The digital landscape of today’s modern world has allowed us the unprecedented ability to shift our businesses from the physical world to the digital world, or at least partially. And just like physical property, the digital space that your business is integrated with also needs to be well-protected. That’s what makes cybersecurity such an essential aspect of running a business nowadays. Cybersecurity is the umbrella term for a variety of security solutions, such as SIEM, SIC, and XDR security (which this blog will come to be about). And you don’t have to know what any of that means to know that not every business has the experience, budget, or time to handle their own cybersecurity measures—that’s why a managed service provider (MSP) is often the go-to solution for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).

As you’re surely well aware, if you’re an owner or employee of an MSP, managed service providers are third-party companies that help SMBs remotely handle their IT infrastructure in various capacities—one of those being, of course, their cybersecurity capabilities. This allows those businesses to get back to running their services to the best of their abilities and offers them a piece of mind knowing that their cybersecurity is all being handled for them. However, not every MSP does offer cybersecurity services or isn’t satisfied with their current services, and we think that’s a missed opportunity, especially since it’s never been easier to incorporate it into your MSP services than ever before with our XDR security here at Blueshift Cybersecurity!

Here at Blueshift Cybersecurity, we combine leading, state-of-the-art cybersecurity technologies with a robust managed security operation to help MSPs like yours provide for and protect the SMB clients that have placed their trust in your services. The threats that those businesses can face in the digital space are ever-evolving and always finding new ways to break through cyber defenses. As such, your chosen cybersecurity provider needs to not only be able to keep up with those threats but stay two steps ahead of them at all times—and here at Blueshift Cybersecurity, that’s what we do best.

Now—that’s a lot of nice talk, but how exactly does XDR security work, and why should an MSP want to add it to their services in the first place? In this blog, we’ll answer those questions and more.

What is XDR Security?

To start off with the basics, XDR is short for Extended Detection and Response. This form of cybersecurity works to—as the name implies—detect and respond to real-time cyber threats that an IT infrastructure may be facing. And what that offers is a full spectrum of visibility across an entire IT infrastructure, whether that’s a business’ endpoints, networks, and IoT devices or their servers, cloud environments, and virtual machines.

How XDR Security Works

XDR security functions by continually harvesting large swaths of data from a given IT infrastructure’s various components, such as those mentioned just above (networks, endpoints, servers, etc.). This data is then organized and analyzed by machine learning algorithms, and any irregularities from the norm are detected and responded to. However, “respond” in this context should not be confused with “prevention.” Think of XDR security as a warning siren that calls attention to the problem at hand, providing the information needed to appropriately address and remedy the situation.

This process—at least, ours here at Blueshift Cybersecurity—involves six crucial components: SOC, SIEM and SOAR, NDR, and CM. Below you’ll find a quick overview of what each of those is:

• Network Detection and Response (NDR) — NDR utilizes deep packet detection and response to quickly catch any threats that attempt to or are successful in infiltrating a business’ network.
• Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) — EDR operates similarly to NDR; however, it instead focuses on an IT infrastructure’s various endpoints.
• Cloud Monitoring (CM) — Cloud monitoring serves to detect and respond to any malicious threats that attempt to find a backdoor into a business’ cloud system.
• Security Operation Center (SOC) — The SOC serves as the hands-on, human-led response to advanced threats detected through XDR security. The team in charge of the SOC will also be responsible for conducting forensic investigations and offering further security recommendations.
• Security Information Event Management (SIEM) & Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) — The SIEM and SOAR functionalities offer an immediate reduction in cyber threat risk and help to eliminate alert fatigue that the SOC may begin to experience.

And when you choose Blueshift Cybersecurity to add XDR security to your MSP services, you’ll also have access to a variety of optional features, such as:

• Email and phishing security, which helps detect and prevent malicious phishing scams, malware, and ransomware from harming your SMB clients
• Data and hard drive defense, which works to keep all of your client’s sensitive information properly stored and protected
• And more!

Do MSPs Really Need XDR Security?

The short answer is: yes! But you’re here to know more than just that, so allow us to go into more detail.

As a managed service provider, countless businesses’ IT infrastructures are left in your trusted care—and we don’t have to tell you just how immense of a responsibility that is. If you already offer your own cybersecurity services, you may not have the budget or manpower to expand those services with XDR security. Likewise, if you don’t have any pre-existing cybersecurity services, it could be too large of a task to make space for, set up, and properly manage an entirely new line of services. As such, a third-party XDR security solution is exactly what you need to give your SMB clients the best experience possible as well as relieve yourself of the stress of managing your own.

But that isn’t the only benefit of choosing XDR security through a first-class company like Blueshift Cybersecurity. In fact, there are plenty—and you may have even caught hints of a few from the blog thus far.

