Dallas, TX – September 29, 2026 – LevelBlue, the world's largest independent pure-play managed security services provider, today announced it has been included as a Representative Vendor in the 2026 Gartner Market Guide for Managed Detection and Response.
The report examines how managed detection and response (MDR) services are evolving as organizations look beyond alert-centric monitoring toward proactive exposure management, threat disruption, and measurable security outcomes. Gartner identifies integrated threat detection, investigation, and response capabilities as a fundamental requirement for MDR buyers, who expect remotely delivered solutions that are implemented swiftly and reliably. Gartner also noted that established MDR buyers routinely ask providers to extend their requirements beyond TDIR to include the proactive identification and mitigation of threat exposures.
Gartner states, “MDR services provide customers with remotely delivered, AI-augmented, human-led, turnkey, modern SOC functions, ultimately delivering cyberattack disruption and containment.”
In LevelBlue's view, this emphasis on combining advanced technology with human expertise reflects the direction LevelBlue has taken with its approach to managed security. LevelBlue brings together AI-powered security operations, global threat intelligence, and experienced security professionals to help organizations identify threats, contain attacks, and reduce risk across complex environments.
“Security leaders increasingly need more than alerts. They need trusted expertise, actionable context, and the ability to disrupt threats before they become business-wide incidents,” said Sundhar Annamalai, Chief Security Officer at LevelBlue. “We believe our inclusion in this Market Guide reflects LevelBlue’s relevance within an evolving MDR market and reinforces our focus on combining human expertise, AI-augmented operations, and broad security visibility to deliver meaningful outcomes for customers.”
The report also highlights the significant consolidation reshaping the MDR market. LevelBlue’s acquisitions of Trustwave, Cybereason, and Alert Logic are cited among recent merger and acquisition activities. These acquisitions have expanded LevelBlue’s global security operations, threat intelligence, incident response, and managed security capabilities, supporting its focus on helping organizations build lasting cyber resilience.
As organizations mature their internal security operations, Gartner also anticipates a growing role for AI in processing and addressing security findings. The report predicts that, “By 2029, 90% of initial findings from MDR providers will be processed and addressed with the support of AI models without any human action, up from 30% today.”
LevelBlue’s MDR and MXDR capabilities are designed to help organizations:
- Detect, investigate, and respond to threats across endpoint, network, cloud, SaaS, and identity environments
- Combine AI-powered security operations with human analysis, threat hunting, and incident response expertise
- Proactively identify and mitigate exposures before they contribute to business disruption
- Integrate security data and technologies across complex, multivendor environments
- Measure and continuously improve security outcomes, detection coverage, and response effectiveness
In LevelBlue’s opinion, LevelBlue’s inclusion as a Representative Vendor reinforces the company’s alignment with the evolving needs of organizations seeking outcome-driven security services that extend beyond detection and response.
Read the 2026 Gartner Market Guide for Managed Detection and Response.
Gartner, Market Guide for Managed Detection and Response, Andrew Davies, Angel Berrios, Eric Ahlm, Darren Livingstone, and Craig Lawson, 9 September 2026.
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About LevelBlue
LevelBlue delivers intelligence-led security with the visibility and speed needed to stop threats faster. As the world’s largest and most analyst-recognized pure-play managed security service provider, our AI-powered managed services help prevent intrusions, strengthen incident response readiness, and accelerate detection and response. We combine government-grade authorizations, globally recognized certifications, and deep cyber expertise to help organizations operate with confidence across regulated, hybrid, and high-risk environments. Learn more at LevelBlue.com.
