Gartner defines managed detection and response (MDR) services as those that provide customers with remotely delivered security operations center (SOC) functions. These functions allow organizations to perform rapid detection, analysis, investigation and response through threat disruption and containment. They offer a turnkey experience, using a predefined technology stack that commonly covers endpoints, networks, logs and cloud. Telemetry is analyzed within a provider’s platform using a range of techniques. The MDR provider’s analyst team then performs threat hunting and incident management to deliver recommended actions to their clients. MDR offers outcome-driven security incident management that is predicated on the detection, analysis and investigation of potentially impactful security events and the delivery of active threat disruption and containment actions to respond to and mitigate the impact of cyber breaches.
Penetration Testing tools and services are designed to test vulnerabilities and weaknesses within computer systems and applications by simulating a cyber attack on a computer system, network, or web application. Companies conduct penetration tests to uncover new defects and test the security of communication channels and integrations. These tools and services either use vulnerability scanners or conduct manual/automated tests that scan networks and systems for open ports, and services and conduct vulnerability assessments to find any software lapse that may prove a route of attack on the system later. Further, the identified vulnerabilities are exploited to gain unauthorized access to systems or data and they try to escalate or pivot to key assets to have a better understanding about the impact of a specific attack. The process ends with generating a detailed and comprehensive testing report that describes, gives evidence for, assesses the risk, and recommends the solution to any vulnerability found. Typically, these are used by security professionals and ethical hackers to identify vulnerabilities, evaluate risks or/and validate controls, understanding how the cyber-attacks work, and test the effectiveness of security measures.
Security consulting firms are advisory and consulting services (see 'Definition: Cybersecurity' ) related to information and IT security design, evaluation and recommendations. These services are procured by various stakeholders in an organization, including boards of directors, CEOs, chief risk officers (CROs), chief information security officers (CISOs), chief information officers (CIOs), and other business and IT leaders for the purpose of obtaining and ensuring acceptable risk levels for a specific client organization.