With the rise of digitalization and cloud migration, companies are becoming more vulnerable to various online Cyber attacks. In 2020, the Federal Trade Commission recorded 4.8 million instances of identity theft and fraud – a 45% increase from the previous year. Cybercrime is estimated to cost the global economy around $1 trillion, with the average data breach costing $4.24 million – up from $3.86 million in 2019. Of all industries affected by data breaches, healthcare is the most expensive at $7.13 million.
Unfortunately, the growing attack surface, Cyber threat, and lack of specialized skills have made security operations more complex for SOC security teams. As a result, many companies have opted to store data and applications in data centers and cloud systems. However, in-house SOC implementation can be both complex and expensive to maintain in the long run.
Outsourced SOC or SOC as a service to the cybersecurity professional services provider is the most effective solution for ensuring 24/7 monitoring of devices, networks, and cloud environments to prevent threats proactively. Partnering with a managed SOC Service Providers in India is a cost-effective way to provide visibility and security within the organization.
(Source: IBM Technology)
The advent of cloud technology and the emergence of Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) have made it easier for organizations to manage their security operations in a cost-effective way. MSSPs provide a managed Security Operations Center (SOC) or SOC-as-a-service, with cybersecurity experts to monitor log data, cloud environments, systems, and networks. This eliminates the need to hire employees with specific skill sets to operate an in-house SOC. A managed SOC service is a cloud-based service that uses people, Cutting edge technology, and processes to manage an organization’s systems and networks externally.
They are crucial for an organization as they help in continuous monitoring, detection, and efficient response to security threats. With their help, you do not need a big in-house security team to mitigate risks, ensure compliance & protect sensitive data, which allows you to focus on your core business.
It continuously scans for any security threats or suspicious activities in the IT environment.
It then collects information from various data sources, such as network traffic and system logs, which the SOC team make use of to investigate and respond to potential security threats promptly and minimize the impact.
Managed SOC service providers offer organizations informative dashboards that provide context about security events and incidents. By reducing the workload of security teams and automating the threat detection and response process, managed SOC services allow for 24×7 monitoring of security events and provide visibility in a single pane of glass.
Many organizations are growing rapidly as they adopt cloud-based technology, embrace the Internet of Things, and expand their remote workforce. In order to meet the needs of these organizations, outsourced cloud-based SOC services are becoming increasingly popular due to their scalability. Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) use a threat intelligence platform that provides context regarding security incidents and automates the threat detection process. This automation enables MSSPs to share alerts in real-time with assigned actions, ensuring quick and effective response to potential threats.
Managing an in-house SOC and keeping it up and running can be very challenging in the long run due to its complexity. Choosing a Managed SOC service can be a cost-effective solution for organizations as they only have to pay for the outsourced services, equipment, and licenses to the MSSPs, which in turn reduces capital and operational overheads.
MSSPs can easily afford new tools and technologies such as artificial intelligence, enabling them to deliver better results. MSSPs encourage the implementation of new tools at lower costs, which helps an organization improve its security operations maturity.
Organizations often collaborate with Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) to benefit from their comprehensive security solutions and cyber security professionals who can conduct advanced security operations. MSSPs maintain up-to-date tools and resources to counteract threats and vulnerabilities, thereby boosting the confidence of internal security teams. In addition, MSSPs only send important alerts while eliminating false positives, which further enhances the efficiency of the security system.
Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) employ a specialized team of security experts to monitor and address security events and threats. These experts are available around the clock to give advice and help organizations to plan and design security operations more effectively. Co-managed Security Operations Center (SOC) is a crucial step for companies of all sizes to enhance security decisions.
Automated cloud deployment simplifies the process of setting up firewalls. Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) can pre-configure security appliances in the cloud and send them to customers, who can simply power them on with an internet connection. MSSPs can also deploy specific modules for incident response and orchestration without having to install a complete orchestration layer for each client.
The roles and responsibilities include:
It also involves improving the security posture of an organization by:
– Internal or In-house SEO
Having your own in-house internal resources, which do require significant investment in infrastructure, staff, and technology but offers long-term advantages like tailored solutions and direct control over security operations.
– Outsourced SOC
Here, an organization reaches out to third parties for 24/7 SOC services as they do not have their in-house team, which provides a disadvantage of not having complete control over operations and customization.
– Hybrid SOC
This is the combination of both internal & outsourcing elements.
Here, organizations maintain some security functions in-house and outsource others to a third-party provider, which provides a good balance of external expertise and internal resources.
Managed SOC
In-house or outsourced team to proactively manage and address security threats.
