Expel: 24/7 Managed Detection and Response for Modern Security

Welcome to the Enterprise Evaluation Guide for Expel. In an era where security teams are overwhelmed by "alert fatigue" and a sprawling attack surface, Expel has emerged as a leading Managed Detection and Response (MDR) provider. Unlike traditional Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) that often operate as "black boxes," Expel provides a transparent, API-driven platform called Workbench™ that integrates directly with your existing security stack.

This guide is designed for CISOs, SOC Managers, and IT Directors who are looking to augment their security operations with 24/7 monitoring, proactive threat hunting, and automated remediation. You will learn about Expel's unique approach to cloud security, its integration capabilities with major EDR and SIEM providers, and the organizational requirements needed to transition from reactive firefighting to a streamlined, platform-led security posture. By the end of this guide, you will have the specific criteria needed to determine if Expel is the right partner to protect your business.

• 24/7 Managed Detection and Response (MDR): Continuous monitoring of your environment by expert analysts who investigate every lead and only alert you when a human intervention is actually required.
• Expel Workbench™: A transparent platform that allows you to see exactly what Expel’s analysts see. You can track investigations in real-time, view the full "audit trail" of an incident, and run reports.
• Cloud Security Monitoring: Native protection for AWS, Azure, and GCP that goes beyond basic logs to include configuration monitoring and identity-based threat detection.
• Automated Remediation (Expel Ruxit): A proprietary automation engine that handles repetitive tasks, such as enriching alerts with threat intelligence or performing initial containment steps, allowing humans to focus on complex decision-making.
• SaaS Security: Specialized monitoring for critical business applications like Slack, Salesforce, and Microsoft 365 to detect account takeovers and data exfiltration.
• Proactive Threat Hunting: Regular, hypothesis-driven searches across your environment to find hidden attackers that automated tools might miss.
• Vulnerability Prioritization: Expel correlates your vulnerability scan data with real-world threat intelligence to tell you which patches matter most right now.

• Use Case 1: Stopping Ransomware in its Tracks. A mid-sized manufacturing firm uses Expel to monitor their CrowdStrike alerts. Expel identifies a "hands-on-keyboard" attacker moving laterally via PowerShell at 2:00 AM. Expel automatically isolates the infected host and notifies the customer's on-call lead, preventing data encryption.
• Use Case 2: Securing the "SaaS Perimeter." A high-growth tech company uses Expel to monitor Okta and Slack. Expel detects a successful login from an unusual IP address followed by a mass download of files in Google Drive. Expel flags this as a compromised credential and initiates a password reset via the integration.
• Use Case 3: Cloud Misconfiguration Detection. A financial services firm moving to AWS uses Expel to monitor for insecure S3 buckets and IAM role over-privileging. Expel alerts the DevOps team to a publicly accessible database before it can be exploited, providing specific remediation steps.
• Use Case 4: Augmenting a Lean Security Team. A healthcare provider with only two security engineers uses Expel as their 24/7 SOC. Expel filters out 99% of the noise, allowing the internal team to focus on high-level strategy and compliance while Expel handles the daily "detect and respond" grind.

Expel uses a transparent, predictable pricing model designed to align with modern IT environments.

• Primary Metric: Pricing is typically based on the number of protected assets (endpoints/users) or log volume/ingestion tiers, depending on the specific service mix.
• Platform Fee: There is generally a base fee for access to the Expel Workbench platform and 24/7 SOC services.
• Tiered Offerings: Pricing scales based on the scope of coverage (e.g., just Endpoint vs. Full Stack including Cloud and SaaS).
• No Hidden "Per-Alert" Fees: Unlike some MSSPs, Expel does not charge more if you have a "noisy" month with high alert volume; the focus is on outcomes.
• Additional Costs: Specialized services like advanced Threat Hunting or Incident Response (IR) retainers may be added as line items.

• Supported EDR/EPP: Requires a supported endpoint agent (e.g., CrowdStrike Falcon, SentinelOne, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Carbon Black).
• Cloud Access: API permissions/roles in AWS (IAM), Azure (App Registrations), or GCP to allow Expel to pull activity logs and configuration data.
• Network Connectivity: For on-premise logs, a lightweight "Expel Assembler" (virtual machine) may be required to securely tunnel logs to the Expel cloud.
• Browser Compatibility: Access to the Expel Workbench requires a modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge).
• Identity Provider: Integration with an IDP (Okta, Azure AD) is highly recommended for secure access and SaaS monitoring.

