Cybersecurity
24/7 security monitoring and managed detection and response
Short answer
Twenty-four seven security monitoring means analysts watch computers, servers, accounts and network activity around the clock. Managed detection and response adds the next step: analysts detect suspicious activity, contain it within approved limits, escalate findings to leadership, and review what happened. FunctionOne provides this coverage for established mid-size and large organizations.
Key takeaways
- 24/7 security monitoring means analysts watch computers, servers, accounts and network activity around the clock.
- Managed detection and response follows four stages: detect, contain, escalate and review.
- Client leadership approves response authority and makes business and risk decisions during an incident.
- Incident response plans should name critical operations, contacts and escalation rules before monitoring starts.
What does 24/7 security monitoring cover?
24/7 security monitoring covers computers, servers, accounts and network activity, watched by analysts around the clock.
Analysts monitor several sources. Computers and servers get watched through installed agents that look for suspicious activity and malicious processes. Microsoft 365 and other accounts get checked for unusual sign-in locations, repeated password attempts, mailbox access, forwarding rules and security setting changes. Firewalls and remote access devices, where the device supports logs, get checked for connections tied to known malicious addresses and domains. Cloud and business applications, depending on vendor support, get checked for unusual account behavior and permission changes.
According to NIST's Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 (2024), continuous monitoring should cover networks and network services, personnel activity and technology use, computing hardware and software and their data, and external service providers. Logs and alerts from these sources get brought together, and activity on an account, computer and network gets investigated as one incident rather than as separate events.
Before monitoring starts, the systems to connect are agreed with the client, and coverage of critical systems gets validated. This combined watch is often called 24/7 SOC monitoring.
What is managed detection and response (MDR)?
Managed detection and response, or MDR, is the service added to monitoring that turns alerts into action: analysts detect threats, contain them, escalate findings and review what happened.
Detection starts with analysts investigating suspicious activity and prioritizing credible threats. Behavior analytics learn what typical activity looks like for a given environment, and threat intelligence adds context on malicious addresses, domains and attack methods.
Containment happens within the authority the client has approved in advance. That can mean isolating a computer, stopping a malicious process, requiring a password reset or disabling an account.
Escalation means named contacts receive the findings, the evidence, the actions already taken and the next steps. Client leadership then makes the business and risk decisions.
Review happens once an incident closes. FunctionOne organizes remediation and follow-up, and findings feed changes to access, configuration, monitoring or procedures.
According to NIST SP 800-61 Rev. 3 (2025), the incident response steps include triage and validation of reports, categorization and prioritization of incidents, escalation as needed, and a response plan run alongside relevant third parties. That guidance, published in 2025, rebuilt NIST's incident response recommendations on CSF 2.0 and replaced the 2012 edition.
| Stage | What happens | Who acts | Who decides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detect | Analysts investigate suspicious activity and prioritize credible threats | 24/7 analysts | Analysts flag what needs attention |
| Contain | Action is taken within approved authority, such as isolating a computer or disabling an account | 24/7 analysts | Client leadership sets the approved authority in advance |
| Escalate | Named contacts receive findings, evidence, actions taken and next steps | FunctionOne escalation support | Client leadership |
| Review | Remediation and follow-up get organized, and findings feed changes to access, configuration, monitoring or procedures | FunctionOne | Client leadership directs changes |
What does a security operations center do?
A security operations center watches for threats, investigates them and coordinates the response, whether it is staffed in-house or by an outside provider.
According to NIST SP 800-61 Rev. 3 (2025), organizations can staff incident response with handlers on staff, handlers on contract through an outsourced security operations center run by a managed security services provider, or handlers on call. Whichever staffing option an organization chooses, the duties, information flows and authority to act need definition in the contract with the provider.
NIST also notes that a provider's view across many customers can allow earlier detection, because events get correlated across a wider set of organizations (NIST SP 800-61 Rev. 3, 2025).
What happens when a threat is detected in the middle of the night?
