What Is MDR? Managed Detection and Response Explained for Oklahoma Businesses
What is MDR? MDR stands for managed detection and response, a service where an outside team of security analysts watches your computers and network around the clock, investigates suspicious activity and stops attacks for you. You get the tools and the people in one subscription. This guide explains how MDR works, how it differs from EDR, what it costs and how a business in Oklahoma City, Tulsa or anywhere else should choose a provider.
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Endpoint Detectives runs 24/7 managed detection and response (MDR) on CrowdStrike for $150 per workstation per year, billed annually up front. No hidden fees.
What Is MDR in Cybersecurity?
MDR is a managed service that combines security software with a team of people who use it for you. The software spots unusual behavior, and the analysts decide whether it is an attack and act on it.
That human layer is the point. Most small businesses do not have anyone watching alerts at 2 a.m. on a Sunday, and attackers know it. The CrowdStrike 2026 Global Threat Report found average eCrime breakout time fell to 29 minutes, and the fastest observed breakout was 27 seconds. Breakout time is how long an attacker takes to move from the first machine to others.
How Does Managed Detection and Response Work?
MDR works in four repeating stages: collect, detect, investigate and respond. Each stage runs all day, every day.
- Collect. An agent on each workstation and server sends activity data to the provider. Network and cloud logs are added too.
- Detect. Software flags behavior that looks like an attack, such as a strange login or a program encrypting files.
- Investigate. An analyst reviews the alert, checks the context and separates real threats from noise.
- Respond. The analyst isolates the machine, stops the process or locks the account, then tells you what happened.
Detection based only on known malware is not enough anymore. The CrowdStrike 2026 Global Threat Report found 82% of detections were malware-free, which means attackers used stolen logins and normal tools that antivirus software ignores.
What Is the Difference Between MDR and EDR?
EDR is a tool, and MDR is a service built on top of it. Endpoint detection and response (EDR) software records what happens on each device and raises alerts. MDR adds the trained people who watch those alerts and respond.
| EDR | MDR | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Software on each device | Software plus a 24/7 analyst team |
| Who watches alerts | Your staff | The provider's security operations center (SOC) |
| Who responds | Your staff | Provider analysts, with your approval rules |
| Best for | Companies with their own security team | Companies without one |
If nobody on your team has time to triage alerts, EDR alone can leave you with a pile of warnings and no action. Read our managed EDR page for how the tool layer works.
How Much Does MDR Cost?
MDR is usually priced per device or per workstation per year. Endpoint Detectives managed detection and response is $150 per workstation per year, billed annually up front. No hidden fees.
Price comparisons need care, because some providers sell the software license separately. Every Endpoint Detectives subscription includes the CrowdStrike EDR license, endpoint monitoring, network monitoring, cloud monitoring, vulnerability scanning, SIEM log aggregation, a 24/7 SOC and remote incident response. SIEM means security information and event management, the system that gathers logs in one place. The closest comparable MDR provider costs about twice as much as Endpoint Detectives.
Compare that with the cost of a breach. The IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2026 found the global average cost of a data breach is $4.99 million. See our MDR pricing page for details.
Get Protected
If you want 24/7 eyes on every workstation without hiring a security team, MDR is the shortest path.
Does a Small Business in Oklahoma Need MDR?
Most small businesses need MDR more than large ones, because they rarely have a security staff. Ransomware does not skip small towns or small offices. The Verizon 2026 DBIR found ransomware was present in 48% of breaches.
Oklahoma law also raises the stakes. Under Oklahoma SB 626, effective January 1, 2026, an entity must notify the Oklahoma Attorney General no later than 60 days after notifying affected residents when a breach affects 500 or more Oklahoma residents. Under Oklahoma SB 626, an entity that used reasonable safeguards and gave the required notice faces no civil penalty and has an affirmative defense in a civil action.
SB 626 defines reasonable safeguards as policies and practices that protect personal information appropriate to the size of the entity, including risk assessments, technical and physical layered defenses, employee training and an incident response plan. 24/7 monitoring is one of those layered defenses. Our Oklahoma City cybersecurity and Tulsa cybersecurity pages cover local service.
How Do You Choose an MDR Provider?
Choose a provider by asking what they actually do when an alert fires, not just which software they use. Five questions sort most options.
- Is the SOC staffed 24/7 by people, not just automation?
- Can analysts act, or do they only email you? Ask whether they isolate machines and stop processes.
- How fast is response? Endpoint Detectives analysts can respond to a confirmed threat in as little as 15 minutes.
- What is included in the price? Check for the EDR license, logging and vulnerability scanning.
- Who installs the agent? Endpoint Detectives customers deploy the CrowdStrike agent themselves with an easy-to-follow guide.
Endpoint Detectives is a CrowdStrike partner headquartered at 720 NE 63rd St in Oklahoma City and serves businesses nationwide. Our managed detection and response services page explains the full service.
FAQ
What does MDR stand for?
MDR stands for managed detection and response. It is a service where outside security analysts monitor your systems 24/7 and respond to threats.
Is MDR the same as antivirus?
No. Antivirus looks for known malicious files. MDR watches behavior, catches attacks that use stolen logins and normal tools, and has people who respond.
Do I still need an IT provider if I have MDR?
Yes, in most cases. Your IT provider handles day-to-day support, and the MDR provider handles threat detection and response.
How long does it take to start MDR?
Setup is fast for most small offices. You install the agent on each workstation using the provider's guide, and monitoring starts once devices check in.
Conclusion
MDR gives a business the tools and the trained people to catch attacks early and stop them, without building an in-house security team. For small businesses in Oklahoma, it is also a practical way to show reasonable safeguards under SB 626.
Get Protected
Endpoint Detectives delivers 24/7 MDR on CrowdStrike for $150 per workstation per year, billed annually up front. No hidden fees. Talk to us about protecting your team.
Born in Oklahoma. Hunting threats everywhere. Real humans. Real response. No corporate runaround. No hidden fees. No mercy for threats.
Last updated: October 28, 2026