Outsourced SOC: Is It Worth the Risk?

A SOC (Security Operations Center) is an important part of any company’s security posture. However, what is the best way to run a SOC – outsourced or in-house?

There are advantages and disadvantages to both approaches. Outsourcing a Security Operations Center can offer access to a broad range of security resources and expertise. With an in-house SOC, a company can tailor cybersecurity operations to meet the requirements and needs of the different teams and departments.

So which is the best approach for your business?

Continue reading and by the end, you’ll have a good understanding of how each option might hinder or benefit your organization:

What is a Security Operations Center?

A SOC (Security Operations Center) is an outsourced or in-house team of security experts that are charged with protecting and monitoring the company’s assets including personnel data, brand integrity, business systems, and intellectual property.

In other words, the security teams or security analysts are well-versed in threat hunting and threat detection, and in some cases, they may be responsible for coordinating other incident response teams and managing security incidents.

Outsourced vs In-house cybersecurity operations

Companies seeking to improve or implement their security posture have to make many strategic decisions and one of them is outsourcing or building an internal SOC. Each option has its pros and cons, so it’s important to consider the company’s specific needs.

Pros of SOC outsourcing

Compared to the internal SOC option, value of outsourced SOC is immense. Note that to detect all the potential security threats or cyber threats, an external SOC needs to monitor the network around the clock.

That means that an internal SOC would require to compensate its security professionals for working on holidays and all night and don’t forget overtime pay.

Overall, each advantage posed by outsourced SOCs addresses a disadvantage of doing it internally.

This means:

• Cost savings
• Increased security
• Improved speed and efficiency
• Less needed involvement from the company operators or owners
• A broader level of technology experience
• Access to industry professionals

Cons of outsourcing SOC operations

While outsourcing for your Security Operations Center needs is an incredible option, there are a few disadvantages worth knowing before you commit.

They include:

Lack of control over your company’s network security

With internal divisions, you communicate with your workers directly. But this isn’t an option when you decide to outsource.

Outsourcing means that you’ve to fully trust that the practices used by the security company you have contracted can maintain the security and quality needed.

Tiered service and pricing levels

Every IT company provides different security service levels, with lower levels drawing the lowest costs.

That means that if you pay your service provider for the mid-tier SOC services you won’t be getting access to all the security services offered.

Other drawbacks include storing data outside the company’s perimeter, limited customization options, and limited knowledge of the company’s specific needs.

How to choose an outsourced SOC service provider

Before you choose an outsourced SOC service provider, it is crucial to consider a number of factors, including:

• The complexity and size of your company
• Your specific requirements and needs
• The third party’s reputation
• The provider’s procedures and policies
• The provider’s client service

What’s In-house outsourced SOC?

You have got an outsourced soc team on-site, leveraging client security tools (SIEM, Security Incident and Event Management, etc). An internal outsourced Security Operations Center is a type of SOC managed by a firm’s staff.

In-house outsourced SOCS are managed externally by third-party providers, and internal outsourced SOCS hire employees who work directly for the firm.

The soc team or SOC teams often have threat intelligence, which allows them to respond to potential problems or threats quickly.

Put simply, in-house outsourced SOCs offer firms a cost-effective and efficient way of protecting their networks and data from security breaches.

Outsourced SOC

There are several benefits to outsourcing a Security Operations Center (SOC) solution including accessing top security expertise and lowering the cost of running a securing operation.

When performed properly, outsourcing SOC can be a great move, which helps many organizations better their security posture.

Many organizations usually take a mixed approach and use external Security Operations when they are building their own SOC.