AhnLab vs MAD Security
AhnLab is a Platform vendor that requires its own security platform. MAD Security is a Services firm that works with your existing tools. AhnLab targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations; MAD Security serves Mid-market and Enterprise.
Buyer brief
AhnLab is a Platform vendor that requires its own security platform. MAD Security is a Services firm that works with your existing tools. AhnLab targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations; MAD Security serves Mid-market and Enterprise.
AhnLab is the choice if you want a single-vendor stack with deep integration. MAD Security is better if you have existing tools and want flexibility.
At a glance
| FIELD |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | South Korean and APAC organizations that already run AhnLab V3, EPP and EDR | Defense contractors and government contractors that need MDR evidence aligned to DFARS, CMMC and NIST requirements |
| Price | Custom quote | MSS example: $24K-$90K/yr; not MDR-only |
| Response authority | 3/6 actions · Configurable | 1/6 actions · Configurable |
| Stack | Requires own platform | Works with existing stack |
| Data access | Dashboards | Reports only |
| Warranty | None listed | None listed |
- Best fit
- South Korean and APAC organizations that already run AhnLab V3, EPP and EDR
- Price
- Custom quote
- Response authority
- 3/6 actions · Configurable
- Stack
- Requires own platform
- Data access
- Dashboards
- Warranty
- None listed
- Best fit
- Defense contractors and government contractors that need MDR evidence aligned to DFARS, CMMC and NIST requirements
- Price
- MSS example: $24K-$90K/yr; not MDR-only
- Response authority
- 1/6 actions · Configurable
- Stack
- Works with existing stack
- Data access
- Reports only
- Warranty
- None listed
Detailed comparison
| FIELD | AhnLabPLATFORM | MAD SecurityTECH-AGNOSTIC |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | ||
| Target size | Mid-market, Enterprise | Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Sentiment | Mixed | Mixed |
| Your stack | ||
| Approach | Requires their platform | Works with your tools |
| EDR integrations | AhnLab EDR | None listed |
| SIEM integrations | None listed | None listed |
| Coverage | EPEndpoint: CoveredCloudCloud: Optional add-onIDIdentity: Not coveredSaaSSaaS: Not coveredNetNetwork: Optional add-onOTOT/IoT: Optional add-on | EPEndpoint: CoveredCloudCloud: LimitedIDIdentity: LimitedSaaSSaaS: LimitedNetNetwork: Optional add-onOTOT/IoT: Optional add-on |
| Response | ||
| Response type | Active Remediation | Active Remediation |
| Approval policy | Configurable | Configurable |
| Response actions | IsolateKill processContain | Custom playbooks |
| IR included | Separate | Separate |
| Cost | ||
| Price range | Not published | Custom pricing. A vendor-published MAD Security cost-comparison PDF gives $24,000-$90,000 per year as an example average for SMB managed security services, but it is not an MDR-specific quote and says pricing varies. |
| Minimum seats | None | None |
| Breach warranty | – | – |
| More details | ||
| Requires own agent | Yes | No |
| Endpoints | ✓ Included | ✓ Included |
| Cloud workloads | + Optional | ~ Limited |
| Identity | Not offered | ~ Limited |
| SaaS apps | Not offered | ~ Limited |
| Network | + Optional | + Optional |
| OT/ICS | + Optional | + Optional |
| Threat hunting | ✓ Included | ✓ Included |
| Response SLA | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| 24/7 coverage | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pricing model | Based on the number of AhnLab EDR agents installed. AhnLab says EDR Premium includes the EDR license fee and that service cost requires a separate inquiry. | Custom pricing. MAD Security publishes a broad managed security services cost comparison, but does not publish MDR-specific price bands, minimums, per-endpoint pricing or log-volume pricing. |
| Hidden cost warnings | The service is tied to AhnLab's endpoint stack, so buyers with existing CrowdStrike, Microsoft Defender or SentinelOne deployments should price migration and overlap.. AhnLab separates basic MDR from paid EDR Premium. Buyers should confirm which response actions are included in each tier.. Public materials do not disclose minimum seats, regional availability, SLA terms or retained-forensics scope.. Fuller cross-domain detection may require AhnLab XDR, TIP, MDS, cloud or CPS products outside endpoint MDR. | Confirm whether MDR is quoted as a standalone endpoint service or bundled into SOC-as-a-Service.. Confirm whether NDR, cloud telemetry, identity correlation and OT/IT monitoring are included or separate services.. Ask which tools are included in the MDR fee, since public pages do not name a standard EDR or SIEM platform.. The public $24,000-$90,000 annual example is for managed security services broadly, not a scoped MDR quote.. No public MDR SLA table, service-credit terms or breach warranty were found. |
