The Journey to MDR: From EDR, NDR, SIEM, and XDR

For many small and mid-sized businesses, cyber security can feel overwhelming. You know threats like ransomware, phishing, data theft and much more are out there, but it’s hard to know where to start to begin protecting your business.  

The truth is that effective cyber defence doesn’t happen overnight. Most organisations go through a series of steps as they build maturity, gain visibility, understand their needs, and recruit the right expertise along the way. The goal is to reach a point where threats can be spotted early, contained quickly, and resolved before they cause disruption. In short, the end goal is Managed Detection and Response (MDR). 

Here’s what that journey looks like — and why reaching the MDR stage with CyberFire MDR from Integrity360 delivers the best protection for growing businesses. 

Stage 1: The basics of – Endpoint Protection and firewalls 

Most SMEs begin with the bare essentials: EPP software and network firewalls. These are your first line of defence, blocking known malware and restricting suspicious network traffic. 

Pros: 

• Simple and inexpensive to deploy. 

• Provides fundamental protection against known threats. 

• Suitable for small environments with limited systems. 

Cons: 

• Less effective to block new or advanced attacks. 

• No visibility into what’s happening inside your network. 

• No detection or response capability. 

At this stage, you’re protected from the obvious but blind to the sophisticated.

Stage 2: Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) 

EDR adds visibility and control at the device level. It continuously monitors laptops, desktops, and servers for suspicious activity and can isolate compromised endpoints to prevent spread. 

Pros: 

• Detects advanced and fileless attacks missed by antivirus. 

• Records detailed telemetry for investigation. 

• Can automatically respond to endpoint-based threats. 

Cons: 

• Only protects individual endpoints — not the wider network. 

• Generates high alert volumes that can overwhelm small teams. 

• Requires skilled analysts to interpret data. 

For SMEs, EDR is a strong next step but it still has its limits especially if you’re growing fast and have a small security team. 

Stage 3: Network Detection and Response (NDR) 

NDR extends visibility beyond devices to cover your network traffic. It analyses patterns, flags unusual behaviour, and detects lateral movement by attackers. 

Pros: 

• Detects threats that endpoint protection may be blind to. 

• Monitors east-west traffic for lateral movement and internal compromise. 

• Useful for identifying insider threats or compromised devices. 

Cons: 

• Requires high effort to configure and maintain. 

• Can produce too many alerts without clear context. 

• Needs integration with other security tools for full value. 

NDR complements EDR and expands an organisation threat detection coverage,  but on its own it still leaves gaps. You can see more but may not always benefit from what you’re seeing if you don’t have the right expertise within the organisation.  

Stage 4: Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) 

A SIEM brings together all those logs and alerts — from firewalls, endpoints, and servers — into a central platform. It correlates data to spot suspicious trends and trigger alerts. 

Pros: 

• Provides centralised visibility across your IT environment. 

• Creates audit trails useful for compliance and investigations. 

• Helps identify complex, multi-step attacks. 

Cons: 

• Expensive to license, host, and tune. 

• High false positive rate without expert management. 

• Requires 24/7 monitoring and continuous threat content updates. 

Many SMEs find that a SIEM gives visibility but not necessarily peace of mind. You have the data but not the people to utilise it. 

Stage 5: Extended Detection and Response (XDR) 

XDR unifies multiple detection layers — endpoints, networks, cloud, and more — into one platform. It automatically correlates signals from different sources, improving accuracy and reducing alert fatigue. XDR solutions can differ significantly based on the vendor approach, as some XDR platforms include SIEM capabilities, EDR agents, or represent a bundle of security products stitched together by a centralised management layer. 

Pros: 

• Out-of-the-box, it integrates data across multiple environments. 

• Improves efficiency by covering multiple use cases with one solution. 

• Simplifies operations and investigation workflows. 

Cons: 

• Still requires skilled analysts to interpret alerts. 

• May not provide the strongest coverage, compared to best-of-breed approach 

• Doesn’t provide the flexibility of an open-vendor ecosystem 

• XDR brings advanced capabilities within reach, but for SMEs, it can still feel like “too much tech, not enough time.” 

Stage 6: building a Security Operations Centre (SOC) 

To make sense of all those alerts, organisations often create a Security Operations Centre (SOC) — a team dedicated to monitoring, analysing, and responding to incidents. 

Pros: 

• Enables continuous monitoring and structured response. 

• Builds in-house knowledge and control. 

• Allows faster containment of attacks. 

Cons: 

• High cost to recruit, train, and retain skilled analysts. 

• Difficult to staff 24/7 coverage for SMEs. 

• Requires ongoing investment in people, tools and threat intelligence. 

An in-house SOC is the dream for many businesses — but in reality, it’s costly and resource-heavy to maintain without scale. 

Stage 7: Managed Detection and Response (MDR)— expert-led protection 

This is where everything comes together. Managed Detection and Response (MDR) combines the best of EDR, NDR, SIEM, and XDR — but with the crucial addition of human expertise. Instead of managing complex systems yourself, a trusted provider such as Integrity360 does it for you. 

With CyberFire MDR, you gain: 

• 24/7 monitoring and response: Expert analysts watching over your environment around the clock. 

• Low-noise detection: Custom detection rules and threat-informed defence  tuned to your business. 

• Rapid incident response: Critical events are contained quickly, minimising impact. 

• Threat hunting: Analysts proactively search for hidden risks and emerging threats in your environment 

• Turnkey deployment: Seamless integration without the need for your own SIEM or additional infrastructure. 

• Continuous improvement: Regular service updates and security guidance to strengthen resilience and improve risk posture. 

 CyberFire MDR gives SMEs enterprise-level protection without enterprise-level costs. You get the visibility, expertise, and reassurance of a 24/7 SOC — all delivered as a service. 

The end goal is peace of mind 

Cyber attacks don’t wait for office hours, and neither should your protection. Whether you’re starting from basic antivirus or juggling too many disconnected tools, Managed Detection and Response represents the natural next step. 

With CyberFire MDR, you don’t just get technology you gain a partner with hundreds of experts and six dedicated SOCs all dedicated to defending your business every minute of every day. 

Discover how CyberFire MDR can help you take control of your cyber security journey.