What is Managed Detection and Response?
Managed Detection and Response (MDR) is a fully managed security operations service that combines advanced tooling with a dedicated team of threat hunters and incident responders.
With DataComm MDR powered by Sophos, we:
- Use Sophos endpoint and server protection to collect and analyze telemetry from your devices and workloads
- Continuously hunt for threats and suspicious behavior that automated tools alone might miss
- Investigate, contain, and help remediate active attacks on your behalf
- Provide you with clear, actionable incident reports and ongoing guidance
Instead of trying to run endpoint security tools completely on your own, you get the power of the Sophos security stack plus DataComm’s MDR team, delivered as a service.
Why do organizations choose Managed Detection and Response?
Modern attacks are fast, persistent, and increasingly stealthy:
- Ransomware and hands-on-keyboard attacks often unfold in hours, not days
- Alert volumes and false positives overload already-stretched IT/security teams
- Attackers target endpoints, cloud workloads, identities, and SaaS platforms simultaneously
- Traditional “deploy and forget” security tools are no longer enough
Managed Detection and Response closes this gap by pairing the Sophos platform with DataComm’s 24/7 SOC, so your environment is constantly monitored, hunted, and protected—even when your staff is offline.
How DataComm MDR powered by Sophos works
DataComm MDR is built to maximize the value of your Sophos investment and provide end-to-end threat coverage.
Deploy & Integrate Sophos
We start by deploying and integrating the Sophos stack in your environment:
- Roll out Sophos endpoint and server protection to supported devices
- Connect supported cloud and on-prem workloads into the Sophos management platform
- Integrate key log and event sources to enrich detection and investigations
- Validate coverage, policies, and baselines for normal behavior
The goal is fast, safe deployment with clear visibility from day one.
Monitor, Detect & Hunt 24/7
Once telemetry is flowing, our MDR team goes to work:
- Monitor alerts and detections generated by Sophos tools 24/7
- Drill into events and related activity during investigations
- Actively hunt for indicators of compromise, lateral movement, and suspicious behavior
- Prioritize and validate alerts to remove noise before involving your team
You get the benefit of both automated detections and human-led threat hunting.
Respond & Contain Threats
When a real threat is identified, we move quickly:
- Isolate compromised endpoints or servers using Sophos controls
- Kill malicious processes and remove known-bad files where possible
- Adjust policies or block malicious domains/IPs to prevent further spread
- Escalate incidents to your team with clear context, impact, and recommended actions
Depending on your chosen operating model, DataComm can provide:
- Notify & guide – we alert you and walk your team through response steps
- Collaborative response – we take direct action within agreed playbooks and keep you informed
Improve, Tune & Advise
MDR is an ongoing partnership:
- Review detection rules, policies, and coverage based on lessons learned
- Recommend configuration changes and policy hardening in your Sophos tools
- Provide regular summaries of activity, incidents, and trends
- Align MDR operations with changes in your business, environment, and risk profile
Over time, your detection, response, and prevention posture continues to improve.
SecurCentral is the Managed Firewall solution from DataComm, built to simplify firewall administration, reduce risk from misconfigurations, and ensure your infrastructure is protected by expert oversight.
Key capabilities of DataComm MDR powered by Sophos
We’ve designed our service around four core pillars.
Sophos-driven visibility and protection
We leverage the Sophos ecosystem to provide broad coverage:
- Endpoint and server protection with advanced anti-ransomware and exploit defenses
- Telemetry from protected devices and workloads for deeper investigations
- Optional integration with firewalls, cloud platforms, and email security for additional context
This gives us a rich data set to detect and investigate threats more effectively.
Human-led threat hunting and investigation
Our MDR analysts:
- Continuously review, correlate, and investigate suspicious activity
- Hunt for attacker behaviors, not just malware signatures
- Pivot between endpoints, users, and indicators quickly using Sophos telemetry and tools
- Distinguish real threats from benign anomalies to reduce false positives
You get expert eyes on your environment at all times.
Rapid, coordinated response
When something serious happens, we focus on fast, coordinated action:
- Contain active threats using Sophos isolation and control features
- Provide clear, step-by-step remediation guidance for your internal team
- Coordinate with your IT, security, and leadership stakeholders as needed
- Document all actions taken for audit and post-incident review
The result is reduced dwell time and minimized business impact.
. Reduced operational burden for your team
DataComm MDR is designed to relieve pressure on your internal staff:
- We handle alert triage, investigation, and initial response actions
- Your team focuses on decisions, projects, and long-term improvements
- We help you get full value from your Sophos investment without becoming full-time security operations experts
MDR becomes your “always-on” security extension.
What you get with DataComm MDR powered by Sophos
A typical engagement includes:
Who is DataComm MDR powered by Sophos for?
DataComm MDR is a strong fit if:
- You want to use or are already using Sophos but lack time to monitor and respond 24/7
- Your IT team is responsible for security “on the side” and is overwhelmed by alerts
- You need stronger endpoint and workload protection without building a full SOC
- Customers, insurers, or regulators expect evidence of continuous monitoring and response
USE CASES
Explore the Possible Applications of Managed Firewall
Ransomware & Hands-on-keyboard Attacks
Detect suspicious lateral movement, privilege escalation, and encryption behaviors; isolate impacted systems and interrupt the attack chain; and provide guidance to clean up persistence mechanisms and harden controls.
Credential Theft & Account Misuse
Identify unusual endpoint activity tied to compromised accounts; investigate suspicious use of tools and admin utilities on endpoints and servers; and recommend steps to secure identities, reset credentials, and enforce stronger controls.
Endpoint & Server Hardening
Use MDR findings to identify recurring misconfigurations or weak points; recommend policy updates, application control changes, or additional protections; and track improvements over time as changes are implemented.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Common questions
Sophos provides powerful tools and detections, but someone still needs to monitor alerts, hunt for threats, investigate incidents, and respond 24/7. DataComm MDR adds a dedicated team and well-defined processes on top of Sophos technology, so you get outcomes—not just tools.
No. If you don’t already use Sophos, we can help design and roll out the appropriate Sophos components as part of the MDR onboarding. If you already have Sophos in place, we’ll assess your current setup and build MDR on top of it.
Yes, within the boundaries we agree on. Many clients choose a model where DataComm is authorized to isolate endpoints, kill processes, and block indicators immediately, while keeping you informed. Others prefer a “notify and guide” model. We’ll set this up during onboarding.
No. MDR is designed to augment your team, not replace it. We handle monitoring, hunting, and initial response, while your team maintains ownership of business decisions, long-term improvements, and internal processes.
Sophos is the primary platform for MDR operations, but we can incorporate context from other tools where it makes sense (e.g., firewalls, identity, logging). During onboarding, we’ll determine the best way to integrate or align with your broader security stack.
Next steps
To tailor DataComm MDR powered by Sophos to your organization, we recommend documenting:
- Your current endpoint, server, and cloud footprint
- Existing Sophos deployments (if any) and other security tools in use
- Internal processes for incident handling, escalation, and communication
Ready to harden your network against active threats?
Schedule a Sophos-powered MDR strategy session with DataComm to review your environment, discuss onboarding options, and define a response model that fits your organization.