Ontinue: AI-Powered Managed Extended Detection and Response (MXDR)

Welcome to the Comprehensive Buying Guide for Ontinue. As the cybersecurity landscape shifts from simple detection to complex response, many organizations find themselves 'alert rich' but 'insight poor.' Ontinue specializes in Managed Extended Detection and Response (MXDR) specifically tailored for the Microsoft security ecosystem.

This guide is designed for IT leaders and CISOs who are evaluating how to bridge the gap between their current Microsoft security licensing and a fully operational, 24/7 Security Operations Center. You will learn about Ontinue’s unique ION platform, which leverages AI and automation to deliver non-stop protection while reducing the burden on your internal teams. We will explore the technical prerequisites, integration depth, and the strategic value of choosing a partner that treats security as a collaborative, real-time discipline rather than a distant service.

• ION Platform: A proprietary AI-driven platform that automates the triage of alerts, ensuring that only high-priority, validated threats reach human analysts.
• 24/7 Cyber Defense Center (CDC): Round-the-clock monitoring and global threat hunting by specialized security experts.
• Microsoft Teams Integration: A 'Collaboration-First' approach where security incidents are managed directly within Teams, allowing for instant communication and decision-making.
• Authorized Response: The ability for Ontinue to take proactive remediation steps (like isolating a host or disabling a compromised user) based on pre-approved playbooks.
• Continuous Posture Management: Beyond incident response, Ontinue provides ongoing recommendations to harden the Microsoft environment and reduce the attack surface.
• Specialized Microsoft Expertise: Deep-tier support for the entire Microsoft 100/300/500 security stack, often replacing the need for multiple point-solution vendors.

1. Ransomware Mitigation: A global manufacturing firm uses Ontinue to monitor their Defender for Endpoint alerts. When a workstation showed signs of lateral movement at 2 AM, Ontinue's ION platform automatically isolated the device, preventing a full-scale ransomware outbreak.
2. M&A Integration: A healthcare company acquiring smaller clinics uses Ontinue to rapidly standardize security across newly absorbed Microsoft tenants, providing immediate visibility and 24/7 protection during the transition.
3. Compliance Adherence: A financial services provider utilizes Ontinue’s continuous posture management and reporting to meet stringent SOC2 and regulatory requirements for 'continuous monitoring' and 'incident response.'
4. Sentinel Optimization: A retail brand was overspending on Azure Sentinel. Ontinue's experts tuned their data ingestion and alert logic, reducing monthly Azure costs by 30% while improving detection accuracy.

Ontinue typically follows a predictable pricing model based on the scale of the environment. Key drivers include:

1. User/Endpoint Count: Pricing often scales with the number of protected identities or devices.
2. Data Ingestion Volume: While focused on MXDR, the volume of logs processed in Sentinel can influence the service tier.
3. Service Tier: Different levels of engagement, from basic 24/7 monitoring to advanced proactive threat hunting and dedicated Advisor services.
4. Additional Costs: Customers should account for their own Microsoft licensing costs (E5 or security add-ons) and Azure consumption costs for Sentinel data storage. Note: Ontinue is known for helping customers optimize their Sentinel spend, which can often offset a portion of the service cost.

1. Microsoft 365 E5 or G5 Licensing: (Or E3 with Security/Compliance add-ons) to ensure the necessary Defender and Sentinel features are available.
2. Azure Subscription: An active subscription with Microsoft Sentinel enabled and configured.
3. Log Sources: Essential logs (Syslog, Event Logs, O365 logs) must be flowing into Sentinel.
4. Network Connectivity: Appropriate firewall rules to allow Sentinel to communicate with on-premises or multi-cloud resources if hybrid monitoring is required.
5. Browser Support: Modern browsers (Chrome, Edge) for accessing the ION Insight portal.

1. Microsoft Ecosystem Commitment: To get value, organizations must be using or migrating to Microsoft Sentinel and the Defender suite.
2. Executive Sponsorship: Buy-in from the CISO or IT Director is essential to allow Ontinue's 'ION' platform to automate remediation actions within the environment.
3. Process Readiness: Internal teams must be prepared to move from a 'reactive' security posture to a 'collaborative' one, using Microsoft Teams as the primary communication channel for security incidents.
4. Data Governance: Clear understanding of internal data retention requirements to align with Azure/Sentinel logging configurations.
5. Designated Liaison: A primary point of contact (usually a Security Engineer or IT Manager) to participate in regular posture reviews and strategic planning.

1. Discovery & Scoping (Weeks 1-2): Review of existing Microsoft licensing, environment architecture, and definition of escalation paths.
2. Environment Onboarding (Weeks 2-4): Connecting the ION platform to the customer's Microsoft Sentinel and Defender instances. Configuring API permissions and data connectors.
3. Operational Alignment (Weeks 4-6): Establishing communication workflows in Microsoft Teams, refining 'Runbooks' for automated response, and setting up the ION Insight dashboard.
4. Tuning & Optimization (Weeks 6-8): Initial 'noise' reduction phase where Ontinue's AI learns the environment's baseline to reduce false positives.
5. Full Managed Operations (Week 8+): Transition to 24/7 monitoring, active threat hunting, and continuous posture management.

• Cyber Defense Center (CDC): 24/7 access to security analysts for active incidents.
• Dedicated Cyber Advisor: High-tier plans include a dedicated strategic partner to review security posture and provide long-term roadmap guidance.
• Real-time Teams Chat: Direct access to the SOC via Microsoft Teams for quick queries and collaborative investigation.
• ION Insight Dashboard: A real-time portal providing visibility into SOC performance, threat trends, and posture maturity scores.
• Professional Services: Available for initial Microsoft security stack deployment and complex environment migrations.

1. Microsoft Sentinel: Native integration via API is the core requirement.
2. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint/Identity/Cloud Apps: Deep integration for telemetry and automated remediation.
3. Microsoft Teams: Essential for the 'ION' interface, enabling real-time collaboration between Ontinue's Cyber Defense Center and the client.
4. ITSM Integration: Optional but supported integration with tools like ServiceNow or Jira for ticket synchronization.
5. API Access: Ontinue utilizes Graph API and Sentinel APIs to ingest data and execute 'Authorized Response' actions.

• Certifications: SOC 2 Type II compliant.
• Data Residency: Leverages the customer's own Azure tenant for data storage, ensuring data remains within the customer's specified geographic boundaries.
• Access Control: Follows the principle of least privilege, utilizing Azure Lighthouse or B2B accounts for secure, auditable access to customer environments.
• Privacy: GDPR and CCPA compliant processes for handling sensitive telemetry data.
• Auditability: Full transparency of all actions taken by Ontinue analysts within the customer's Microsoft Sentinel audit logs.