By Patrick Hayes, Chief Strategy Officer

As cyber threats become more sophisticated, organizations must adopt proactive security strategies to protect their digital assets. However, building and maintaining an in-house security operations center (SOC) is costly and requires skilled personnel, making it an impractical solution for many businesses. This has led to the rise of outsourced security services like Security Operations as a Service (SOC as a Service), Managed Detection and Response (MDR), and Managed Extended Detection and Response (Managed XDR).

Each service plays a distinct role in strengthening an organization’s cybersecurity posture. SOC as a Service provides a comprehensive, subscription-based approach to security operations, managing an organization’s security tools while ensuring compliance and threat monitoring. MDR offers more focused, proactive threat detection and response capabilities, often leveraging endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools and expert threat hunters. Meanwhile, Managed XDR takes cybersecurity to the next level by integrating multiple security layers into a single, unified detection and response platform.

Understanding the key differences between these services is crucial for organizations looking to enhance their security posture without overextending their resources.  This blog post explores what SOC as a Service, MDR, and Managed XDR are, how they function, and how to determine which service best aligns with your organization’s security needs.

What is Security Operations as a Service?

Security Operations as a Service (SOC as a Service) is a solution where a third-party provider manages and monitors an organization’s security operations. SOC as a Service allows organizations to outsource their Security Operations functions to a third-party provider, which monitors and manages the customer’s existing security tools (e.g., SIEM, EDR) for threat detection, response, and compliance support, unlike in-house SOCs, which require significant investment in staff and infrastructure, SOC as a Service is subscription-based, flexible, and faster in detecting and responding to threats. It’s a more efficient option for organizations lacking resources or expertise for robust in-house security.

What is Managed Detection and Response?

Managed Detection and Response (MDR) is an outsourced cybersecurity service that provides 24/7 threat detection, proactive threat hunting, and incident response using advanced tools and expert analysts. It helps organizations quickly identify and respond to cyber threats without an in-house security team. MDR providers typically provide technologies like endpoint detection and response (EDR), threat intelligence, machine learning, and custom threat-hunting tools to detect and respond to threats. These tools are combined with expert human analysis for continuous monitoring, proactive threat hunting, and rapid incident response.

What is Managed Extended Detection and Response?

Managed Extended Detection and Response is an advanced, outsourced cybersecurity service that combines Extended Detection and Response (XDR) technology, integrating multiple security layers like endpoints, networks, cloud, and email, with human expertise. Managed XDR provides 24/7 monitoring, proactive threat hunting, and rapid incident response, leveraging automation, machine learning, and unified visibility to detect and mitigate threats across the entire attack surface. Managed XDR builds on MDR capabilities through the effective use of technology to centralize detections, correlations, and investigation activities into a single pane of glass for enhanced protection and simplified management.

What are the Differences Between Managed XDR, MDR, and SOC as a Service?

Managed XDR has several differences from MDR and SOC as a Service, as it offers unified visibility and response across multiple technology layers using XDR technology. MDR focuses on threat detection and response within specific areas like endpoints or networks. At the same time, SOC as a Service provides broad security management, including compliance and monitoring, but typically with limited response capabilities.

Here are some of the main differences to help you understand which is the right service for your organization:

1. Scope

1. SOC as a Service offers broad security management, including compliance, vulnerability management, and overall infrastructure monitoring.
2. MDR focuses on detecting and responding to threats across specific layers like endpoints, networks, or cloud environments.
3. Managed XDR provides extended visibility across all layers, including endpoints, networks, cloud, and applications, with unified monitoring and response capabilities.

2. Technology

• SOC as a Service typically relies on the organization’s existing technology but may also offer some tools to monitor and manage the cybersecurity environment.
• MDR relies on tools such as EDR, SIEM, and network traffic analysis to detect threats and respond to incidents in near real-time.
• Managed XDR integrates advanced security technology for centralized data collection and correlation across platforms for enhanced threat detection and response.

3. Focus

• SOC as a Service focuses on overall security operations, including proactive recommendations and compliance support.
• MDR prioritizes active threat detection, hunting, and incident response with a narrower scope.
• Managed XDR combines automation with expert threat hunting for holistic protection against advanced threats.

4. Response Capabilities

• SOC as a Service primarily identifies threats and provides recommendations, depending on customer technologies and service provider tools, but lacks immediate hands-on response capabilities.
• MDR provides human-led incident response reliant on technologies such as EDR and SIEM with some automated capabilities.
• Managed XDR offers automated responses alongside expert-led remediation across all attack surfaces.

Choosing the right cybersecurity service depends on an organization’s security needs, resources, and risk tolerance. SOC as a Service is ideal for organizations with existing cybersecurity technologies seeking comprehensive security monitoring and compliance support without the overhead of an in-house SOC. MDR provides focused, expert-driven threat detection and response, making it a strong choice for businesses needing proactive protection against evolving threats. Managed XDR offers the most advanced approach by integrating multiple security layers into a unified detection and response platform, delivering enhanced visibility, automation, and rapid threat mitigation. Understanding the distinctions between these services allows businesses to make informed decisions, strengthen their defenses, and stay ahead of cyber threats without compromising efficiency or budget.