How using an SOC-as-a-Service (SOCaaS) can boost your cyber strategy

Cybersecurity is a critical concern for businesses of all sizes in 2023. With the increasing reliance on technology and the internet in all aspects of business operations, companies are vulnerable to cyberattacks that can cause significant financial and reputational damage. This exposure can be prevented by having a Security Operations Center (SOC) team.

The SOC’s main responsibility is security monitoring and alerting, which includes data gathering and analysis to spot suspicious activity and boost security within the company.

Both clients and staff value businesses that concentrate on their strengths. Because of this, more companies are choosing to outsource their security monitoring to a third party that offers SOCaaS which provides all the security advantages of a dedicated SOC but without the hassles and costs involved in managing a full staff internally.

There are various types of Security Operations Center (SOC) models 

The SOC methodology is not a one-size-fits-all approach. There are various models, from those that involve substantial portions of the internal IT team to those that are entirely outsourced solutions.

Virtual SOC – Virtual SOC is hosted on a web-based portal and lacks a physical or exclusive location as well as a specific infrastructure.

Managed/co-managed SOC – An MSP or an outside IT expert is involved in a managed or co-managed SOC. Co-managed SOCs typically consist of on-site monitoring while other duties are delegated to your partner MSP; however, roles and responsibilities vary depending on your organization’s needs. A managed SOC is where your outsourced team assumes full control over all cybersecurity matters.

Dedicated SOC – In a dedicated SOC, your company maintains a centrally located team and infrastructure that is solely dedicated to cybersecurity. The size of a dedicated SOC will change depending on the needs, size, and risks of an organization.

Command SOC – A command SOC has multiple SOCs located in various locations, often globally. This type of SOC is usually used by defence organizations or large telecom providers.

SOCaaS versus creating and having your own SOC

The question of whether using SOCaaS or building your own SOC is one that business owners tend to ask themselves. Although there isn’t a single cybersecurity solution that works for everyone, when we are talking about businesses, SOCaaS is typically a much better choice. Here are a few examples to sustain this idea:

Lower costs by opting to a subscription-based delivery model – With SOCaaS, your customers get a very affordable layer of cybersecurity protection that is adjustable to your business model. With SOCaaS, users are charged based on their usage, so customers only pay for the services they actually use. This is an important benefit of the subscription-based delivery model.

Reduced risks of data breaches – With quicker detection of security events, your SOCaaS vendor can assist you 24/7/365 in containing those events before they develop into breaches, saving you a ton of hassles with regard to the law, your reputation, and recovery.

Accelerated detection and response times – A ready-made team of security experts is provided, along with the tools and procedures needed to reduce alert fatigue and quicken the detection and response times to security incidents by providing 24/7/365 assistance.

Scalability of your business – Developing your own SOC is a hard task because investments in personnel, software licenses, hardware, and other things are required. Scaling your MSP business is also difficult if you have your own internal SOC. More customer accommodations necessitate hiring more employees, purchasing more licenses, or investing in more hardware. SOCaaS, by definition, enables simple changes to your SOC services. A few clicks and a change in pricing are all that are necessary to scale up or down.

Improved compliance – Remember that there are stringent cybersecurity compliance regulations in some industries. Implementing a managed SOC can help you meet your compliance requirements and cover several control areas or other frameworks that you adhere to, which is a benefit that is frequently overlooked. It is much simpler to hire a SOCaaS provider with expertise in these areas than to handle them on your own. Legal repercussions or severe fines/sanctions for you and your client could result from even the smallest cybersecurity or client data management oversight.

Taking a good decision for your business

SOCaaS makes it easier to deal with threats and get past alert fatigue by combining security tools and systems into a single point of control without the resource burden of moving in-house. Your security defenses gain an advantage with better visibility, insight, and proactivity thanks to the knowledge of security specialists and a data-driven strategy.

In addition to being a more affordable option than creating your own SOC, Data Core Systems’ SOC-as-a-Service offers the technology, process, and expertise you need to deliver dynamic, round-the-clock security, while meeting compliance changes.