To successfully adopt Expel, organizations should meet the following business prerequisites:

• Tool Ownership: You must own (or be willing to purchase) the underlying security tools (EDR, SIEM, Cloud providers) that Expel will monitor.
• Defined Incident Response Policy: While Expel handles detection and investigation, your internal team needs a clear "hand-off" process for when Expel requests a remediation action (e.g., isolating a host).
• Stakeholder Buy-in: Success requires alignment between the CISO, IT Operations, and Cloud Architecture teams, as Expel will require API access to their respective environments.
• Communication Readiness: Your team should be prepared to use Slack or Microsoft Teams as the primary communication channel for real-time incident collaboration.
• Process Maturity: A willingness to move away from "email-based" security ticketing toward a more automated, platform-centric workflow.

Expel is known for one of the fastest "time-to-value" metrics in the MDR space due to its API-first approach.

• Phase 1: Discovery & Planning (Week 1): Kickoff meeting, identifying all log sources (EDR, Cloud, SaaS), and establishing communication channels (Slack/Teams).
• Phase 2: Technical Setup & Integration (Week 1-2): Connecting Expel Workbench to your security stack via APIs. This usually takes minutes per integration rather than days of hardware installation.
• Phase 3: Tuning & Baseline (Week 2-3): Expel’s analysts review the incoming alert volume, suppress known-good activity, and tune the "Expel Ruxit" engine to your specific environment.
• Phase 4: Training & Go-Live (Week 4): Walkthrough of the Workbench platform for your internal team, finalization of escalation paths, and official transition to 24/7 monitoring.
• Note: Timeline can be extended if the customer has highly complex legacy on-premise environments requiring custom log ingestion.

• Dedicated Customer Success Manager (CSM): Most enterprise accounts are assigned a CSM to handle business reviews, ROI tracking, and long-term strategy.
• Real-Time Collaboration: Primary support and incident communication happen via shared Slack or Microsoft Teams channels, providing instant access to analysts.
• 24/7 SOC Access: Direct line to the Security Operations Center for urgent inquiries or incident escalations.
• Expel Knowledge Base: Comprehensive documentation on integrations, platform features, and security best practices.
• Expel Academy: Training modules for your internal team to learn how to use the Workbench and interpret security signals.
• Service Level Agreements (SLAs): Tiered response times for critical, high, and medium incidents.

Expel’s architecture is built on "Workbench," a platform that integrates natively with over 100 security products.

• API-First Connectivity: Expel connects directly to your tools' APIs (e.g., CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, Palo Alto Networks) to pull alerts and telemetry. No proprietary agents are required on your endpoints.
• Supported Categories: Deep integrations across EDR/EPP, SIEM, Network (Firewall/IDS), Cloud Infrastructure (AWS/Azure/GCP), and SaaS (Okta, Duo, MS365, Google Workspace).
• Bi-Directional Sync: Expel can often push actions back to your tools, such as isolating an endpoint or disabling a compromised user account.
• Data Privacy: Because Expel queries your tools via API, you maintain ownership of your data. Expel only pulls the metadata and telemetry needed for investigation.
• SIEM Interoperability: Can work alongside your existing SIEM (Splunk, Sumo Logic) or act as a "SIEM-less" solution by aggregating data directly from point products.

Expel is built for highly regulated industries and maintains a robust security posture:

• Certifications: SOC 2 Type II compliant, ensuring rigorous controls over security, availability, and processing integrity.
• Data Residency: Options for data storage and processing that align with regional requirements (US-based SOC operations).
• Access Control: Support for SAML-based Single Sign-On (SSO) and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for all users accessing the Workbench.
• Transparency & Audit: Every action taken by an Expel analyst is logged within the Workbench, providing a full audit trail for compliance auditors.
• Privacy-First: Expel focuses on security metadata and typically avoids ingesting PII (Personally Identifiable Information) unless necessary for an investigation.