Why ActZero Won Best MDR Service

In case you missed it, ActZero Managed Detection and Response (MDR) has just been named SC Awards’ Best MDR Service for 2022. This blog post explores the reasons behind the accolade, examining what sets our service apart. 

Who says ActZero Managed Detection and Response is the Best?

SC Awards, now in its 25th year, honors cybersecurity innovators, and is one of the industry's most prestigious award programs. This year’s competition was the most competitive to date: 800 entries were received across 38 categories, representing a 21% increase over 2021. To learn more about the award, check out our press release. 

What makes ActZero MDR Unique? 

• Ransomware Defense: ActZero’s success in protecting customers against ransomware sets us apart. It is our core competency. We continuously test our MDR service against ransomware attack tools to ensure the highest possible efficacy. Ransomware is the primary cybersecurity threat facing small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) today. We use the adversary as our guide. We study how their attack methods evolve against new defenses. We make it our mission to truly understand the threats our customers face and continuously adapt our service to meet them.
  
  
• Machine Learning: ActZero overlays advanced, proprietary Machine Learning models to extend the detection capabilities of our best-in-breed EDR and XDR solutions. Our investment in data science has yielded a comprehensive program, responsible for dozens of ML detections included in our service.
  
  
• Proactive Hardening: We help our customers secure their environments by proactively looking for weaknesses. We scan our customers’ environments using leading tools to help them identify and remediate vulnerabilities. Additionally, we provide recommendations for how to improve cybersecurity hygiene and address industry control frameworks.
  
  
• Service Delivery: We pride ourselves in being there for our clients. It all starts with superior deployment and onboarding. Our clients are up and running within hours or days, not weeks. Our customer experience team, from technical account managers to security analysts, work around the clock to protect our clients. Our portal offers clients the visibility needed to make informed decisions about which gaps to close first, and how to do so.

Ultimately, we focus on helping IT security teams at SMBs. They face the same ransomware threats as large enterprises, but often lack the resources to combat them. ActZero’s industry-leading SOC-efficiency enables an MDR service that is accessible to such organizations. 

Best MDR Leadership: Industry Implications

ActZero’s acknowledgement as the best MDR speaks volumes about what the broader community is looking for in an MDR service provider. Our participation in the Ransomware Task Force is further evidence of our commitment and innovation in addressing ransomware. Review the Blueprint for Ransomware Defense to see how ActZero is contributing to the community response to the problem. 

Part of servicing the SMB community means helping stakeholders understand what vendors mean by Machine Learning, which has been presented as a panacea in the past. As discerning customers’ knowledge of this technology improves, so too does their ability to see past the hype. ActZero leads the industry in investment in data science, yielding real ML that enables us to move at machine speed to detect and stop threats.

Chris Finan, our former President & CRO  said: “We’re grateful for this recognition of our commitment to delivering a world-class MDR service. Our mission is to ensure IT Security teams defend their organizations against ransomware attacks, and every member of our ActZero team shares that responsibility with great pride. In an industry with so many dedicated professionals, and innovative vendor solutions, we’re honored that our focus on continuous measurement and improvement to defeat the adversary has stood out.”

While ActZero touts the outcomes of our service, we are also transparent about how we achieve this. Check out our website for more information.