MDR (Managed Detection and Response)
Here, the focus is on threat detection and response, where experts leverage the latest technologies for proactive threat hunting, investigation, and remediation services.
MSSP (Managed Security Service Provider)
Typically includes a broad range of security services and involves an outsourced model to monitor, manage, and support security infrastructure.
SIEM (Security Information and Event Management)
It is a technology platform that collects information from various sources & then analyzes and correlates security data to provide real-time threat detection, alerting, and compliance reporting.
24/7 continuous monitoring – Round-the-clock surveillance of the system and network security to detect and respond to real-time security incidents.
Threat detection and response – Identify threats and take appropriate actions to mitigate or neutralize them.
Compliance support – Assist in meeting the security and data protection regulations and industry standards.
Expertise and Experience – Addressing complex security challenges by taking the help of seasoned professionals.
Security Posture Assessments – Assessing the current security framework to identify strength and weakness.
Security Tool Management – Maintaining security tools and keeping them up-to-date.
Security Reporting – Creating reports on security activities like incidents, remediation actions, and the current status for stakeholders & then providing guidance accordingly.
Typically, it ranges from approximately INR 1,60,000 to 8,00,000. The exact cost depends on numerous factors, like the scope of the services, the size of the organization, the technology used, customization level, compliance requirements, and incident response needs.
Challenges:
Evolving Threats – Along with the evolution of cyber threats, attackers are using more & more sophisticated techniques like APT (Advanced persistent threats), which makes it challenging for the SOCs to keep their defenses and intrusion detection updated.
Skill Shortage – The shortage of skilled SOC analysts makes it hard to monitor and respond to security incidents.
Complexity of IT Environments – Due to the complexity of modern IT infrastructure, SOCs find it hard to achieve comprehensive visibility and manage security across diverse environments.
Incident Response Speed – The attack can cause significant damage if SOCs don’t react to security incidents quickly, making it harder for them to streamline their incident response processes.
Data Overload and Integration – Due to a large amount of data, it becomes difficult for SOCs to timely identify and respond to threats.
Future:
Increased Use of AI and Machine Learning – SOCs will be heavily dependent on AI and machine learning to analyze vast amounts of security data to identify and respond to threats faster through advanced detection of anomaly and pattern recognition.
Integration of SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response) – SOAR tools will become an integral part of SOCs, helping automate routine tasks and streamlining workflows, increasing efficiency and response times.
Rise of Extended Detection and Response (XDR) – The popularity of XDR solutions will grow, providing a unified approach to threat detection and response across various security layers like network, endpoint, and cloud, improving visibility and defense strategies.
Focus on Cloud Security – SOCs will lay more emphasis on cloud security as organizations will move their resources to the cloud, requiring advanced monitoring, compliance measures, and threat detection tailored specifically to cloud environments.
Enhanced Threat Intelligence and Collaboration – SOCs will collaborate and share their threat intelligence with other organizations and industry groups, helping in improving knowledge, and security posture & stay updated with the latest trends.
Check out their portfolio & previous track records, which will give you an idea about their capability to handle security challenges.
Go through their customer reviews on platforms like Google My Business, Facebook, and Glassdoor, which will help you gauge the satisfaction they have caused to their users, reliability, performance, and their overall service quality.
Choose a provider who delivers a wide range of services that meets your needs.
How will they align with your security requirements? Are they using the latest tools and technologies?
A good SOC will be able to adapt themselves to your growing organization and changing needs.
Do you have budget constraints? Will you be able to afford their service without compromising essential quality and security features?
Post-sales support is equally important as service delivery! Are they responsive enough? Are they addressing your issues promptly?
Sattrix InfoSec is a leading provider of managed cybersecurity services with a range of flagship offerings, including SOC as a Service, vulnerability management, managed detection and response, and device management. Additionally, Sattrix has partnered with other providers to offer hybrid SOC services. This includes a team of security experts equipped with the necessary skill sets and in-depth knowledge to perform analysis, security monitoring, and proactive threat hunting.
Sattrix’s managed SOC as a service provides:
A customized monitoring window is created to meet the specific security requirements of the customer. A team of experts carefully analyze, investigate, and report security events round the clock, providing necessary assistance and suggestions to strengthen the security operations.
An SLA (service-level agreement) is implemented based on incident management, which clearly defines service expectations and remedies in case of a breach. This approach helps in the early detection and mitigation of any cyber threats.
A team of skilled security professionals is employed to ensure that the security of the organization is not compromised at any level. They execute complex operations and provide effective solutions to support the workflow of internal staff.
An integrated security framework is established, including vulnerability management, SOAR, and proactive threat hunting to ensure mature and enhanced cybersecurity decisions.
