MDR services (Managed detection and response): what UK businesses need to know

If you run a business of 10–200 staff in the UK, the phrase “MDR services (Managed detection and response)” is one you should know — even if you don’t enjoy thinking about cyber security after a long day of meetings. This isn’t about buying shiny software; it’s about making sure someone is watching your systems so a small problem doesn’t become a business-stopping crisis.

Why MDR matters to a business like yours

Smaller and mid-sized firms are often targeted because they’re perceived as easier to break into than large enterprises. For many businesses, a single ransomware incident or prolonged data breach can cost more than a year’s profit once you include recovery, fines, customer churn and reputational damage. MDR services focus on speed: spotting suspicious activity early and responding so downtime and cost are kept to a minimum.

Business outcomes, not buzzwords

Think in terms of outcomes you’ll understand: fewer hours spent rebuilding systems, less time offline, better evidence for regulators and insurers, and a stronger reputation with customers. MDR is designed to deliver those outcomes by combining technology, monitoring and human expertise so you don’t have to become a security expert overnight.

What MDR actually does (in plain English)

At its simplest, MDR is a service that watches your IT estate, flags worrying activity and acts quickly to contain threats. It usually includes:

• 24/7 or extended-hours monitoring by security analysts;
• Threat hunting — proactive checks to find issues before they blow up;
• Rapid containment steps and guidance for your IT team;
• Regular reports and advice so you can prioritise fixes.

Crucially for UK firms, MDR providers will often help you meet legal and regulatory duties under UK data protection rules, and produce the forensic information you’ll need if you ever have to report an incident to the ICO.

Is outsourcing better than building in-house?

For companies with 10–200 staff, the math usually favours outsourcing. Recruiting and maintaining a 24/7 skilled security team is expensive and time consuming. MDR providers spread those costs across many customers, bringing seasoned analysts and up-to-date tools you’d struggle to replicate on a small budget.

When in-house might make sense

If your business is highly specialised, with unique systems that attackers would particularly prize, an in-house team can be justified. Even then, many firms adopt a hybrid approach: keep a small internal capability for everyday IT and governance, and use MDR for around-the-clock monitoring and incident response.

How to pick an MDR service without being sold nonsense

Salespeople love jargon. Ask plain questions and insist on plain answers. Useful checks include:

• Response times: how quickly will they act if something is detected?
• Scope: exactly which systems and devices are covered (endpoints, cloud, servers)?
• Escalation process: who will take hands-on action versus merely advising?
• Data ownership and retention: where is your data stored and for how long?
• Regulatory support: will they help with ICO reporting and evidence?

It helps to see the service working in a real environment. Ask for a demo focused on scenarios that match your business — for example a compromised remote laptop or a phishing-related breach affecting payroll systems. If the provider can show how they would protect a distributed workforce or remote branch in Birmingham, that’s a good sign.

For practical guidance on building the right protections around your systems and staff, many businesses find it useful to combine MDR with broader cyber security support that ties monitoring into daily operations and staff training.

Cost and contract considerations

MDR pricing varies. Some vendors charge per endpoint, others use a flat monthly fee. Look beyond headline cost and weigh in the likely financial impact of even a single incident. A slightly higher monthly fee that reduces the chance of a week-long outage often pays for itself in saved revenue and reduced clean-up costs.

Watch the exit terms

Ensure you can extract your logs and data if you decide to switch providers. Also check whether the provider’s actions are covered by your insurance — some insurers expect specific containment steps or reporting times which an MDR provider should be able to meet.

Making MDR work for your people

Technology is only part of the story. For small and mid-sized businesses, the human element matters more: staff awareness, clear escalation paths, and simple incident playbooks. MDR providers who can translate technical alerts into clear tasks for your IT team save time and reduce confusion — which is where most mistakes happen during real incidents.

Practical tips from UK experience

Keep incident contacts current, practise tabletop scenarios with your leadership and make sure remote workers have basic containment steps. In our experience, a tidy, well-rehearsed process often halves the time to recovery compared with ad-hoc reactions — and it keeps your board calmer, which is worth its weight in gold.

FAQ

1. How quickly can MDR detect a breach?

Detection times vary by provider and the sophistication of the attacker. Good MDR services spot and start to contain many threats within hours; elite providers aim for minutes. Your focus should be on containment capability and realistic SLAs rather than marketing claims.

2. Will MDR replace my IT team?

No. MDR complements your IT staff by handling continuous monitoring and specialist response. Your internal team remains essential for operational changes, patching, and business-specific decisions.

3. What about data privacy and UK law?

Check where the provider stores and processes logs. A UK-based or EU-compliant provider will better align with UK data protection expectations and make regulatory reporting simpler if the ICO needs to be involved.

4. Can MDR help with cyber insurance claims?

Yes. A clear audit trail, timely containment and professional incident records from your MDR provider can make insurance claims smoother and limit disputes over how the incident was handled.

5. Is MDR worth the cost for a 20-person company?

Often, yes. The cost of an incident — lost data, downtime, regulatory fines and reputational damage — can dwarf monthly MDR fees. For many smaller firms, MDR is an affordable way to protect hard-won revenue and credibility.

Choosing MDR doesn’t have to be scary. For most UK businesses of 10–200 staff, it’s a pragmatic way to reduce disruption, preserve customer trust and avoid regulatory headaches. If you want to spend less time firefighting and more time running the business, a sensible MDR strategy will save you time, money and a lot of stress — and keep your board sleepier at night.