| Data portability | Limited | Partial |
| Contract terms | Per EDR agent, Custom quote, EDR Premium paid tier | Custom |
| Channels | PortalEmailPhone | EmailPortalPhone |
| Data access | Dashboards | Reports only |
| Dedicated analyst | – | – |
| SOC regions | APAC | North America |
| Onboarding | Requires AhnLab V3, EPP and EDR plus external transmission of AhnLab EDR detection logs. Public materials do not publish a standard onboarding timeline. | Not published as a standard MDR onboarding timeline. |
| Industry focus | TechnologyFinancial ServicesManufacturingGovernmentHealthcare | Defense Industrial BaseGovernmentMaritimeState and Local GovernmentFinancial ServicesTechnologyHigher EducationManufacturing |
| MTTD | Not published | Not published |
| MTTR | Not published | Not published |
| Community view | AhnLab has stronger public proof around endpoint products than around MDR delivery. English-language MDR-specific buyer reviews are sparse, so buyers should validate analyst quality, escalation process and regional support through references. | MAD Security has clear regulated-sector positioning and public MSSP Alert recognition, but independent MDR buyer-review signal is thin. No meaningful G2, Gartner Peer Insights or PeerSpot MDR review profile was found in this pass. |
| Compliance | MITRE ATT&CK evaluationsSE Labs Advanced Security Test | CMMCDFARSNIST SP 800-171NIST 800-53FISMAFedRAMPMTSACJISHIPAA |
| Certifications | SE Labs AAA rating for AhnLab EPP/EDRMITRE ATT&CK Evaluations Round 7 participant | CMMC Level 2 CertifiedCMMC Registered Provider OrganizationService-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business |
| Founded | 1995 | 2010 |
| Data retention | Not published as a standard MDR retention period. AhnLab EDR collects endpoint behavior, file, registry, network, process, system and Windows event-log data for analysis in EDR Analyzer. | Not published |
| API available | ✓ | – |
| Website | Visit → | Visit → |
FAQ
What is the main difference between AhnLab and MAD Security?
AhnLab is a Platform vendor that is platform-native (requires their own security stack). MAD Security is a Services firm that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools).
How do AhnLab and MAD Security differ in response capabilities?
AhnLab supports 3 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, network containment, process termination) and approval is configurable. MAD Security supports 1 autonomous actions (custom playbooks) and approval is configurable.
How does AhnLab pricing compare to MAD Security?
AhnLab pricing: Not published. MAD Security pricing: Custom pricing. A vendor-published MAD Security cost-comparison PDF gives $24,000-$90,000 per year as an example average for SMB managed security services, but it is not an MDR-specific quote and says pricing varies.. Watch for with AhnLab: The service is tied to AhnLab's endpoint stack, so buyers with existing CrowdStrike, Microsoft Defender or SentinelOne deployments should price migration and overlap.; AhnLab separates basic MDR from paid EDR Premium. Buyers should confirm which response actions are included in each tier.. Watch for with MAD Security: Confirm whether MDR is quoted as a standalone endpoint service or bundled into SOC-as-a-Service.; Confirm whether NDR, cloud telemetry, identity correlation and OT/IT monitoring are included or separate services..
Should I choose AhnLab or MAD Security?
Choose AhnLab if: south Korean and APAC organizations that already run AhnLab V3, EPP and EDR. Choose MAD Security if: defense contractors and government contractors that need MDR evidence aligned to DFARS, CMMC and NIST requirements. AhnLab is not ideal for buyers that want MDR layered on top of existing CrowdStrike, Microsoft Defender, SentinelOne or other endpoint tools. MAD Security is not ideal for buyers that need MDR-specific pricing, minimums and packaged tiers before talking to sales.
Daylight Security
AI-native MDR for buyers comparing active remediation across endpoint, cloud, identity, and SaaS. Daylight works with existing EDR/SIEM stacks and uses ChatOps-native collaboration, so it can be a useful third reference point in this comparison.