What is a SOC and how to implement it in your company to avoid threats?

In a scenario where companies are more mature regarding cybersecurity, the Security Operations Center (SOC) is becoming an increasingly prevalent resource in the digital security framework of organizations.

Given the rise in cyberattacks, which, according to the 2nd National BugHunt Information Security Survey, grew by 8% between 2021 and 2022, it is crucial for companies to establish their own protection strategies, and the SOC plays a fundamental role in creating these actions.

Want to understand what a SOC is and how to implement it in your company to improve your business’s digital protection? Continue reading this article and find out!

What is a SOC? The Security Operations Center (SOC) is a highly specialized and technological environment where teams of information security professionals monitor, detect, analyze, and respond to cyber threats in real-time.

This is a central component in the cybersecurity strategies of organizations because the SOC is essential for ensuring that incident responses are swift and successful, protecting the organization’s assets and maintaining the integrity of systems and data.

How does a SOC work? By centralizing cybersecurity operations, the SOC performs essential functions for protecting an organization’s infrastructure against cyber threats. Its operation involves a series of coordinated steps and processes to ensure the security of systems and data, including:

System Monitoring When an organization has a SOC, one of its roles is to actively monitor the network, systems, and applications for suspicious or abnormal activities that might indicate a security breach.

Detection and Response When suspicious activity is identified, SOC security analysts investigate and analyze the threat to determine its severity and impact. They also respond immediately to contain the threat and minimize damage.

Incident Analysis In cases of cybersecurity incidents, SOC experts conduct a thorough analysis of what happened, identifying origins, attack vectors, and patterns of malicious behavior.

Vulnerability Management The SOC continuously monitors and evaluates known vulnerabilities in the organization’s systems and applications, applying patches and updates as needed.

Threat Intelligence SOC analysts are responsible for tracking threat trends and using information about current major threats to establish prevention strategies for the organization.

Mitigation and Prevention In addition to responding to incidents, the SOC also works on developing proactive security strategies and policies to prevent potential future breaches.

Training and Awareness The SOC can also provide training for employees in other departments on best practices for cybersecurity and how to recognize potential threats.

Data Collection and Analysis The SOC collects and analyzes data from various sources, including event logs, network traffic data, and system information, to identify potential suspicious behaviors.

Reporting and Communication The SOC also keeps senior management and stakeholders informed about the organization’s security posture, ongoing incidents, and the measures taken to mitigate them.

How to implement it in your company to ensure security Just like setting up any new department in a company, implementing a SOC is a complex process that requires business planning because it needs investment in resources and a continuous commitment to cybersecurity.

It’s important to consider that the challenge may be greater for companies that do not have any security infrastructure, as they need to start from scratch—everything from hiring professionals to acquiring security solutions and equipment.

On the other hand, this task may be easier for companies that already have a minimal or decentralized information security structure, as there is no need to build everything from scratch but rather reorganize existing resources and develop what is missing to have a complete SOC.

As you’ve seen throughout the article, a well-implemented SOC can provide the organization with a more consolidated ability to identify, mitigate, and respond to cyber threats effectively.

Want access to more articles on cybersecurity infrastructure in companies like this one? Click here to visit the BugHunt blog!