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WatchGuard Core MDR: Transforming Threat Detection for Your Customers
Cybersecurity threats continue to evolve at an alarming pace, with small and midsize businesses increasingly finding themselves in the crosshairs. Recent data shows that 46% of all cyber breaches now impact companies with fewer than 1,000 employees, whilst 30,000 small business websites are compromised daily. For our partners, this presents both a significant challenge and an opportunity.
At MicroWarehouse, we’ve been closely monitoring developments in the managed detection and response (MDR) space, particularly as our partners seek more robust security solutions for their customers. WatchGuard’s latest offering, Core MDR, represents a significant step forward in making enterprise-grade security accessible to businesses of all sizes.
The Reality of Modern Cyber Threats
The statistics paint a stark picture. The average ransomware attack costs SMBs €1.5 million per day in damages, primarily from system outages that can last weeks. When you consider that most SMBs typically spend between 2-7% of revenue on IT (around €45,000 annually for many), the potential impact of a successful cyberattack far exceeds most technology budgets.
More concerning still is the speed at which attacks escalate. Once a system is breached, attackers can move laterally within just 79 minutes. This narrow window highlights why traditional security approaches—relying solely on detection without rapid response—simply aren’t sufficient anymore.
What Makes WatchGuard Core MDR Different
WatchGuard Core MDR addresses these challenges head-on with a combination of AI-powered automation and expert human oversight. The service provides 24/7 monitoring and can respond to high-severity threats in under six minutes—dramatically faster than the industry standard of 30 minutes.
Key capabilities include:
- 24/7 Security Operations Centre (SOC): WatchGuard’s expert cybersecurity professionals continuously monitor endpoints, ensuring threats are detected and contained immediately, even outside business hours.
- AI-Driven Threat Detection: Advanced machine learning algorithms work alongside human analysts to identify and respond to threats that traditional security tools might miss.
- Automated Response: When threats are detected, the system can automatically isolate compromised systems, block malicious IPs, and disable breached accounts before damage spreads.
- Proactive Threat Hunting: Security experts actively search for hidden threats and weak signals that could indicate sophisticated attacks in progress.
- Simplified Management: Partners get access to a centralised portal providing clear visibility across all covered environments, making security management more straightforward than ever.
Partner Benefits and Support
For our partners, WatchGuard Core MDR offers compelling advantages. The service requires minimal investment in complex SOC infrastructure or expensive cybersecurity expertise, yet delivers enterprise-grade protection. Partners receive dedicated Technical Account Manager (TAM) support, providing threat insights, security reviews, and guidance on how attacks might affect their customers.
The solution is designed to scale with your business, supporting both WatchGuard’s own endpoint security solutions and third-party platforms. Monthly and critical incident reports help demonstrate value to customers and reinforce trust in your security services.
Looking Ahead: Enhanced Microsoft Integration
Whilst WatchGuard Core MDR provides comprehensive protection across various platforms, we’re particularly excited about the enhanced Microsoft integration coming through WatchGuard Core MDR for Microsoft. This solution specifically addresses the gap between Microsoft Defender’s strong endpoint detection capabilities and full managed detection and response services.
Many businesses rely on Microsoft Defender, which holds a 25.8% share of the modern endpoint security market. However, whilst Defender provides excellent EDR capabilities, it lacks the complete MDR service layer that businesses need for comprehensive protection. WatchGuard Core MDR for Microsoft bridges this gap, enhancing Defender’s capabilities without adding complexity—no new agents, no additional configuration, just stronger security from day one.
We’ll be covering WatchGuard Core MDR for Microsoft in greater detail next month, including specific use cases and integration benefits for Microsoft-centric environments.
The Business Case for MDR
The economics are compelling. With cyber insurance claims averaging €330,000 and ransom payments often exceeding €1.35 million, the cost of doing nothing far outweighs the investment in proactive security. For partners, offering MDR services represents an opportunity to differentiate your business, build deeper customer relationships, and create new revenue streams whilst genuinely protecting your customers from devastating cyber incidents.
Getting Started
WatchGuard Core MDR represents a significant opportunity for our partners to enhance their security service offerings without the complexity and cost of building in-house SOC capabilities. The combination of advanced AI automation, expert human oversight, and comprehensive support makes it an attractive proposition for businesses looking to strengthen their cybersecurity posture.
Join Our Upcoming Webinar
To help our partners better understand the opportunities presented by WatchGuard Core MDR, we’re hosting an exclusive webinar: The SOC of Tomorrow, Delivered Today: MDR and AI for MSPs. This session will dive deeper into how AI-powered MDR solutions are transforming cybersecurity for managed service providers, providing practical insights into implementation and business benefits.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how you can leverage WatchGuard’s cutting-edge MDR technology to grow your security practice and deliver superior protection to your customers.
If you’re interested in learning more about how WatchGuard Core MDR could benefit your business and your customers, we’d be delighted to discuss the opportunities in detail. Our team has been working closely with WatchGuard to understand the practical implications and benefits of their MDR solutions.
For more information about WatchGuard Core MDR and how it could enhance your security service portfolio, please contact our WatchGuard specialist:
Keith Stafford
WatchGuard Representative
Email: [email protected]
Don’t let your customers become another statistic in the growing cybercrime landscape. Reach out to Keith today to explore how WatchGuard Core MDR can transform your security offerings and provide your customers with the protection they need in today’s threat environment.