Threat monitoring, detection and response management are essential for any organization today. A CyberSOC(Security Operations Center) is a centralized unit of security professionals who monitor and analyze an organization’s security systems.

It helps organizations avoid dangers such as malware, ransomware, breaches, insider attacks/privilege misuse, supply chain attacks, phishing, Denial of Service (DoS) attacks, cyber-espionage, etc.

In this blog post, let us dive deep into the different types of SOCs.

5 Types of CyberSOCs

There are five major types of cyber security operations centers.

Virtual SOC

A virtual security operation center is a centralized unit that can provide your organization with an off-site team of security professionals who monitor, analyze and respond to security incidents.

It can be accessed remotely through a cloud in contrast to other traditional security operation centers that require a physical location and on-site professionals.

The concept of a virtual SOC is relatively new but is gaining popularity because of the myriad benefits it offers.

Benefits

• Cost efficiency - A virtual SOC provides all the capabilities of a physical SOC but at a much reduced cost overhead.


• Availability and Reliability - It is highly available and reliable as it is hosted in a cloud environment.


• Flexibility - With the change in work-life landscape, many businesses are working from home or are hybrid which has increased the usage of employees’ own devices. In such a scenario, a virtual SOC allows flexibility across multiple devices.

Disadvantages

• Communication breakdown - Since a virtual SOC depends mostly on digital tools to communicate, there is an increased risk of a breakdown as compared to a face-to-face conversation.


• Team cohesion - In a virtual SOC teams may find it difficult to stick together which is vital for efficient threat mitigation.


• Monitoring and support - Because of diversity in time zones or work schedules there may be a gap in monitoring and providing support round the clock.

Managed SOC

A managed security operations centre is an outsourced service that provides a comprehensive solution and protects your organization against cyber incidents by continuous monitoring and management.

Benefits

• Cost efficiency - Managed SOCs are usually billed on a monthly subscription fee unlike other SOCs which makes their deployment cost-efficient.


• Time efficiency - Partnering with an outsourced organization can reduce the time needed for setup and day-to-day running of your SOC.


• Escalation of critical threats - Any other SOC can create alarms for trivial threats whereas a managed SOC creates threats and alerts only if needed.


• Proactive threat detection - A managed SOC detects threats before they can cause any harm.


• Resourcing - It provides more flexibility. The experts of your organization can focus on tasks other than that managed by the SOC.


• Continuous monitoring - It provides your business round the clock monitoring and support.


• Access industry experts - Access a managed SOC team of security experts with cutting-edge skills.



Disadvantages

• Loss of control - With a managed SOC, the provider will have access to sensitive information and control over security measures rendering limited control to your organization.


• Expensive - Managed SOCs are expensive and difficult to afford by small businesses.


• Issue monitoring 24/7 - Managed SOC is less reliable as it does not always monitor systems round the clock.

Co-managed SOC

A co-managed SOC is a collaborative approach to manage and monitor your organization’s cybersecurity needs. Here, your organization can partner with a third-party security provider to share the responsibilities of monitoring and analyzing systems.

Benefits

Cost efficiency - A co-managed SOC reduces cost overhead for your organization by providing access to security experts without the need to hire additional staff.

Improved visibility - By using external expertise,your organization can gain more insight and deal with security concerns in a better way.

Increased efficiency - By using external expertise for cyber security, your organization can focus on business tasks other than cyber security concerns.

Enhanced compliance - An external provider with knowledge and expertise in cyber security ensures that all applicable requirements are met.

Disadvantages

Complexity - Co-managed SOCs operate in multiple layers of security which makes them complex and difficult to manage.

Dependence on third parties - Co-managed SOCs depend on third parties for hardware, software, and maintenance services, which can be costly and time consuming.

Dedicated SOC

A dedicated SOC is a centralized unit within your organisation responsible for the monitoring, analysing, detecting and responding to cyber security incidents of all its systems and networks.

Benefit

Continuous monitoring - A dedicated SOC ensures that cyber security concerns are taken care of 24/7.

Centralised visibility - With more businesses working from home, in a hybrid mode or employees bringing their own devices - dedicated SOCs ensure full visibility into your organization.

Disadvantages

Cost - A dedicated SOC requires a large cost and time overhead because of its complexity.

Lack of flexibility - As a dedicated SOC caters to the needs of a single organization, it can be challenging to scale up to changing circumstances.

Command SOC

A command SOC is a centralized unit for monitoring and managing security operations within your organisation. It ensures the safety and security of personnel, data and assets.

Benefits

Access to security experts - Command SOCs are large and have many security experts.

Knowledge and Expertise - Due to the size and type of client, command SOC experts are equipped with cutting edge expertise.

Threat detection - Command SOCs are capable of detecting threats efficiently.

Disadvantages

High cost - Command SOCs require a huge cost overhead because of their complexity.

Risk of human error - Human errors can create false alarms and unnecessary responses.

How to Choose the Right CyberSOC for your Business

When deciding which CyberSOC to use for your business, many variables come into play such as company size, budget, IT security teams, turnover, and industry. Businesses with 30 employees and above should have a CyberSOC in place. Businesses with less than 30 employees should have a SOC if they deal with sensitive data. Another factor to consider is if your business can bear the brunt of a cyber-attack.

Employing a virtual SOC allows flexibility across multiple devices and physical locations. With the increasing sophistication and frequency of cyberattacks, using a managed SOC is becoming popular across organizations to protect their sensitive information from cyberattacks. Co-managed SOCs are useful for organizations with limited resources or skills in cyber security and offer an efficient cost-effective way to mitigate security concerns. A dedicated SOC is paramount for organizations that want their security concerns well addressed. Command SOCs are appropriate for large businesses and are spread out globally, usually used by Global 2000 companies, defence organisations and large telecoms providers.

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