If you’ve ever felt like your MDR provider just hands you a pile of alerts and says, “Good luck!”, you’re not alone. That’s one of the big realities Umair Masud of Critical Start and Joe Campbell of Verinext tackled head‑on in our recent Fireside Chat: MDR for Outcomes.

And if you missed it live, don’t worry — you can watch the replay on demand (trust me, you’ll want to).

Why “MDR for Outcomes” — and why now

The conversation kicked off with a candid look at what’s wrong with traditional MDR. Customers have invested heavily in security tools and detection services — yet they’re still deluged with false positives, endless notifications, and little real action. As Umair put it, “Too many MDR providers are notification services, not problem solvers.”

That’s exactly what Critical Start and Verinext are trying to change — shifting MDR from activity to outcomes, with an approach that prioritizes response, accountability, and transparency.

Defining real “Response”

Joe shared how many organizations struggle to find the signal in the noise. True MDR, he noted, isn’t about just sending alerts — it’s about acting on them. Umair broke down how Critical Start delivers on that promise with a contract‑backed, 60‑minute SLA on all alerts (not just the critical ones) and a powerful formula:
AI‑Accelerated. Human‑Validated.

In his words: “Response means active involvement — containment, eradication, and prevention, not just notification.”

Behind that promise sits real capability: SOC analysts who are both Microsoft‑certified and highly experienced across Defender and Sentinel, backed by Responsible, Auditable AI that speeds up investigations — while always keeping humans accountable.

Doing more with what you already have

Another common frustration Umair and Joe discussed: “I keep buying tools but my outcomes don’t improve.”
Instead of pushing new technologies, both organizations help clients maximize their existing investments. Most companies already have solid tools like EDR, firewalls, or Microsoft Security (E5, Defender, and Sentinel). The problem isn’t the tools; it’s the lack of operationalization.

Critical Start integrates seamlessly into what’s already in place, streamlining configurations and tuning performance across your stack. As Joe put it, “More tools don’t equal better security — smarter use does.”

And that’s where the Verinext + Critical Start Advantage shines:

• The Verinext Professional Services team tackles complex Microsoft implementations, from Sentinel architecture to Defender policy design and tuning.
• The Critical Start SOC takes over with 24x7 monitoring and rapid response, ensuring every threat is investigated, validated, and actioned.

Together, customers see faster onboarding, stronger detection accuracy, and fewer false positives, all while keeping the tools they already own.

Reducing noise, building trust

One of the standout moments in the Fireside Chat came when Umair pulled back the curtain on the Critical Start Trusted Behavior Registry® (TBR) — a massive knowledge base that captures known‑good behaviors and filters out redundant noise. Layered with their Cyber Research Unit (CRU), this human‑driven expertise cuts through the clutter to focus on what really matters.

The result? Customers report up to 99% false positive reduction within weeks of onboarding — a stat that speaks for itself.

Add in MOBILESOC®, our fully transparent platform and mobile app, and clients get clarity, control, and confidence. As Joe said, transparency isn’t optional; “Customers should never have to ask, ‘What is my MDR provider doing right now?’”

Accountability that drives outcomes

At the heart of this model is measurable accountability. Customers can log into the platform anytime to see activity, resolution times, and SLA performance in real time. It’s Radical Transparency in action — no black boxes, no finger‑pointing, just results.

Umair summed it up perfectly: “You’re not buying MDR for more alerts or more reports. You’re buying MDR for outcomes.”

Watch the conversation

If you’re re‑evaluating your MDR program, or simply want to see what next‑generation, customer‑obsessed partnership looks like in action, you’ll want to catch this session.

🎥 Watch the “MDR for Outcomes” Fireside Chat on demand →

See how Critical Start and Verinext deliver clarity, control, and measurable outcomes through AI‑Accelerated, Human‑Validated MDR You Can Trust.