The Benefits of XDR Security for MSPs

Real-time Threat Detection and Response

We’ll start first with the obvious benefit you already figured out by the name itself. Real-time threat detection and response is a crucial service in today’s digital age. As we mentioned in the introduction to this blog, just as cybersecurity is advancing and becoming more effective, so too are the cyber threats that they work diligently to prevent. But thanks to real-time threat detection and response through XDR security solutions, organizations are able to keep up with almost any cyber threats that are thrown their direction. That’s because the quicker a problem is detected and responded to, the less damage a malicious actor is able to create.

Automated Incident Response

It’s not just an XDR security solution’s detection capabilities that are lightning-fast. The response times are also quick as can be thanks to our automated incident response feature. The process of detecting, containing, and resolving cyber security incidents that would take a specialist far too much time to notice, react, and respond to is completely streamlined through automation. This means that you’ll be able to save both time and resources for both yourself as an MSP and your SMB clients. And not only does automated incident response speed things up, but it also reduces the risk of human error and is able to respond to countless threats at the same time.

Seamless Integration With Other Programs and Security Tools

Seamless integration is another unbeatable benefit of our Blueshift XDR security. There are security programs and tools of all kinds for a variety of IT infrastructure components, and it can be a massive pain when they don’t work well together—if at all. Not only is it frustrating, but it can also diminish the overall quality of your cybersecurity and lead to wasted resources and time. This is even more so true if you already have a selection of MSP cybersecurity services that you’d like to keep in conjunction with our XDR security here at Blueshift Cybersecurity. 

And if you don’t already have a cybersecurity offering at your MSP, there are countless security tools that your clients are likely already using without even realizing it. As such, an XDR security solution that integrates well with even consumer-level cybersecurity programs and tools will help protect your clients even further. Some leading cybersecurity tools that our XDR security integrates seamlessly with include:

• Windows Defender, which comes standard through any Windows operating system
• Amazon Web Services (AWS), which is used when supporting any part of a business’s IT infrastructure through an Amazon-owned service
• Google Cloud, which is frequently used as a safe mode of cloud-based storage for a business’ information digital work and internal information
• Office 365, which is home to a variety of productivity platforms that also require cyber-protection
• And More!

Reduced False Positives and Negatives

Wasting time, money, and other valuable resources is never an enjoyable experience, especially if it happens consistently. Thankfully, you won’t have to worry about false alarms causing you grief. Our XDR security solutions were designed to reduce the number of false positives and negatives in cybersecurity detection that may arise while an IT infrastructure is being combed through. This ensures that the SOC’s efforts are solely focused on the real cyber threats at hand and that they aren’t missing true threats while sifting through the false flags.

Reduced Regulatory Compliance Complexity

Dealing with the minutiae of the countless technical control regulations that surround all cybersecurity efforts can be time-consuming and difficult to parse through. Especially when handling SMBs from a variety of industries, it can be troublesome to remember what controls apply to who and when and effectively comply with them. But once again, our Blueshift XDR security can bring you peace of mind. Our cybersecurity solutions make it a simple process to comply with the many technical controls out there, such as General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council regulations (FFIEC), and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act regulations (HIPAA).

Why Partner With Blueshift Cybersecurity?

So, you may be thinking to yourself, “I’m sold on the XDR security—but why choose Blueshift Cybersecurity.” And if you were thinking that, we’re glad you asked. With Blueshift Cybersecurity, you’ll receive a fully-managed XDR suite that includes all the benefits listed above and much, much more.

When we say fully managed, we mean it. We take care of everything from the SIEM and SOAR solutions to day-to-day network detection and response that keeps your SMB clients safe and content—all so you don’t have to. Our top-down and highly cost-effective XDR security protection was designed by us specifically to cover every need that may arise from an SMB, like those who entrust their IT infrastructure to your MSP. This frees your team from the burden of running an entire XDR security system and allows you to continue handling the rest of your company’s thriving services.

Moreover, we are dedicated to helping actively protect organizations of any size in the oftentimes intimidating cyber-threat landscape with a unique fusion of cybersecurity offerings that you’ll be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. It’s not just talk either; our track record and history of success in XDR security have made us confident in our ability to do so. And with our use of machine learning, complex algorithms, and highly-intelligent edge nodes, any cyber-threats that threaten you or your clients will be caught red-handed.

But that’s more than enough about us—it’s time to get you the XDR security that you’ve been looking for.

Protect Your SMB Clients With XDR Security Today!

The cyber-threats that exist out in the digital landscape are getting more advanced by the day, and so should your defenses against them. And as you can see, XDR security can not only be of massive benefit to your SMB clients, but it can be a monumental boon to you as an MSP as well. That’s why you need our team and services here at Blueshift Cybersecurity. From our comprehensive XDR security suite to our 24/7, US-based SOC, we are your one-stop shop for all things cybersecurity-related.

Contact us today to see if our fully-managed XDR security solutions are right for you.