helps you detect this, but the complete historical logging means you and your team can understand what happened and how to put things right. This information can be invaluable for any forensic investigation. 

Facilitating compliance and supplier due diligence 

Becoming more cyber secure is always likely to be your main objective, but increasingly, it is also important to be able to demonstrate to third parties that you are doing the right things. This might be customers, procurement teams or compliance bodies. An MDR service with a SIEM solution will give you all the reporting you need to make this process quick and easy, 

What kinds of WFH organisations need an MDR service? 

It might be easier to ask who doesn’t!  

If you have an organisation with team members on your network from a variety of locations, including their homes and public places, it is essential you have visibility of what’s going on to ensure your data (and your customer/client data) remains secure. 

If you are in any of the following sectors, we would say MDR is essential unless you have a fully resourced internal cyber security team: 

• Fintech 
• Professional services 
• SaaS 
• E-commerce 
• Education 
•  Manufacturing 
• Distribution  
• Charity 

How much does an MDR service suitable for a WFH or hybrid environment cost? 

MDR services can require significant investment and for enterprise organisations, they can cost £tens of thousands per month. Indeed, most MDR services have been designed around the needs of large enterprises, which has resulted in very high price points. 

But that is changing. Organisations of all sizes that need to protect their data – especially those with remote teams – need an MDR solution fit for their needs and a new generation of highly capable systems designed for smaller, growing businesses in sectors such as fintech, professional services, SaaS, and e-commerce are becoming available. 

As an example, the Securious MDR service, designed especially for organisations of this type, costs from just £895 (+vat) a month, depending on your exact requirements. 

How can I learn more about an MDR solution? 

If you fit the criteria above and have a team working remotely, we recommend you consider an MDR service to improve your data and cyber security. 

We have built what we believe to be an outstanding MDR package with a SIEM solution, especially for SMEs who care about their data and want an outstanding service at an appropriate price point. Using technology developed and hosted in the UK, it gives full visibility, logging and monitoring across your devices and environment with 24/7 cover, alerts and reporting.  

We also offer a proof of concept trial that’s incredibly easier to set up so you can experience the benefits yourself before committing to going ahead. 

Just fill in the form below to set up a call with one of our specialists to see if it sounds right for you.