What is managed detection and response (MDR) and how is it different from antivirus?

MDR is an active security service that combines endpoint detection technology with human analysis and response. Antivirus blocks known threats by signature. MDR hunts for behavioral anomalies — lateral movement, unusual privilege escalation, living-off-the-land attacks — that have no existing signature. When a threat is confirmed, MDR includes containment and remediation, not just an alert. The difference is active defense versus passive filtering.

What does Triton's MDR service include?

Triton's MDR service includes: Sophos Intercept X Advanced with XDR deployed on all endpoints; 24/7 threat monitoring with under 10-minute average response; behavioral threat hunting across endpoint, network, and email telemetry; automated isolation of compromised endpoints; human-led investigation of confirmed incidents; root cause analysis and remediation guidance; and monthly threat reporting. Every client receives a dedicated incident response contact.

How quickly does Triton respond to a detected threat?

Triton's average response time to security alerts is under 10 minutes — better than 84 percent of MSPs nationally based on third-party benchmarking, not self-reported metrics. For active threats, response includes immediate endpoint isolation to prevent lateral spread, notification of your designated contact, and execution of documented incident response procedures. Coverage is consistent across business hours and off-hours.

Does MDR satisfy HIPAA, CMMC, or PCI DSS security monitoring requirements?

Yes. HIPAA requires audit controls and activity monitoring on systems containing ePHI — MDR provides this plus the documented incident response capability required by the Breach Notification Rule. CMMC Level 2 requires system and communications monitoring, incident response, and audit logging — all covered. PCI DSS requires intrusion detection and log monitoring for cardholder data environments. Triton produces compliance-ready documentation from MDR telemetry for each framework.

Can Triton deploy MDR if we already have an internal IT team?

Yes. MDR works well in co-managed environments where your internal IT team handles day-to-day support while Triton runs the security monitoring layer. Your team retains full visibility into alerts and investigations through shared dashboards. This model is common for mid-size businesses that have IT staff but lack the specialized security expertise or capacity to run 24/7 threat monitoring internally.

MDR Services

Managed Detection & Response (MDR)

Triton Technologies delivers 24/7 managed detection and response — combining advanced threat detection technology with expert human analysis to identify, contain, and eliminate threats before they impact your business.

Detection Without Response Is Not Enough

Security alerts are only valuable if someone acts on them. Many businesses deploy EDR or SIEM tools and receive thousands of alerts — but lack the staff to investigate and respond. Unacted-on alerts are not security.

Triton’s MDR service combines enterprise-grade detection technology with a dedicated response team that investigates every alert, separates real threats from false positives, and takes action to contain and eliminate confirmed incidents — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Result Speaks for Itself

70+
Employees

Under Protection

0
Attacks

Ransomware-Free Decade

2
Months

To Full Remediation

Property Management Company — Greater Boston

A Boston-area property management company with dozens of locations was under constant ransomware attack. Their existing provider — a major national brand — was repeatedly patching rather than permanently resolving. When Triton assessed the environment, the finding was stark: absolutely no firewall, workstations running admin-level permissions by default, no file structure, no access authority hierarchy.

Within two months, Triton took over the full account. We implemented enterprise firewall and client-side filtering from zero, locked down the network and workstations, removed default admin permissions, imposed security policy, file structure, and access authorities, and deployed backup and monitoring. For nearly a decade since 2016, this client of 70+ employees has recorded zero ransomware attacks and zero email compromises. They remain a Triton client today, running cloud services that are secure, cost-effective, and support work from anywhere.

Nearly a decade. Zero ransomware attacks. Zero email compromises.

24/7 Real-Time Threat Detection

Triton’s MDR platform ingests telemetry from every endpoint, network device, cloud service, and application in your environment — correlating billions of events per day to identify attack patterns that no single tool can detect alone.

Our detection engine uses behavioral analytics, machine learning, and continuously updated threat intelligence to identify threats at every stage of the attack lifecycle — from initial access and credential theft to lateral movement and data exfiltration.

Every detection is triaged by our security analysts in real time. We separate genuine threats from false positives, investigate the full attack chain, and take action — not just send you an alert and wait.

Automated & Human Response

Speed matters in incident response. The faster a threat is contained, the less damage it causes. Triton’s MDR platform executes automated response actions in seconds — isolating compromised endpoints, blocking malicious processes, and revoking compromised credentials before an analyst even reviews the alert.

