When you’re looking at security tools, you might see nothing but acronyms; AV, EDR, and MDR are thrown around frequently with no real explanation for what they mean or how each one will work for your business operations. This can be confusing for IT teams, especially when they must contend with evolving threats while operating with a lean team.
So, what is the difference between AV, EDR, and MDR? Let’s explore each approach, see how they differ, where each fits, and how businesses can decide what works best for them.
Why Endpoint Security Choices Are No Longer One-Size-Fits-All
There was once a time when cyberattacks primarily consisted of simple malware, and a good antivirus was all it took to deal with them. However, that was long ago, and attack techniques have evolved far beyond that. Cybersecurity needs to keep up with evolving threats, or else they’ll leave their systems vulnerable.
Modern cybersecurity goes beyond the security solutions businesses use; security maturity (your security position relative to your risk environment and tolerances) and operational ownership (collaboration between security and IT teams and their distribution of responsibilities) also play major roles.
While the technology that IT and security teams use remains important, clearly defined roles for detecting, investigating, and responding to incidents are equally vital.
What Antivirus Software Is Designed to Do
Let’s start by looking at antivirus (AV) software. Antivirus software, at its core, is designed to detect, block, and remove malicious software. It’s a common choice for individuals and small businesses looking to protect against cyber threats, such as ransomware, spyware, trojans, and other viruses.
Antivirus software typically uses two detection methods: signature-based and heuristic-based detection. Signature-based detection compares files against a database of known viruses and their unique identifiers, and if it finds a match, it flags the malicious software and removes it. Heuristic detection, on the other hand, analyzes the behavior of files and programs to identify suspicious activity, rather than specific signatures. This makes it more flexible and adaptable to detect new or modified viruses.
There are several scenarios where AV software can be helpful, both in and out of business environments. For instance, when employees working on the go connect to a public Wi-Fi network, strong antivirus protection can help protect their devices. Similarly, an antivirus software can help protect devices if users accidentally open a malicious email attachment or download a Trojan file, detecting the malware before it can infect anything.
What Antivirus Does Well
Detect and remove known malware
Block access to suspicious websites
Scan systems and monitor for viruses
Quarantine and remove suspicious files
Detect suspicious activity
Where Antivirus Falls Short
AV software lacks proactive protection.
Antivirus software may not detect zero-day threats and advanced malware, such as fileless threats and polymorphic code.
Antivirus lacks behavior-based detection and can’t defend against insider threats or human error.
Modern attacks leverage automation and AI to move faster than antivirus software can keep up.
How EDR Expands Detection and Response Capabilities
Moving beyond antivirus, we get to Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR). EDR provides continuous monitoring and behavioral analysis to detect and respond to cyber threats, including gaining visibility into malicious activities, containing attacks, and responding to incidents.
What EDR Adds to Cybersecurity
Continuous endpoint monitoring.
Data analysis and correlation to detect advanced tactics and suspicious activity.
Defense against more sophisticated attacks and threats, including malware, ransomware, insider threats, phishing attacks, zero-day exploits, Internet of Things (IoT) vulnerabilities, and advanced persistent threats
Proactive threat detection and investigation.
Challenges with EDR
While EDR increases security capabilities, it also increases operational responsibility. It serves as the eyes and ears that help security teams identify threats, but they still need to review and act on that information. The high level of visibility EDR provides can lead to alert fatigue. For lean IT teams, sifting through hundreds of daily telemetry alerts to find the 'one real threat' can be overwhelming and lead to missed incidents.
What MDR Adds on Top of EDR
One step beyond EDR is Managed Detection and Response (MDR). MDR is a managed service that combines technology and human expertise to not only monitor and detect threats, but respond to them quickly and proactively.
Unlike antivirus software and EDR, MDR is human-led, with skilled experts managing investigation and response. This takes cybersecurity beyond just a tool upgrade and into a new operational model, where companies can rely on a team of real people to manage their security.
Benefits of MDR
Continuous monitoring and 24/7 threat detection.
Rapid incident response, led by real people.
