OpenText recently surveyed 255 MSPs to uncover key trends shaping the future of Managed Detection and Response (MDR). The findings reveal not only what cybersecurity professionals are prioritizing but also how MSPs can better meet the evolving demands of their small and midsize business (SMB) customers.
One key takeaway from the survey: 81% of respondents rated cloud-based SIEM (security information and event management) as important to include in their MDR solution.
Why is cloud-based SIEM such a big deal for an MDR? Because for MSPs delivering MDR services, it’s the backbone that makes scalability, visibility, central and efficient threat management possible.
Cloud-based SIEM is an essential MDR backbone
The modern attack surface is vast. Business customers are spread across hybrid infrastructures with data flowing through endpoints, networks, applications, and the cloud. Cloud-based SIEM-powered MDR services help MSPs stay on top of this complexity by serving as the single source of truth for detecting and responding to threats.
Here’s why it matters:
- Seamless data ingestion
Cloud-based SIEMs ingest security telemetry from diverse sources—EDR solutions, applications, cloud infrastructure, network packet data, and more—to deliver a holistic view of a customer’s environment. - In-depth correlation and analysis
By correlating data across borderless infrastructures, SIEM provides security analysts with the context they need to identify, prioritize, and address the most impactful threats. - Scalability and accessibility
As businesses grow, so do their security needs. Cloud-based SIEM scales effortlessly, ensuring an MSP’s MDR services can handle large data volumes without compromising performance. Plus, analysts can access SIEM insights anywhere, anytime.
In short, a cloud-based SIEM ensures that no corner of the customer’s attack surface is left unseen—from endpoint to cloud. It provides comprehensive visibility, continuously collecting, correlating and analyzing data from every layer of the IT environment. This means the MDR service can detect threats wherever they may arise, whether on-premises, in the cloud, or across hybrid infrastructures, giving MSPs the ability to respond quickly and effectively to any potential risk.
How SIEM drives faster MDR outcomes
Cyberattacks move fast. MSPs delivering MDR services need tools and processes that can keep pace with today’s threats. A cloud-based SIEM is the essential technology that enables the MDR service to deliver rapid detection, triage and investigation. Here’s how SIEM supports faster outcomes across every stage:
- Rapid detection: A cloud-based SIEM continuously ingests and correlates syslog data from all sources, reducing the time it takes to identify a threat after it emerges.
- Time to triage: By consolidating telemetry into a centralized platform, SIEM enables security analysts to quickly assess and prioritize incidents—cutting through the noise to focus on the most critical threats.
- Accelerated investigation: SIEM by leveraging threat intel provides the context analysts need to understand a threat, pinpoint its origin, and determine its potential impact—all without needing to manually stitch together insights.
Expert-led, SIEM-enabled
When MSPs choose an MDR partner solution with a cloud-based SIEM at its core, they unlock more than just a sophisticated tool. They gain the advantage of expert-led security teams that can leverage the full potential of the SIEM platform to deliver rapid, precise, and continuous threat detection.
The survey results highlight that MSPs see the distinct advantage of running an MDR service with a cloud-based SIEM, which enhances their ability to run a 24/7/365 security operations center (SOC). With SIEM as the central hub, security experts can quickly surface suspicious activity, centrally manage investigations and take swift action.
The value of expert-led, SIEM-enabled MDR becomes even clearer when you consider the following benefits:
- Round-the-clock SOC with seamless investigations
The ability to monitor and respond to threats 24/7X365 is critical for an MDR service. By consolidating threat data into a centralized cloud SIEM, experts can detect malicious activity at any time of day or night. This continuous monitoring reduces the risk of attackers moving undetected, ensuring that threats are neutralized before they can cause harm. - Single, integrated tool for investigation
The MDR survey results highlight the value MSPs place on having a unified toolset for threat detection and investigation. A cloud-based SIEM with threat intel provides this central hub, enabling security teams to efficiently assess the scope of incidents, prioritize based on severity, and track the attack’s progress in real-time. The SIEM can correlate data across multiple environments—whether it’s endpoint data, network logs, or cloud infrastructure—ensuring nothing slips through the cracks. - Expert insight into threat context
The SIEM doesn’t just provide raw data; it enriches that data with valuable context from threat intel , helping the MDR security experts to identify the root cause of a threat, its potential impact, and the fastest path to resolution.
As cyber threats become more relentless and attack surfaces continue to expand, MSPs are in a unique position to help SMBs stay secure. OpenText’s MDR survey results highlight what’s clear: a cloud-based SIEM as part of an MSP’s MDR solution is a priority set up. It allows MSPs to deliver consistent, effective threat detection and response.
By combining the right technology with the right expertise, MSPs can navigate the complexity of today’s cybersecurity landscape and give their customers the confidence to focus on what matters most: growing their business.
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