Barracuda Managed XDR named XDR Innovation of the Year by CyberSecurity Breakthrough

Award recognizes Barracuda’s AI-powered approach to threat detection, investigation, and response

Key takeaways

• Barracuda Managed XDR has been named XDR Innovation of the Year in the 2026 CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards.
• The service combines AI-powered detection, automated response, and 24/7 security expertise to help organizations identify and contain threats faster.
• As part of the BarracudaONE® platform, Managed XDR provides unified visibility and response across endpoints, email, identity, cloud environments, networks, and more than 60 third-party technologies.

We’re excited to share that Barracuda Managed XDR has been named XDR Innovation of the Year in the 2026 CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards, an award recognizing our approach to helping organizations detect, investigate, and respond to threats faster.

So, what does that look like in practice? Barracuda Managed XDR brings security data from across the attack surface into one place, making it easier to find, investigate, and contain threats. By combining AI-powered analytics and automated response with 24/7 expert monitoring, it gives teams broader protection without adding to their operational workload.

How does AI-powered managed XDR improve threat response?

Through the BarracudaONE platform, Barracuda Managed XDR analyzes trillions of security signals and connects with more than 60 third-party technologies. The Barracuda IQ™ AI engine adds threat intelligence drawn from more than 13 billion indicators of compromise, helping organizations uncover sophisticated attacks such as ransomware, account takeover, lateral movement, and cloud compromise.

When a threat is found, Automated Threat Response can isolate a compromised device, disable a hijacked account, or block malicious activity in real time. That reduces manual work and helps security teams respond faster when every minute counts.

“AI is a force multiplier for both defenders and attackers. Security teams need more than another source of alerts. They need clarity, speed, and the ability to act before threats become incidents,” said Adam Khan, Vice President of Global Security Operations and AI Security, XDR/MDR, Office of the CTO at Barracuda. “Barracuda Managed XDR combines agentic AI analysis, automated containment, and 24/7 security expertise to help organizations understand threats across their environment, respond faster, and deliver real security outcomes while reducing operational burden.”

How does Barracuda’s agentic SOC work?

What makes Barracuda Managed XDR different is how it brings together advanced AI and experienced security professionals.

In Barracuda’s agentic security operations center (SOC), AI handles high-volume detection, investigation, response, and continuous learning at machine speed. Human analysts stay in the loop to validate findings, make critical decisions, and focus on complex threats that need expert judgment. Together, this approach gives organizations greater speed, scale, and precision without taking people out of the process.

Customers and partners get enterprise-grade protection without having to build and run their own 24/7 SOC. MSPs can protect more customer environments, expand security services, and create new revenue opportunities without the cost and complexity of an in-house SOC. Customers benefit from faster threat containment, stronger defenses, and less operational strain.

Frequently asked questions about managed XDR

What is managed XDR?

Managed XDR combines extended detection and response technology with continuous monitoring, investigation, and response from security experts. It helps organizations improve visibility and contain threats faster without adding day-to-day complexity.

How does Barracuda Managed XDR use AI?

Barracuda Managed XDR uses AI-driven analytics to sort through security signals, investigate suspicious activity, automate containment, and improve workflows over time. Human analysts oversee the process, validate findings, and make the decisions that require expert judgment.

What systems does Barracuda Managed XDR monitor?

Barracuda Managed XDR helps organizations see and respond to threats across endpoints, email, identity, cloud environments, networks, and more than 60 third-party technologies.

Can MSPs offer Barracuda Managed XDR to customers?

Yes. MSPs can use Barracuda Managed XDR to provide 24/7 security monitoring and response without building and staffing their own SOC. That makes it easier to add services, demonstrate value, and scale security operations as the business grows.