What is a Security Operations Center (SOC)?

Key takeaways

• A Security Operations Center (SOC) enhances an organization's threat detection, response, and prevention capabilities. SOCs unify and coordinate cybersecurity technologies and operations.
• SOCs monitor an organization's IT infrastructure 24/7. Threat identification systems enable teams to identify cybersecurity events in real time. Analysts can filter false positives from critical threats. Organizations can neutralize intrusions and protect sensitive data.
• SOCs result in improved customer confidence, better threat detection, and streamlined incident responses. Companies with a dedicated SOC find it easier to comply with data security and privacy regulations.
• Core SOC functions include asset inventory, system maintenance, response planning, and vulnerability testing. SOC teams also detect potential threats, execute incident response plans, and recover systems safely. They audit security systems to ensure continuing improvement. And they manage compliance to meet regulatory goals.
• Key SOC team members include the SOC manager, engineers, investigators, and security analysts.

What does a Security Operations Center (SOC) do?

A SOC or ISOC (Information Security Operations Center) is a team of security professionals that manages critical cybersecurity tasks.

Engineers typically design SOC workloads around SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) software. These tools centralize security functions, enabling organizations to cover all locations and assets.

SOC monitoring technicians monitor threats to the network edge. They fix identified exploits or vulnerabilities and apply timely updates to all network devices. SOC security teams also triage alerts to identify critical security threats.

These functions are extremely important in modern organizations. Operating or outsourcing a SOC has many benefits, including:

1. Customer confidence. Data breaches devastate customer trust. SOCs protect your reputation by minimizing data breach risks. Customers know the company uses threat-neutralization tools, monitoring systems, and security assessments to protect personal data.
2. Incident response. SOCs respond systematically to security incidents. Teams use automated tools to triage and classify threats. A manual investigation of each incident is not required. Investigators use advanced quarantine and analysis tools to understand threats. They can restore systems quickly without compromising security.
3. Dynamic threat identification. XDR tools proactively scan for potential threats or suspicious activity. SOC professionals use the latest threat intelligence to keep pace with emerging malware agents or hacking techniques.
4. Enterprise security culture. SOCs act as knowledge hubs for an organization. They develop cybersecurity training programs, ensuring all employees understand their data protection responsibilities. Teams monitor password hygiene and manage access to sensitive resources. And they feed upwards to C-level stakeholders, making everyone aware of the security situation.
5. Compliance. SOCs improve cybersecurity policies and controls. They upgrade an organization's security setup to meet regulatory guidelines. Managers also update security systems as regulations evolve.
   
   

With those benefits in mind, let's assess core SOC functions in more detail to explain where they fit into the SOC process.

Key functions of a SOC

1. Inventorying assets and applications. SOC teams must build an inventory of devices connected to the network. They maintain user databases, inventory applications, and identify the location of sensitive data. This role also includes mapping all cloud services used by the organization, as well as security tools used to protect network assets.
2. Identifying network vulnerabilities. SOC cyber security tasks include understanding potential security threats. Teams carry out risk assessments for critical assets and scan for known vulnerabilities. Analysts generate strategies to minimize the attack surface and cut data breach and exposure risks.
3. Detecting and mitigating threats. SOC engineers use risk assessments to implement appropriate security policies and controls. SOC teams are responsible for firewalls, access management, applying encryption, and threat detection systems. They must configure apps and devices safely. SOCs also deliver security policies to new users and devices added to the network.
4. Threat intelligence. SOC experts analyze local and global threat data to mitigate threats before attacks occur. The Security Operations Center may employ AI or machine learning tools that convert threat intelligence into security recommendations.
5. Continuous security. SOCs work constantly. They create log management systems to monitor assets and endpoints for suspicious activity. Automated extended detection and response (XDR) tools check on-premises, remote, and cloud assets in real-time.
6. Incident response. SOC teams take action to triage and respond to cybersecurity alerts. Technicians quarantine malicious agents, fix insecure code, and run network-wide virus scans. They restore network availability as quickly as possible. SOCs also manage data recovery, managing user identities, deleting corrupted data, and recovering data if required.
7. Compliance management. Security Operations Center teams research compliance needs and ensure that an organization meets its regulatory obligations. Security staff check that data processing and storage conform to Global Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) standards. Team members report potential compliance issues and work with regulators to take corrective action.