Advanced threat intelligence and expert insights.
Scalability and customization tailored to your needs.
Tradeoffs of MDR
Typically higher costs than AV or EDR.
Vendor reliance, rather than in-house security, which can result in inconsistent quality.
Lack of full visibility, as the vendor takes control of security.
AV vs EDR vs MDR Comparison Table
So, with AV, EDR, and MDR defined, how do they compare? You can see the biggest differences in this handy chart:
Area | AV | EDR | MDR |
Primary goal | Prevent known malware | Detect and respond to active threats | Detect, investigate, and respond on the customer’s behalf |
Detection method | Signatures, machine learning, heuristics | Behavior, telemetry, analytics | EDR + human-led analysis and threat intelligence |
Attack types covered | Known, file-based threats | Known, unknown, and fileless attacks | Same as EDR, plus advanced and multi-stage attacks |
Fileless attacks | Limited (no file to scan) | Strong (behavior and memory-based detection) | Strong, with human validation |
Activity context | Single event (file-based detection) | Full attack sequence with timelines | Full attack context plus cross-customer correlation |
Response actions | Block/quarantine files | Isolate endpoint, kill processes, investigate, and remediate | Managed containment, remediation, and guided recovery |
Investigation tools | Alerts and logs only | Timelines, process trees, AI-assisted analysis | SOC analysts, playbooks, forensics, reporting |
AI usage | Risk scoring at detection time | Event correlation, triage, investigation | AI + human decision-making |
Threat hunting | Not supported | Supported through search and analytics | Proactive, continuous threat hunting |
Role in security stack | Baseline protection | Detection and response layer | Outsourced SOC / managed response layer |
Operational ownership | Customer | Customer | Vendor |
Cost | Low cost, simple to run | Higher cost, more operational overhead | Highest cost, lowest customer effort |
How to Decide Which Model Fits Your Organization
Given the differences, how can you tell which model is right for your business? Consider your specific needs, both in terms of overall security and control, and you’ll be set to make a smart decision.
If You Need Basic Protection With Minimal Overhead
If your security needs aren’t too great, an antivirus may be acceptable. Modern antivirus software provides real-time protection against malware and includes features that give businesses greater control over their security. However, if you have sensitive data to protect or a wider network of endpoints, AV might be too limited to provide the security you need.
If You Need Visibility and Control, and Have Internal Resources
EDR is a great choice if you have the internal resources to address and mitigate threats. EDR provides strong threat detection and analytics, while leaving response to your internal team. This does require you to have an IT staff in place and processes established to address cyber threats, but once you have those, EDR will support your team well. You might also require EDR if your industry compliance or cyber insurance dictates it.
If You Need Strong Security Without Building a SOC
If you need 24/7 threat detection, investigation, and response but don’t have an internal team, MDR is the right choice. MDR is a great choice for companies with limited in-house security resources that still require advanced threat detection, especially if they need fast response times and after-hours support.
How Splashtop Consolidates End-to-End Endpoint Security in a Single Platform
Splashtop approaches endpoint security consolidation as an operational problem, not just a detection problem. Rather than treating AV, EDR, or MDR as isolated tools, Splashtop provides a centralized control and visibility layer that helps teams act on security insights in real time.
Splashtop supports antivirus protection and integrates with leading EDR and MDR solutions, including access to top-tier platforms and services like Bitdefender, SentinelOne, and CrowdStrike at competitive prices. Users benefit from viewing threats and managing endpoints within the Splashtop console, reducing context switching.
Combining these capabilities with Splasthop AEM (Autonomous Endpoint Management) reduces the gap between identifying risk and resolving it. From a single console, IT and security teams can view endpoint security alerts alongside device inventory, processes, vulnerability exposure, and patch status. When action is required, teams can move immediately from detection to response using remote access, scripting, and automation without switching tools or losing context.
All security capabilities are available as optional add-ons, allowing organizations to start with baseline protection and evolve toward more advanced detection and response models without rearchitecting their endpoint stack.
Ready to simplify endpoint security? Contact us now!
