A security operations center selects, operates, and maintains the organization\u2019s cybersecurity technologies. It continually analyzes threat data to find ways to improve the organization’s security posture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The chief benefit of operating or outsourcing a SOC is that it unifies and coordinates an organization\u2019s security tools, practices, and response to security incidents. This usually results in improved preventative measures and security policies, faster threat detection, and faster, more effective and more cost-effective response to security threats. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A security operations center (SOC) \u2013 sometimes called an information security operations center, or ISOC \u2013 is an in-house or outsourced team of IT security professionals that monitors an organization\u2019s entire IT infrastructure, 24\/7, to detect cybersecurity events in real-time and address them as quickly and effectively as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It can also improve customer confidence, and simplify and strengthen an organization’s compliance with industry, national and global privacy regulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the SOC, internet traffic, networks, desktops, servers, endpoint devices, databases, applications and other systems are continuously examined for signs of a security incident. SOC staff may work with other teams or departments but are typically self-contained with employees who have high-level IT and cybersecurity skills or outsourced to third-party service providers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most SOCs function around the clock, with employees working in shifts to constantly log activity and mitigate threats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before establishing a SOC, an organization must define its cybersecurity strategy to align with current business goals and problems. Department executives reference a risk assessment that focuses on what it will take to maintain the company’s mission and subsequently provide input on objectives to be met and infrastructure and tooling required to meet those objectives, as well as required staff skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SOCs are an integral part of minimizing the costs of a potential data breach. They not only help organizations respond to intrusions quickly but also constantly improve detection and prevention processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SOC activities and responsibilities fall into three general categories:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For many SOCs, the core monitoring, detection and response technology has been\u00a0security information and event management, or SIEM. SIEM monitors and aggregates alerts and telemetry from software and hardware on the network in real-time, and then analyzes the data to identify potential threats. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many XDR solutions enable SOCs to automate and accelerate these and other incident responses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are several SOC models an organization can implement. These include the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SOCs are staffed with a variety of individuals who play a role in overarching security operations. Job titles and responsibilities that may be found in a SOC include the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When implemented correctly, a security operations center can\u00a0provide an organization with numerous benefits, including the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are several agreed-upon best practices for running a SOC. Before a SOC can be successful, it is important to select the SOC model that is most effective for the given organization, staff the team with the best security specialists, and adopt the proper tools and technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Next, implement security orchestration, automation and response (SOAR) processes whenever possible. Combining the productivity of an automation tool with the technical skills of an analyst helps improve efficiency and\u00a0incident response\u00a0times. It also enables the SOC to function more effectively without interruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A SOC is only as effective as the strategies it has in place. Managers should implement operational protocols that are strong enough to ensure a consistent, fast and effective response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SOCs rely heavily on the knowledge of individual cybersecurity team members. Managers should provide ongoing training to stay on top of\u00a0emerging threats, cybersecurity incident reports and vulnerabilities. SOC monitoring tools should be updated to reflect any changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other SOC best practices include ensuring full visibility across a business, collecting as much data as possible as often as possible, taking advantage of data analytics and developing processes that are easier to scale for growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n