SOC challenges

Running a Security Operations Center is not simple. SOCs face complex cybersecurity workloads. Teams are constantly under pressure to detect and respond to urgent threats. Setting up an efficient SOC also challenges organizations without in-depth cybersecurity expertise. Critical SOC challenges include:

1. Finding skilled SOC team members. SOCs are collections of skilled cyber security experts, but few businesses possess the necessary skills. About 50% of IT companies report skills shortages in the SOC sector. As the role of AI and automation grows, securing skilled and productive security experts is also likely to become harder.
2. Maximizing efficiency. Advanced SOC capabilities are expensive, especially when teams waste time on false positives or unnecessary security tasks. Stats suggest that 32% of SOC time involves dealing with issues that pose no security risk. These tasks consume scarce resources and may leave critical threats unaddressed.
3. Excessive monitoring. SOCs need sensitive detection and response systems. However, technology can sometimes generate too many alerts and false positives. Every alert requires a response. And one missed malware infection or intrusion puts company data at risk. However, 40% of SOC managers report wasting too much time on irrelevant alerts. This makes it essential to source accurate SIEM tools and calibrate them to detect relevant threats.
4. Refreshing SOC knowledge. Security teams can only be effective if they understand emerging threats. And threats emerge constantly across the world. SOCs must find time to assess potential threats. They need tools to integrate global threat intel into their daily operations. And teams also need to audit their regulatory burden to avoid compliance penalties.
5. Change management and tool diversity. Migration from locally hosted security tools to cloud-based solutions can create new vulnerabilities. SOCs may also manage many security tools across different operational environments. Diversity can lead to challenges when unifying threat data and covering the entire attack surface.
6. Detecting advanced threats. Searching for advanced malware agents or unauthorized intruders is like finding a needle in a haystack. 52 percent of SOC managers report anxiety about detecting advanced threats or being blindsided by agents before mitigation tools catch up. SOCs need to update threat databases and patch detection systems. They also require elite forensic skills to find persistent or covert threats.
7. Choosing the correct SOC model. Security Operations Centers can be run in-house. However, companies can choose completely external security providers or opt for hybrid SOC models. In-house security enables easier customization and monitoring. All data remains under the control of regular employees. However, external providers bring skills and tech that may not be available internally. Hybrid systems allow organizations to purchase the security tools they need. Managers can still retain a high level of internal control.

Essential team members in a SOC

SOCs are human communities. To succeed, team members need clearly defined roles and responsibilities. The exact composition of a SOC varies between types and security operations. However, security teams will generally include the following roles.

SOC managers hire and train center staff and provide strategic guidance for the unit as a whole. Managers ultimately decide when to take action following alerts and take responsibility for security failures. They approve compliance reports and liaise with C-level officers. Managers also oversee improvement processes, using security metrics to improve the organization's security posture.

SOC managers hire and train center staff and provide strategic guidance for the unit. Managers ultimately decide when to take action following alerts and take responsibility for security failures. They approve compliance reports and liaise with C-level officers. Managers also oversee improvement processes, using security metrics to improve the organization's security posture.

SOC investigators work closely with analysts. Investigators assess the nature, origins, and consequences of identified threats. They provide the information needed to contain and remove threats. And their work informs ongoing threat identification and response strategies.

SOC engineers design technical security controls. They implement firewalls, check data center security, and assess endpoint detection systems to protect the network edge. Engineers participate in incident responses, advise about procuring new security solutions, and maintain security tools to ensure continuous monitoring.

SOC operators are generally less senior than engineers and analysts. They carry out routine monitoring tasks. These tasks may include monitoring physical security devices such as security cameras. However, operators usually rely on centralized SIEM panels.

Ensuring cybersecurity compliance

Cybersecurity compliance is a central concern for businesses that handle customer data. An average data breach costs US companies $9.48 million. Under CCPA, companies face fines of $7,500 for each exposed customer record. And GDPR fines can reach $20 million or 4 percent of global revenues. These numbers show why having a Security Operations Center is so important.

SOCs play critical roles in ensuring compliance with cybersecurity and data protection regulations.

• 24/7 monitoring means that very few threats escape detection systems.
• Detailed activity logs allow security teams to prove that they implement continuous compliance.
• Automated incident response systems meet regulatory requirements quickly. Organizations meet reporting deadlines and contain data leaks, cutting the number of exposed records.
• AI/ML-based threat intelligence and detection systems protect the network edge. Intruders cannot reach sensitive data, limiting the scope for compliance violations.
• SOC audits regularly assess the security posture of an organization. Security professionals compare existing controls and performance with regulatory goals. Engineers can then take action to align policies and controls with regulations.
  
  

Creating a Security Operations Center contributes to compliance in many ways. However, SOCs are not a complete compliance solution. They pool the technologies and skills needed to improve security standards and satisfy regulators. Security teams still need support, resources, and strategic guidance to balance business goals with compliance obligations.