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Security Operation Center (SOC)

SOC Definition

It is a facility where the information security team continuously monitors and analyzes the security of an organization. The primary purpose of the SOC team is to detect, analyze, and respond to cybersecurity incidents using technology, people, and processes.

SOC Types

  • In-house SOC: Managed by the organization itself.
  • Virtual SOC: Operated remotely, often by third-party vendors.
  • Co-managed SOC: A partnership between the organization and a third-party vendor.
  • Command SOC: A centralized facility for managing multiple SOCs.

SOC Elements

  • People: Security analysts, incident responders, and other cybersecurity professionals.
  • Processes: Procedures and workflows for incident detection, analysis, and response.
  • Technology: Tools and systems for monitoring, analyzing, and responding to security incidents.

SOC Functions

  • Monitoring: Continuous surveillance of the organization's IT infrastructure for security threats.
  • Detection: Identifying potential security incidents through various means, such as log analysis and intrusion detection systems.
  • Analysis: Investigating and understanding the nature and scope of security incidents.
  • Response: Taking action to mitigate and remediate security incidents.
  • Reporting: Documenting and communicating security incidents and responses to stakeholders.
  • Vulnerability Management: Identifying and addressing vulnerabilities in the organization's IT infrastructure.
  • Compliance: Ensuring that the organization meets relevant regulatory and industry standards for cybersecurity.
  • Training and Awareness: Educating employees and stakeholders about cybersecurity best practices and threats.
  • Incident Response Planning: Developing and maintaining plans for responding to various types of security incidents.
  • Threat Intelligence: Gathering and analyzing information about potential threats to the organization.
  • Threat Hunting: Proactively searching for signs of potential security threats within the organization's IT environment.

SOC Roles

  • SOC Manager: Oversees the SOC operations and team.
  • SOC Analyst: Monitors and analyzes security events.
  • Incident Responder: Responds to and mitigates security incidents.
  • Threat Hunter: Proactively searches for potential threats.
  • Forensic Analyst: Investigates security incidents and collects evidence.
  • Vulnerability Analyst: Identifies and assesses vulnerabilities in the organization's IT infrastructure.
  • Compliance Analyst: Ensures that the organization meets relevant regulatory and industry standards for cybersecurity.
  • Security Engineer: Designs and implements security solutions.

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)

Also known as Endpoint Threat Detection and Response (ETDR), it is a cybersecurity technology that focuses on detecting and responding to security threats on individual endpoints, such as desktops, laptops, and servers.

SOC relation to EDR is that it is a key tool for monitoring and responding to security incidents on endpoints.

Common features of EDR solutions include:
- Sentinel One
- CrowdStrike
- Carbon Black
- FireEye
- Cylance
- Trend Micro
- McAfee
- Symantec
- Kaspersky
- Bitdefender
- ESET

Log Management

It is the process of collecting, storing, and analyzing log data from various sources, such as servers, network devices, and applications, to identify security incidents and operational issues.

SOC is related to log management because it is a critical component of a SOC's monitoring and analysis capabilities.

Common log management solutions include:
- Splunk
- ELK Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana)
- Graylog
- Sumo Logic
- LogRhythm
- SolarWinds Log & Event Manager
- IBM QRadar
- ArcSight

Security information and event management (SIEM)

It is a technology that combines security information management (SIM) and security event management (SEM) to provide real-time analysis of security alerts generated by network hardware and applications.

SOC is related to SIEM because it is a key tool for monitoring, analyzing, and responding to security incidents.

Common SIEM solutions include:
- Splunk Enterprise Security
- IBM QRadar
- LogRhythm
- ArcSight
- AlienVault USM
- McAfee Enterprise Security Manager
- SolarWinds Security Event Manager
- RSA NetWitness
- Sumo Logic
- Graylog
- ELK Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana)
- Securonix

Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR)

It is a technology stack of compatible software programs that enable an organization to collect data about security threats from multiple sources and respond to low-level security events without human assistance.

SOC is related to SOAR because it helps SOC teams automate and streamline their incident response processes.

Common SOAR solutions include:
- Demisto
- Swimlane
- Siemplify
- CyberSponse
- IBM Resilient
- Splunk Phantom
- DFLabs IncMan
- ThreatConnect
- Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR
- Fortinet FortiSOAR
- Rapid7 InsightConnect
- McAfee MVISION EDR
- FireEye Helix
- LogRhythm NextGen SIEM Platform
- IBM QRadar