What is a security operations center (SOC)?

A security operations center (SOC), also known as an information security operations center (ISOC), is a specialized facility dedicated to the monitoring, analysis, and mitigation of potential cyber threats. In today’s interconnected organizational landscape, the term “SOC” often refers to the collective team of security engineers and analysts responsible for these tasks.

While the specific architecture of a SOC may vary between organizations, it serves several essential functions:

• Tracking and monitoring activities across networks, servers, databases, and devices.
• Investigating and responding to identified threats promptly and effectively.
• Ensuring compliance with security standards and enhancing overall security measures.

Typically, organizations rely on a single internal SOC for managing and resolving threats. However, large enterprises may opt to maintain multiple SOCs across different countries, sometimes known as a global security operations center (GSOC). Alternatively, they may choose to engage a third-party group of security analysts and engineers.

How does a SOC protect organizations from threats?

A Security Operations Center (SOC) offers extensive flexibility in its configuration, allowing organizations to tailor it according to their specific requirements and capacities. The structure of a SOC is subject to frequent adaptations based on the evolving needs and capabilities of the organization. Broadly speaking, the responsibilities of a SOC can be categorized into three main areas:

• Prevention

Asset inventory is crucial for safeguarding an organization against threats and identifying any security weaknesses. In order to achieve this, a Security Operations Center (SOC) requires complete visibility into its systems, applications, and data, along with the security tools that safeguard them. An asset discovery tool can be employed to perform the inventory process.

Vulnerability assessment is an essential practice employed by a SOC to assess the potential impact of an attack. Regular testing of an organization’s hardware and software is conducted, and the results are utilized to update security policies or formulate an incident response plan.

To enhance the security posture of an organization’s infrastructure, a SOC engages in preventative maintenance activities. This entails identifying vulnerabilities and taking appropriate measures to reinforce security. Examples include updating firewalls, maintaining allowlists and blocklists, patching software, and refining security protocols and procedures.

• Detection

Log gathering and analysis: A Security Operations Center (SOC) is responsible for gathering log data produced by various events within an organization’s network, such as those generated by firewalls, intrusion prevention and detection systems, and similar sources. Subsequently, the SOC analyzes these logs to identify any anomalies or suspicious activities. Depending on the size and complexity of the organization’s infrastructure, this process can be resource-intensive and may involve the use of automated tools.

• Threat monitoring: The SOC utilizes log data to generate alerts for suspicious activities and other indicators of compromise (IOC). IOCs refer to irregularities in data, such as unusual network traffic patterns, unexpected changes in system files, unauthorized application usage, peculiar DNS requests, or any other behavior that suggests a potential breach or malicious event.

Security information and event management (SIEM): The SOC often collaborates with a SIEM solution to automate threat protection and remediation. A SIEM offers several key features, including:

• Log data aggregation
• Alert monitoring
• Advanced threat intelligence
• Security incident analysis

• Compliance reporting

• Protection

Incident handling and resolution: In the event of a security breach, a Security Operations Center (SOC) typically follows a series of measures to minimize the impact and recover affected systems. These actions may involve isolating infected devices, removing compromised files, executing anti-malware tools, and conducting thorough investigations to identify the root cause. The SOC leverages these insights to enhance existing security policies and procedures.

Compliance notification: Post-incident, the SOC assists organizations in maintaining adherence to data privacy regulations, such as the GDPR, by promptly informing the relevant authorities about the extent and nature of compromised data that falls under protection. This enables organizations to fulfill their obligations and fulfill the requirements of regulatory compliance.

What are common types of SOCs?

Organizations have multiple choices when establishing a Security Operations Center (SOC). The prevailing types of SOCs typically fall into the following categories:

• An organization that owns and operates its own SOC has an in-house SOC. This type of SOC can offer faster and customized security solutions, but it may also require more costs and resources to keep it running than other SOCs.

• Organizations can delegate SOC tasks to an external security partner with a managed SOC. This kind of SOC usually belongs to either of these two groups: MSSP or MDR.

• An MSSP is a type of managed SOC that watches over systems and data. Its main job is to notify organizations of any harmful activity. It does this by recording network events and spotting irregularities.

• An MDR is a kind of managed SOC that enhances the investigative skills of an MSSP. Besides monitoring network activity and generating alerts, it also examines possible risks, filters out false alarms, provides sophisticated analytics and threat insights, and assists in resolving security incidents.

What is a network operations center (NOC)?

A Network Operations Center (NOC) plays a crucial role in monitoring and safeguarding network operations. Its dedicated team ensures the smooth functioning of an organization’s network by proactively identifying and averting potential disruptions, defending against security threats, and conducting regular maintenance checks on different systems and software.

While a Security Operations Center (SOC) handles the detection and mitigation of malicious activities across an organization’s entire infrastructure, a NOC concentrates specifically on network security and performance, making it an invaluable resource for maintaining the integrity and efficiency of the network.

Does Toffs offer SOC services?

Toffs’s Security Operations Center-as-a-Service (SOCaaS) is a comprehensive solution that integrates advanced security technologies, including a web application firewall (WAF), bot management system, and DDoS attack prevention. This service combines robust detection and monitoring capabilities, empowering organizations to shift their SOC responsibilities to Toffs. By doing so, businesses can ensure continuous visibility into their infrastructure, effectively identify and neutralize potential threats, and achieve cost savings in their overall security operations.