Imagine you are the guardian of an immense digital empire, fighting back against a swarm of enemies you can’t see. That world is in constant motion; threats change every second.
This is the daily life of Security Operations Centers (SOCs), and for good reason. They must be able to effectively safeguard sensitive data and provide cybersecurity. These are not without knocks. Let’s identify challenges for SOCs and how to fix them. But before we move on to these important topics of discussion, let’s know what SOC is.
What Is SOC?
SOC is an abbreviation for security operations center, which ensures your organization’s safety from cybersecurity threats. It is a centralized function within the company, employing technology, processes, and people. The SOC acts as a hub for the central common post.
It is the correlation point for all the precise events logged within the organization that are being monitored. https://www.ibm.com/topics/security-operations-center
Challenges To SOCs And Overcoming Them
Security operations center providers face the uphill task of safeguarding organizations from rising threats. However, let’s try to understand some of the challenges for SOCs and the approaches they can take to overcome them.
Alert Fatigue: The Boy Who Cried Wolf
Alert fatigue is probably one of the most common challenges for SOCs. It is the typical scenario in which you hear a bell ringing repeatedly.
At first, it can be nerve-wracking. Over time, it just fades into the background, or you just learn to ignore it.
That can happen to SOC analysts who are constantly receiving alarms. They become so used to it that they might miss an actual cyber attack.
Skills Shortage: The Battle For Talent
One of the biggest issues in a SOC is the lack of professionals. We’re not talking about human resources but skills.
Imagine a team of five people on a ship that can hold 200. How would you man the ship to face a mighty storm?
Training is the way to go. Most SOC service providers have specialized training plans to keep their personnel updated regarding the most recent events.
How can we improve as individuals and professionals if we do not learn from our mistakes and the mistakes of others? Yes, one of the uphill challenges of SOCs is aligning your crew in the same direction—a happy crew translates into a motivated and productive one.
Evolving Threats: The Ever-Changing Battlefield
Cyber attackers are like chameleons—they are constantly evolving and changing. However, if something worked as a defense today, it doesn’t mean that it will work tomorrow.
SOCs need to predict an attack and adapt to cyber attackers’ most recent tactics. Moreover, they should stimulate this proactive behavior and intelligence sharing with other enterprises. Besides, it only takes one to call for a collective effort and minimize or avoid an unpleasant attack.
Data Overload
The volume of the security data and the alerts generated by the different tools can overwhelm security operation analysts. Consequently, they may loosen their alacrity on the security alerts.
This way, detecting the real threats would be a far more challenging and daunting task. Identifying the actual threats from the noise can lead to fatigue. It may cause the analysts to miss out on the real threats.
This effort to identify the actual threats from the noise can lead to fatigue. As a result, the analyst can miss out on the real threats.
IT Environments Complexes
The modern IT environments are full of complexities. Moreover, they are highly dynamic. Today, modern IT environments often incorporate on-premises, diverse devices, and cloud infrastructure. Yes, you can say that managing security complexities presents a heap of challenges for organizations.
Supply Chain Risk
Relentless attacks on the supply chain have become quite common. The security operations units must monitor and secure their own infrastructure and that of their partners and suppliers. Moreover, the limited visibility of security practices and difficulty ensure the vendor’s trustworthiness. It makes the entire system highly complex.
Resource Constraints: Doing More With Less
SOCs usually have a limited budget, which can make it difficult to invest in equipment upgrades or new attacks.
However, how can they work better if they cannot find the necessary tools? It is important to leverage existing resources.
Automation is an ideal resource in this context. Cloud-based safety solutions are also a useful option; they provide compatible defenses without requiring major upfront spending.
Burnout: The Silent Threat
Always staying alert in any SOC can generate alert fatigue. The perennial high-pressure work areas, in concert with the brunt of nonstop attacks, sap the emotional well-being of any analyst.
A supportive workspace is indispensable. Regularly giving breaks, approaching mental health resources, and adding a work culture that values personal time and efforts are great ways to decrease the feeling of burnout.
Other than the ones we mentioned, lack of integration and privacy concerns are considered among the challenges that the SOC faces at present.
How To Select The Righ SOC Capabilities
Selecting the right SOC services is one of the biggest challenges for an organization. As the organization’s head, you need to evaluate the packages’ different cost benefits and scalability.
Therefore, it is essential to have access to the same level of services. Moreover, you must look at the pricing models when selecting SOC services. However, this section discusses different ways to select the right SOC capabilities.
Evaluating The Experience Of The SOC
One of the common points to consider in any SOC service is the right experience. The service provider must have a good track record in the field of managed SOC services. It is going to be a huge plus for the organizations.
Evaluating The SOC capabilities
You need to evaluate the service provider’s experience to select the right SOC services. Moreover, you need to look at the service providers’ technology stack and continuous monitoring capabilities.
When appraising SOC service services, you need to seek a partner who is capable of detecting and responding to threats.
This involves the SOC analyst, who has the potential to hunt down threats and leverage security-related information. Breaking the discussion, you have to consider evaluating some of the key elements like:
- 24*7 Monitoring and response.
- Advanced Technology Stack.
- Detailed Reporting.
Cost Benefit Analysis
Another aspect you must consider when selecting the SOC service is the cost-benefit options and strategies.
Different service providers have their own pricing models based on the abovementioned points.
However, managed SOC services provide a significant cost advantage by offering access to external cybersecurity experts and advanced detection. Hence, you need to consider the provider’s reputation to select SOC services.
Scalability
Another key point you must consider while selecting the right SOC services is scalability. The managed SOCs can adapt to the evolving requirements of the organization. Ultimately, it allows businesses to tailor security operations in accordance with the changing requirements.
Customizable Services
You must look for a service provider that can tailor its offerings to meet the organization’s unique needs. Customizable services are always in an advantageous position. This is why you need to be aware of the services of the SOC provider.
Advanced Threat Intelligence Tools
You must ensure that the service providers employ cutting-edge technology to provide dedicated service to the organization. These tools and techniques help safeguard against online security glitches.
Wrapping Up
The castles of the bygone era have perished. The ones of the digital era must be maintained, and they are now! Infinitesimal problems exist in alerts, manpower, threats, and resources. Burnout is ragging on, too, and we should not ignore it.
Read Also:
TechrabQAZ
Debamalya Mukherjee
Arnab Day