What are the Pros and Cons of Internal SOC vs SOC-as-a-Service?

What Is A Security Operations Center(SOC)?

A Security Operations Center(SOC) is the unit of an organization’s infrastructure that constantly monitors its cybersecurity and alerts it to possible cybersecurity threats. In these days of sophisticated cyber crime, investment in SOC As A Service Vendors is necessary.

It’s one of the essential resources of a business, and its benefits far outweigh the expense. But whether or not a business should set up an internal SOC unit using Security Information and Event Management(SIEM) tools or whether it should instead engage the services of a Managed Security Service Provider(MSSP) with similar tools depends on the company’s approach to cyber technology. Both systems have pros and cons that vary from business to business.

What Are The Benefits Of an SOC?

1. Greater Control: Having an in-house SOC gives an organization complete control over its cybersecurity operations. The more expert knowledge the team has of the company’s system, the quicker and more responsive it will be to any threats and deny access to them.
2. Tailored Services: An in-house SOC team can adjust the services to meet the organization’s requirement for monitoring any threat that may arise.
3. Information Can Be Stored In-House: It is in the business’s interest to store security data primarily in-house.
4. Unified Strategy: When the company controls its own security operations, it’s part of an overall, unified company business strategy.

The benefits of an in-house SOC are excellent. However, the cost of internal SOC may be far beyond the budget of many organizations. Hence the need for an alternative.

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Outsourced SOC?

Many companies turn to Managed Service Security Providers (MSSP)as a more economical response to the cost of security technology. As with all solutions, there are advantages as well as disadvantages. Let’s explore the advantages first.

1. Infrastructure in Place: The MSSP usually has the tools and skills required to carry out the cyber security operations of threat detection and monitoring.
2. Trained Experts: The MSSP usually has a network of highly-skilled people, trained and ready to perform the security operations required. This greatly supports a company, saving time and money on security protection.
3. Continuous Monitoring: The SIEM provided by an MSSP model includes continuous monitoring, 24/7, which can be difficult for an internal SOC to handle alone.
4. Economical Expense: Outsourcing cyber security is much more budget-friendly than setting up an in-house SOC. It puts cybersecurity within reach of most organizations at affordable pricing.

Let’s now consider the disadvantages of the MSSP.

1. Limited Extent of MSSP Analysis: MSSP doesn’t completely eliminate the need for in-house cybersecurity analysis. The MSSP model usually provides what’s known as basic or Level 1 analysis. This means that more detailed analysis is still the responsibility of the client organization.
2. Detailed Analysis Limitations: An internal SOC team may still be required to handle the more difficult alerts that are beyond the MSSP’s limited capabilities.
3. Compliance Management: Every MSSP must match the client company regarding compliance with regulations. Each company must adhere to certain rules and standards and it’s imperative that their security operations should keep these regulations and standards in mind.

The Goals of a SOC

There are certain goals that are essential for any modern SOC.

• Stay Ahead of Threats: The security system must be alert to stay ahead of any threats seeking to gain access to the organization’s security network.
• Keep Organizations Informed of Risks Today, communication is crucial and it’s essential for the SOC to inform the company of the current risks at all times.
• When a security breach occurs, the SOC must respond to minimize the impact of the breach at the earliest possible time.
• Respond Speedily to Threats: An SOC should always respond to cyber threats at the earliest.

Whether the SOC is in-house or outsourced, the above-mentioned goals must be the goals of any modern SOC.