Automated response handles the immediate containment while our analysts conduct the deeper investigation — determining the root cause, identifying the full scope of the incident, and executing the remediation steps that require human judgment.

You receive real-time notification of every confirmed incident with a clear explanation of what happened, what we did, and what you need to know — no jargon, no noise.

Threat Intelligence Integration

Threats evolve daily. Yesterday’s indicators of compromise are today’s outdated signatures. Triton’s MDR platform integrates real-time threat intelligence from dozens of commercial and open-source feeds — continuously updating detection rules to identify the latest attack techniques and malware families.

Our threat intelligence team tracks active threat actor groups, emerging ransomware campaigns, and new exploitation techniques — proactively updating your defenses before threats reach your environment.

We also apply threat intelligence from our entire client base — a threat detected against one Triton client immediately updates detection rules for all clients, giving every business the benefit of collective defense.

Post-Incident Forensics & Reporting

Every confirmed incident produces a detailed forensic investigation — preserving evidence, reconstructing the attack timeline, identifying the initial access vector, and determining the full scope of impact. This documentation is essential for insurance claims, regulatory notifications, and legal proceedings.

Triton provides executive-level incident summaries and technical forensic reports for every significant event. Your leadership team gets the business impact summary; your IT team gets the technical detail they need to understand and learn from what happened.

After every incident, we conduct a post-mortem review and implement specific improvements to your environment — making your defenses stronger after every event.

Real Threats Need Real Response — Not Just Alerts

The average time to detect a breach is 207 days. The average time to contain it is another 73 days. Triton’s MDR service cuts both numbers dramatically — detecting threats in minutes and containing them in hours.

Managed Detection & Response — FAQ

What is MDR?

Managed Detection and Response (MDR) is a managed security service that combines technology (EDR, SIEM, network monitoring) with a team of security experts who investigate alerts, confirm incidents, and take response actions on your behalf — 24/7.

How is MDR different from antivirus?

Traditional antivirus detects known malware signatures. MDR uses behavioral analytics to detect unknown threats, fileless attacks, and advanced persistent threats — and then responds to them. MDR also provides human investigation and response, not just automated blocking.

Does MDR replace my IT team?

No. MDR supplements your IT team by handling the security monitoring and response function that requires specialized expertise and 24/7 coverage. Your IT team continues managing your infrastructure; Triton handles the security operations layer.

What does Triton do when a threat is detected?

Depending on the threat severity, Triton automatically isolates affected systems, blocks malicious processes, or revokes compromised credentials — then investigates the full scope of the incident. You are notified in real time with a clear explanation of what happened and what actions were taken.

What telemetry does MDR collect?

Triton’s MDR platform collects endpoint telemetry (process activity, file changes, network connections), network traffic metadata, authentication logs, cloud service logs (Microsoft 365, Azure, AWS), and application logs — correlating all sources for comprehensive detection coverage.

Is MDR required for compliance?

MDR is not explicitly required by most frameworks, but the capabilities it provides — continuous monitoring, incident response, log retention, and forensic investigation — are required by HIPAA, CMMC, NIST CSF, SOC 2, and most cyber insurance policies.

How quickly does Triton respond to a confirmed incident?

Triton targets a response time of under 15 minutes for critical incidents. Automated response actions execute in seconds. Human analyst response and communication to your team begins within 15 minutes of incident confirmation.

Security Frameworks MDR Supports

Triton MDR provides the continuous monitoring, detection, and response capabilities required by the most demanding security frameworks.

NIST CSF

Continuous monitoring and response aligned with NIST Cybersecurity Framework Detect and Respond functions.

CMMC Level 2+

Incident detection, response, and forensics capabilities required for CMMC Level 2 and above certification.

HIPAA

Continuous monitoring and incident response for protected health information environments.

SOC 2

Availability and security monitoring documentation for SOC 2 Type II audit evidence.

NYDFS 23 NYCRR 500

Continuous monitoring and annual penetration testing support for NYDFS-regulated entities.

PCI DSS

Requirement 10 log monitoring and 12.10 incident response plan support.

CIS Controls

Implementation of CIS Controls 8 (Audit Log Management) and 17 (Incident Response Management).

Cyber Insurance

MDR documentation and evidence satisfies cyber insurance carrier requirements for active monitoring.

Let's Discuss Your IT Needs

Triton Technologies delivers managed IT services, cybersecurity, and IT support for businesses across Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, and beyond. Contact our team today to start a conversation about your technology environment.