A Smarter, Stronger Approach to Incident Response in WatchGuard MDR

Most IT teams face the same challenge: threats don’t stop when the workday ends. Alerts come in after hours, resources are stretched thin, and a single missed response can turn into a costly incident. Partners who deliver managed services often feel that pressure even more, balancing multiple customers and security tools while trying to prove value every day. 

At WatchGuard, we’ve refined that process to make it simpler, faster, and more effective. Based on feedback from partners and customers, our Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service now delivers the same comprehensive level of incident response across every tier. Every WatchGuard MDR service now includes the same level of expert response, delivered by our 24/7 security operations center (SOC). 

What Is a SOC? 

A security operations center, or SOC, is the hub where cybersecurity experts continuously monitor, detect, and respond to threats. It combines technology, data, and human insight to protect organizations from evolving attacks. 

The WatchGuard SOC operates around the clock, using AI and automation to process data from endpoint, network, identity, and cloud environments. Human analysts review suspicious activity, validate alerts, and take immediate action when needed. This continuous SOC monitoring ensures that threats are caught and contained before they cause harm. 

How Incident Response Works 

Incident response is the coordinated process that begins the moment a verified threat appears. It blends AI-driven analysis with human expertise to identify, contain, and resolve security incidents quickly. 

When unusual activity is detected, AI filters out the noise and prioritizes high-confidence threats for human review. SOC analysts investigate the event, confirm the risk, and act to stop the attack. This partnership between automation and people allows our team to respond within minutes instead of hours. 

What the SOC Does 

SOC monitoring goes beyond alerting. It involves real action across your environment. When a threat is confirmed, analysts can: 

• Isolate compromised endpoints or devices
• Block malicious IP addresses, domains, or ports
• Disable or suspend affected user accounts
• Quarantine suspicious files or processes
• Reset credentials or revoke cloud sessions 

If sensitive data has been exposed, the SOC performs a root cause analysis to trace how the incident occurred, confirm containment, and document every step. A detailed report is then delivered through your MDR Portal, showing what happened, how it was handled, and what to do next. 

The Power of AI and Human Collaboration 

Artificial intelligence gives WatchGuard MDR the scale and speed to detect threats across millions of signals. It looks for unusual behavior, correlates activity across multiple systems, and helps analysts focus on what truly matters. 

Our human experts bring context and judgment. They review, validate, and act, ensuring that every response is accurate and aligned with the customer’s needs. This collaboration between AI and people keeps false positives low and containment times fast, with most threats handled within minutes. 

What Partners Gain 

These updates make incident response more consistent and predictable for every partner. You can now: 

• Deliver faster, proven protection backed by the same 24/7 SOC that monitors every customer environment.
• Show measurable results with clear visibility into detections, investigations, and response actions through the MDR Portal.
• Build customer trust and retention by sharing detailed reports and proof of protection in every review.
• Reduce noise and complexity by letting AI and the SOC handle the heavy lifting while your team focuses on strategy and service growth. 

This unified model turns SOC monitoring into a true business advantage, giving partners confidence that every customer receives enterprise-grade protection without extra overhead. 

Why This Matters 

With a 24/7 SOC watching your environment, you can trust that threats are being managed continuously. Every detection, investigation, and response is visible in your MDR Portal, providing transparency and proof of protection. 

By unifying incident response across all MDR tiers, we’ve made it easier for every customer to receive the same level of expert care and clarity. The SOC monitors. AI accelerates. Analysts act. Together, they form a defense that’s fast, consistent, and reliable. 

WatchGuard MDR turns complex security challenges into confident, coordinated protection, day and night.