SOC as a Service: Outsourced SOC

Have you been thinking about an outsourced SOC? Here are some great reasons why using a managed SOC might make sense for your organization.

More and more companies are experiencing high-profile data breaches and cyber attacks. CIOs and CISOs are looking for ways to ensure that their organizations are protected from these digital threats. On of the best solution is to create a SOC (Security Operations Center.)

A SOC is a business unit that contains all of a company’s security personnel. Tasks of a SOC include:

• monitor networks
• inform organizational leaders of potential threats
• address vulnerabilities
• categorize threats
• prioritize security operations
• upgrade defenses where possible

It’s important to note that the job of SOCs in most organizations is to monitor the operational side of network activities. Their work isn’t focused on developing new security protocol or engineering better systems. They simply maintain the system you have.  Think of it like a security guard. Security guards monitor for authorized intrusions, but they don’t install security cameras, better locks, or perimeter fencing.

The Problem With SOCs

There’s just one problem with SOCs: the expense. Security operations centers are essential. However, in-house security operations are very expensive when you consider employee wages, equipment, and software.

The average salary of a network manager ranges from $87,8788 to $106,628, according to Salary.com. Security analysts earn about two-thirds of the cost of network managers, so a team of just four people could easily cost a firm over $250,000 per year. This doesn’t include any equipment or software tools.

Staffing requirements for SOCs are substantial. Most SOCs operate five days per week during business hours while the company network is active. However, security is a 24/7 concern. So most companies need somebody to monitor around-the-clock.  

Maintain SOCs

As with any business unit, it takes a lot of time, money, and patience to nurture and develop a SOC. Companies need to be able to manage people, processes, and technologies. This includes creating training plans, developing different staff models, and operating SOCs while not overwhelming company resources. It’s an enormous undertaking.

The administrative overhead alone is enough to discourage most companies from forming an in-house SOC. Company managers often have better ways to spend their time than developing teams to monitor their networks. The value proposition might be there, but it can often seem like a lower priority than other business processes, such as winning new clients.

How SOC as a Service Can Help

SOC-as-a-service is the perfect solution!

Instead of running an in-house SOC, you can now outsource SOC functions to a third-party company, like BitLyft, who will take care of the entire process for you. Don’t spend hours trawling through security logs. Don’t spend hundreds of thousands of dollars assembling a team of analysts or network managers. You’ll get all of that, and peace of mind, for a regular monthly fee.

Take a look at some of these benefits of SOC-as-a-service.

Comprehensive capabilities to Guard Data

If your organization has a lot of valuable data, then using SOC-as-a-service makes a lot of sense. Like many companies, you probably have data in several different places across your network. You might know where some of this data is, but there may also be hidden or isolated silos that aren’t recognized as part of your system.

That’s bad news.

If you don’t know what data you have then you don’t know what needs protecting. This makes you vulnerable for a cyber attack. SOCs bring all of your data under a single protective framework so you won’t lose any of it.

Addresses Compliance Needs

Different industry regulations also require robust compliance strategies. Third-party SOCs automate compliance and ensure that you adhere to all required data protection and privacy laws.

Additionally, your SOC provider can also enforce compliance for any in-house data protection policies you have in place.

Optimizes Use of Security Solutions to Detect Issues

Small companies often use a variety of security solutions to ensure that their networks are protected. However, they might not have the resources or the know-how to implement those solutions effectively.

For example, consider SIEM software. SIEM software helps companies manage and identify threats in real-time. This enables them to take action when required. But there’s a problem: most SIEM solutions need an operator to be on standby all the time, ready to act when an issue occurs.

Small businesses don’t usually have the resources to dedicate a full time person to exclusively manage and process network alerts. It’s just not a cost-effective option.

Third-party SOCs provide the network coverage that companies need without hiring staff.  Professional, outsourced SOCs allow companies to utilize their security solutions to their full potential – no more wasted premiums on products with limited effectiveness.

SOCs Have the Ability to Respond to Threats

In-house SOCs may not always know exactly to deal with every type of threat. Fortunately, off-site SOCs have teams of dedicated people who have already developed solutions to almost every type of security situation. Outsourced SOCs can also perform independent testing, troubleshooting, and sandboxing. This may include reverse engineering malware code to deal quickly with new threats.

The best thing about an outsourced SOC is that you do not even know an incident has occurred until you receive a report showing how it was resolved. Now that is peace of mind!

Next Steps for Your Outsourced SOC

Our services aim to provide you with a simple no-nonsense solution to keep your business safe from online threats. If you’d like to learn more, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today to speak to one of our friendly representatives.

We’ll help explain the services we offer and how they can be customized to your exact needs.