MDR vs MSSP: What's the Difference?

The Quick Answer

MDR (Managed Detection & Response) focuses on active threat hunting, detection, investigation, and rapid response. MSSP (Managed Security Service Provider) focuses on managing security infrastructure like firewalls, SIEM, and compliance reporting. Think of MSSP as "security device management" and MDR as "threat hunting and response."

What is an MSSP?

Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) emerged in the early 2000s to help organizations deploy and manage security infrastructure. Traditional MSSPs typically offer:

• Device Management: Deploy and maintain firewalls, IPS/IDS, VPN concentrators
• SIEM Monitoring: Collect logs and generate alerts based on predefined rules
• Vulnerability Scanning: Regular scans and patch management
• Compliance Reporting: Generate reports for PCI-DSS, HIPAA, SOC 2
• Security Consulting: Policy development, risk assessments

MSSPs excel at managing the infrastructure of security. They keep your firewall rules updated, ensure your SIEM is collecting logs, and help you pass compliance audits. However, traditional MSSPs often have limitations:

What is MDR?

Managed Detection & Response (MDR) is a newer category focused specifically on detecting and responding to active threats. MDR providers assume adversaries have bypassed traditional defenses and focus on:

• Continuous Monitoring: 24×7 analysis of endpoint, cloud, network, and identity telemetry
• Behavioral Analytics: Detect anomalies and TTPs (Tactics, Techniques, Procedures) aligned to MITRE ATT&CK
• Active Threat Hunting: Proactively search for threats, not just respond to alerts
• Rapid Investigation: Triage alerts within minutes, not hours
• Guided Response: Immediate containment recommendations and coordination
• Human Expertise: Skilled analysts who understand attacker behavior

MDR assumes a breach is inevitable. The goal is to detect threats quickly (MTTD ≤ 15 minutes) and respond before damage occurs (MTTR ≤ 60 minutes). This requires different tooling, different skills, and a fundamentally different approach than traditional MSSP services.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Aspect	MSSP	MDR
Primary Focus	Infrastructure management	Threat detection & response
Approach	Preventive, compliance-driven	Detective, assume breach
Response Time	Hours to days	Minutes (≤15 min MTTD)
Staffing Model	Network/system engineers	Security analysts, threat hunters
Primary Tools	Firewalls, SIEM, scanners	EDR, SIEM, threat intel, SOAR
Detection Method	Signature/rule-based	Behavioral, ML, anomaly detection
Threat Hunting	Reactive to alerts	Proactive hunting campaigns
Typical SLA	99.9% uptime	MTTD/MTTR metrics

Why MDR Emerged

Traditional MSSP models struggle with modern threats for several reasons:

1. Alert Fatigue

Enterprise SIEMs generate thousands of alerts daily. MSSPs often lack the expertise to triage effectively, leading to:

• 95%+ false positive rates
• Critical alerts buried in noise
• Burned-out analysts who stop investigating

2. Sophisticated Adversaries

Modern attackers use "living off the land" techniques (LOLBins), fileless malware, and legitimate credentials. They bypass signature-based detection entirely. You need behavioral analytics and threat hunting—not just signature matching.

3. Speed Matters

Ransomware can encrypt an entire network in under 30 minutes. Ticket-based response models (submit ticket → wait for analyst → schedule call) are too slow. MDR providers detect and contain threats in minutes.

4. Skills Gap

Building an internal SOC requires hiring rare talent: threat hunters, forensics experts, malware analysts. Most organizations can't compete with FAANG salaries. MDR providers pool expert talent across many clients.

Do You Need Both?

Many organizations benefit from both MSSP and MDR services:

Example workflow: Your MSSP manages your firewall and ensures it's properly configured. Your MDR provider monitors endpoint telemetry and detects that a user's machine is beaconing to a C2 server. MDR alerts MSSP to block the IP at the firewall. Both work together, with clear responsibilities.

The Hybrid Model: Modern MSSPs

Recognizing these gaps, many traditional MSSPs now offer "MDR-like" services. However, quality varies widely:

Which One Do You Need?

Choose MSSP if you need:

• ✅ Security device management (firewalls, IPS, VPN)
• ✅ Compliance reporting (PCI-DSS, HIPAA)
• ✅ Vulnerability scanning and patch management
• ✅ Basic log collection and retention
• ✅ Policy and procedure documentation

Choose MDR if you need:

• ✅ Active threat detection and hunting
• ✅ Rapid incident response (minutes, not hours)
• ✅ Behavioral analytics and anomaly detection
• ✅ Expertise in modern attack techniques
• ✅ Coverage for endpoints, cloud, and identity

Choose Both if you:

• ✅ Have compliance requirements AND active threats
• ✅ Need infrastructure management AND threat hunting
• ✅ Want defense-in-depth with clear role separation

The BabarTech Approach

At BabarTech, we focus exclusively on MDR. We don't manage your firewall or patch your servers—we detect and respond to threats. This allows us to:

• Specialize: Our entire team focuses on detection and response
• Partner: We work alongside your MSSP or internal IT team
• Move Fast: MTTD ≤15 min, MTTR ≤60 min
• Stay Current: Constant training on latest TTPs and attack techniques

We believe organizations are best served by specialists doing what they do best. Let your MSSP manage infrastructure. Let us hunt threats.

Conclusion

MSSP and MDR are not the same thing. MSSPs manage security infrastructure and focus on compliance. MDR providers hunt for threats and respond rapidly when they're found. Many organizations need both.

The key is understanding which problems you're trying to solve:

• Infrastructure problem? → MSSP
• Threat detection problem? → MDR
• Both? → Partner them together