When a threat is detected at night, analysts investigate it, contain it within the authority already approved, and notify named contacts with the findings and the action taken.
The sequence does not change based on the hour. Analysts on duty investigate the suspicious activity, decide whether it meets the threshold for containment, and act within pre-approved limits, such as isolating a computer or disabling an account. Named contacts then receive the findings, the evidence and the next steps, so client leadership can make the business and risk decisions.
According to IBM's Cost of a Data Breach Report (2026), the average time to identify and contain a breach reached 247 days in 2026, made up of 183 days to identify and 64 days to contain, a 2.5 percent increase and the first rise after five years of decline. Overnight detection and containment work against that timeline by catching activity close to when it happens, instead of weeks or months later.
Who decides whether to disable an account or shut down a system?
Analysts can disable an account or isolate a computer only within the authority the client has already approved. Decisions beyond that approved authority belong to client leadership.
Client leadership identifies which operations are critical, approves what analysts are allowed to do without asking first, and makes the business and risk decisions for anything outside that authority. Leadership also directs external communications when an incident involves customers, regulators or partners.
NIST SP 800-61 Rev. 3 (2025) places oversight of incident response, funding and decision authority for high-impact actions, such as shutting down or rebuilding critical services, with leadership. Day-to-day monitoring analysts act within the authority leadership has already approved.
How does 24/7 monitoring fit with our incident response plan?
24/7 monitoring feeds the incident response plan with detection and containment, while the plan itself sets the rules analysts follow and the people who get called.
According to NIST's Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 (2024), detection activities should happen continuously, with response and recovery ready at all times. An incident response plan turns that readiness into a specific agreement.
Before monitoring starts, an incident response plan should cover:
- Critical operations, named by leadership
- Response authority and approvals for sensitive systems
- Primary and backup contacts
- After-hours escalation
- Third parties named in the plan
- An owner for external communications
- A review after an incident
Leadership also reviews the plan on a recurring basis, covering material incidents, response actions taken, open remediation, repeat findings and any systems not sending the expected data. Organizations ready to move forward typically start with a security assessment.
How FunctionOne helps
Function One Systems, Inc., known as FunctionOne, has provided managed IT and cybersecurity services since 1992 from its office at 6216 Thompson Road, Syracuse, New York 13206, with a second office at Industrious Downtown, 401 East Jackson Street, Tampa, FL 33602. FunctionOne works with established mid-size and large organizations that have outgrown a help desk. Onboarding starts with agreeing which systems to connect and validating coverage for critical systems. Analysts then monitor, investigate and contain activity within the authority the client approves, while FunctionOne manages the service, supports escalation and organizes remediation and follow-up. Client leadership keeps the business and risk decisions, including what gets communicated outside the organization. Dashboards, investigation records and reports can support audit and insurance questions, though they don't make a company compliant.
Request assessmentFrequently asked questions
What is managed detection and response (MDR)?
Managed detection and response is the service added to 24/7 monitoring that detects threats, contains them within approved limits, escalates findings to named contacts, and reviews what happened so access, configuration or procedures can change afterward.
What does a security operations center do?
A security operations center watches systems for threats, investigates alerts and coordinates the response, whether staffed in-house, on contract with an outsourced provider, or on call, according to NIST SP 800-61 Rev. 3 (2025).
Should we choose SOC as a service or an in-house team?
The choice depends on staffing and budget. NIST SP 800-61 Rev. 3 (2025) lists three options: handlers on staff, handlers on contract through an outsourced security operations center, or handlers on call, with duties defined in the contract.
How fast should a threat get contained?
FunctionOne contains threats within the authority the client approves, which can mean isolating a computer, stopping a process, or disabling an account. IBM's Cost of a Data Breach Report (2026) found breaches took 247 days on average to identify and contain.
What should an incident response plan include before monitoring starts?
An incident response plan should name critical operations, set response authority and approvals for sensitive systems, list primary and backup contacts, define after-hours escalation, name third parties, assign an owner for external communications, and schedule a review after an incident.
