The Security Operations Centre (SOC) is a critical monitoring function that provides organizations with visibility into suspected cyber-attacks & potential gaps in information security compliance.
Given the increasing sophistication of cyber-attacks & mandated compliance requirements such as ISO 27001:2022, a robust SOC framework is essential in today’s digital ecosystem.
This framework must include 24/7 Security Incident Monitoring & Management, Incident Response & Threat Hunting, supported by a dedicated team of skilled professionals & state-of-the-art technologies such as SIEM, SOAR, Threat Intelligence & analytics capabilities. Organizations may choose a captive, outsourced, or hybrid SOC deployment based on their specific needs.
Once deployed, organizations must periodically assess the effectiveness of their SOC & its readiness to detect & respond to actual cyber-attacks. This assessment aims to evaluate the overall functioning of the SOC & identify areas for improvement to ensure comprehensive incident detection.
The SOC framework and processes are evaluated against global standards to ensure coverage and comprehensiveness for smooth operations. The skills, expertise & training plans of SOC personnel are reviewed to ensure their capabilities are up-to-date and meet incident response requirements.
Additionally, the technology & tools deployed in the SOC are assessed to verify that appropriate log sources are integrated & parsed correctly, and that relevant use case content is created to detect threats.
This assessment helps organizations understand the current maturity of their SOC & develop a roadmap for further improvement.