CISOs Risk Buyer's Remorse on MDR Purchases Without Clear Requirements, Says Info-Tech

Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) face the risk of regret after purchasing Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services if clear procurement requirements are not established. According to analysis from Info-Tech Research Group, the growing volume of threats, expanding attack surfaces, and limited security operations capacity are driving more organizations towards MDR solutions.

The research group highlights that inconsistent terminology and branding among service providers make evaluation difficult. This increases the likelihood that organizations will not achieve the desired level of protection or may pay for features they do not actually need.

Info-Tech Research Group recommends defining clear, measurable, and contextual procurement criteria. These should include aspects such as service coverage, response times, reporting practices, and integration with existing security infrastructure.

Without these explicit requirements, companies may select a provider that does not meet their actual needs, leading to inefficiencies and potential security gaps. Such a scenario can also result in long-term contracts that are difficult to exit.