What is Managed ITDR? Key Definitions, Features, and Benefits

Key takeaways:

• MITDR explained: Managed ITDR combines identity threat detection with expert-led response.
• Why it matters: Get better protection and lower costs without building a full in-house team.
• What to look for: Prioritize behavioral monitoring, real-time response, and expert oversight

You’ve got the ITDR solution. That’s a good step towards effective account and identity-based threat detection.

But tools alone won’t stop identity threats. Without full-time security staff, alerts can go unnoticed and attacks and slip through.

That’s the difference with Managed ITDR. You get the software, plus a team who monitors, investigates and responds in real time.

It’s not just tech. It delivers results.

What is Managed ITDR?

Managed ITDR (or MITDR) is a specialist cybersecurity service that aims to detect and respond to identity-based attacks, while also offering real-time, expert support.

Like most managed security services, MITDR combines a license to the underlying technology (ITDR) alongside the additional managed security service.

To understand this in more detail, let’s look at both parts.

Read more: What Is Identity Threat Detection and Response?

ITDR: Identity-Focused Threat Detection

Identity threat detection and response (ITDR) is a relatively new cybersecurity category.

It covers tools that monitor accounts, login events and identity signals to catch and react to threats in real time.

It’s similar to endpoint detection and response (EDR), which focuses on devices instead of identities. Both use techniques like behavioral monitoring and automated response.

ITDR is similar in approach to another common threat detection platform.

However, EDR has a slightly different approach, focusing on devices rather than accounts and identities.

Read more: ITDR vs EDR: What are the Key Differences?

Managed Security: Expert Threat Detection and Response

Many security tools offer an optional managed service.

This means a security vendor or licensed MSSP monitors and responds to threats on your behalf.

An MSSP will often offer licenses alongside the service.

MITDR is one of several managed service types, alongside MDR, MXDR and MTP. The structure is the same. The only real difference is what each service is monitoring.

Key Features of Managed Identity Threat Detection and Response:

Previously, the threat detection space was mostly focused on endpoint detection. But over the last two years, it has become clear just how often the user is the point of risk – since identity fraud has been on the rise since the pandemic.

That’s why ITDR evolved. The key point here is you need to protect the users and their accounts as well as the devices they’re using. It shouldn’t be either/or – you need to protect everything equally.

Nabil Nistar, Director, Strategy and Portfolio Marketing, Heimdal

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ITDR fills a key gap. Identity and access management (IAM) and privileged access management (PAM) tools manage permissions, but they don’t detect real-time threats.

EDR tools do, but they don’t focus on identity. That leaves an opening for account takeover and other attacks.

That’s why MITDR is important.

It covers identities, accounts and login activity, with expert oversight. But not all services are equal. Here’s what to look for:

• Account discovery: Good ITDR tools scan for user accounts, including shadow or unknown accounts, at the OS and application level. This helps you build a comprehensive list of all the identities and accounts across the organization.
• Behavioral monitoring: These tools analyze account and login activity to flag unusual patterns like failed logins, lateral movement and unauthorized access.
• Threat dashboard: A central view for alerts and risk signals. This helps security teams act faster.
• Compliance reports: Automated reporting aligned with frameworks like DORA, NIS, and more.
• Automated response: Tools that trigger actions based on risk signals. For example, prompting extra authentication on logins from a new device or location.
• Privileged access management (PAM): Some ITDR tools also support PAM use cases, such as privileged access and session monitoring (PASM) and privilege elevation and delegation management (PEDM).

Managed Security: The Value of an Expert Team

When the most critical issues strike, it’s important to ensure a security expert is on hand to respond and lock down the risk.

But an attack can happen any time of the day or night, which makes this a difficult (and often expensive) challenge to solve.

Generally, 24/7 monitoring requires multiple security experts working on shifts to get complete coverage.

That’s why many organizations choose a managed security partner. A good MITDR service includes:

• Continuous monitoring: Real-time oversight of accounts, networks, devices and more
• Incident response and remediation: Fast action on high-risk threats. Most vendors offer response SLAs, often within 15 to 30 minutes.
• Proactive threat hunting: Advanced MSSPs also conduct routine analysis of your IT environment to identify security issues, vulnerabilities, and potential entry routes for malicious hackers and cybercriminals.To improve your security posture, they may also identify accounts with high-risk scores, run antivirus scans, quarantine files, implement firewalls/ransomware protection, and more.

Read more: Short Staffed in Cybersecurity? It’s Time for MXDR

Heimdal: Defending Your Organization So You Don’t Have To

MITDR fills a crucial gap in your security posture.

But for most organizations, ITDR is ‘and’ – not ‘or’. Too often, it sits alongside EDR, DNS tools, privileged access management, vulnerability management, and a sprawling web of other tools.

That’s what we offer at Heimdal. Our platform brings all threat data into a single view across endpoints, networks, identities and email. That means faster, more confident decisions.

All our tools are backed by managed service options, including:

• 24/7 live monitoring across your IT estate
• 30-minute SLA for critical threats (average response time is 11 minutes)
• Proactive investigation and forensic analysis
• A threat action center with pre-computed risk scores and attack insights

Our team has the technology and threat intelligence to keep you safe. We also help reduce costs and complexity.

Get in touch to request your demo.

Managed ITDR: FAQs

What Is MITDR?

Managed identity threat detection and response (MITDR) is a cybersecurity service that combines a managed security operations center (SOC) with an ITDR subscription. Generally, this is done through an MSP or MSSP who also provides the license to the underlying ITDR product. The managed service includes live monitoring, proactive investigation, and incident response.

What Is the Difference Between ITDR and IAM?

Identity and access management (IAM) is an umbrella term for any security product that enables you to manage permissions and accounts. ITDR is a newer branch of cybersecurity that focuses on real-time threat detection for identities and user accounts. This is similar to more traditional EDR and SIEM products, which also offer threat detection functionality, though focusing instead on endpoints and user devices.

What Are the Benefits of Managed ITDR?

Managed ITDR ensures that organizations don’t have to have an in-house security team to monitor and manage their ITDR dashboard. Managed security services providers (MSSPs) generally offer more effective security expertise and response at a lower price, when compared to an in-house team. The best security vendors also conduct proactive security maintenance to reduce the chances of critical incidents hitting your IT environment in the first place.

Danny Mitchell

Head of Content at Heimdal. A journalist by trade who cares about helping MSPs and security teams make better decisions, enjoy their work, and see real results.