The term SOC refers specifically to a security operations center, but what does that actually mean? What is a security operations center, and what do they do?
Introduction to SOCs
A security operations center (SOC) is a physical location that houses security monitoring personnel. It’s the go-to place where IT personnel responds to potential threats in the network.
The function of a SOC varies depending on the organization: it may be charged with monitoring network traffic and taking proactive steps to protect corporate and customer data, or it may be engaged in active threat detection, typically after an attack has begun. Almost all organizations that discover malicious activity either within their own networks or those of a customer will set up a SOC for this specific purpose.
How Any Company Can Utilize A SOC
Security operations centers are traditionally expensive operations, so much so that they are only available to companies with considerable IT budgets. If your company doesn’t have a large IT budget, or you don’t have the time and money to invest in configuring and operating your own SOC, then you can use a SOCaaS (SOC-as-a-service) provider.
SOCaaS is an alternative model for delivering advanced security services — one that is more affordable and accessible than traditional approaches. The nature of the service has evolved over the years, but the ability to take advantage of this security service is fairly new.
Benefits of Outsourcing Security
Increased visibility into your network – The first benefit of using a SOC is increased visibility into your network. It’s important to monitor all devices on your network so that you can detect any suspicious activity or patterns that may indicate a breach. A SOC can help you do this by aggregating information from multiple sources and presenting it in an easy-to-digest format.
Better response times during incidents – A second benefit of using a SOC is faster response times during incidents. This is especially true in situations where your organization has been compromised or someone has infiltrated your network. An experienced team working at their desks can analyze data quickly during these events and provide solutions or guidance to others in real time.
Improved efficiency and effectiveness – A managed SOC service is available 24/7, so there’s always someone on hand when you need them. This means that your staff can focus on more important tasks than keeping watch over the security of your infrastructure. A managed SOC team will also be able to respond more quickly to incidents than an in-house team might be able to do.
Lower costs – Hiring enough people to run a fully staffed 24/7 SOC can be very expensive; it’s not uncommon for organizations that operate their own security operations centers to hire multiple full-time employees. With a managed SOC service, however, all of that cost goes away because you’re paying someone else to do it for you. You’ll only pay for what you use when you need it, and won’t have any setup or maintenance costs associated with having a full-time team on staff all the time.
Flexibility – A managed SOC service allows an organization to focus on its core business while outsourcing the operations and maintenance of its security program. This allows companies to scale up or scale down based on their needs without having to worry about managing resources themselves.
Takeaway
SOCs have been around for a number of years and have been utilized in various forms. However, it’s only recently that the mainstream media has picked up on how valuable they are to security operations. SOCs can provide a company with actionable intelligence on IT infrastructure issues and help detect any imminent threats that might target the business.
How Can You Get Your Own SOC?
At Shartega IT, we offer the benefits of an outsourced SOC through our partnership with Perch Security. All the benefits described in this article are available as part of our Complete IT™ package for businesses.
