If you are into cybersecurity, it is crucial to understand how to build a Security Operations Center (SOC). A well-functioning SOC is all about striking the right balance between people, technology, and operations.
One of the biggest challenges the CISOs face is deciding whether to build an in-house SOC or to go with managed services—a topic that I will cover in-depth in a separate post.
Incident Detection and Response within SOC
Incident detection and response are core responsibilities for any cybersecurity defender. In most mid-sized and large organizations—and even some smaller ones, depending on their risk profile—these critical tasks are handled within a SOC.
This centralized hub monitors, detects, and responds to threats in real time, keeping the organization secure around the clock.
As I stated above, SOC is a combination of three things – people, operational model and technology. Finding the right balance of these SOC components is challenging for most organizations.
Managed SOC Vs In-house SOC
The success of a security operations centre depends on several key factors. Some organizations invest in expensive, advanced tools that reduce the need for large teams. Others go for open-source tools to save on upfront costs – but these require more skilled professionals to manage effectively.
Thus, the CISOs face challenges while deciding between two options:
- Managed SOC services – easier to set up and run, but often less flexible and can become expensive over time.
- Building an in-house SOC – more complex and resource-heavy at the beginning but can offer better control, flexibility, and long-term cost efficiency.
Striking the right balance between the tools, people, and processes is a challenge for most organizations.
Building a Security Operations Center
CISOs have a few different ways to approach building a Security Operations Center (SOC). They can hire outside vendors to fully manage the organization’s SOC operations.
They can buy all or some of the tools needed and bring on security staff to handle things internally—or mix and match all of the above. No matter the path, it comes down to time, money, or both.
You can either buy technology solutions from a vendor or go with open-source tools. If you have a budget for a big upfront spend, buying a commercial product can be the simpler option. You get customer support, and if anything breaks, you know whom to call.
But if you are tight on cash and already have a skilled team with an ongoing budget to pay them, open-source might make more sense. Of course, it will take more effort to set up and maintain, but it could save you money in the long term.
One major downside of outsourcing your security operations to third-party vendors is that you will be stuck with their decisions. If the vendor suddenly hikes prices by 30%, there’s not much you can do. Switching to a new provider or tool can be expensive, messy, and a huge pain.
The real starting point for building a solid SOC is understanding your risk—what you need to protect and the kinds of threats you’re up against. Once that’s clear, you can choose the right mix of tools and strategies to defend your organization.
And at the heart of it all are the people. You need a strong team to monitor systems, analyze the flood of data coming in, and take action when threats pop up. That team is what turns a bunch of tools into a real security operation—one that protects your brand, your data, and your reputation.
SOC tools and technologies.
Here is the list of fundamental technologies CISOs should consider while building or outsourcing a SOC. These essential tools include:
EDR (endpoint detection and response)
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) is a cybersecurity tool that watches over all the devices connected to your network. For example, your laptops, desktops, servers and even smart devices. It keeps an eye on everything those devices are doing 24/7.
In layman’s terms, EDR is like a digital security guard for each device. It detects threats and stops attacks if possible, and if something bad does slip through, it helps your team respond quickly before things get worse.
- EDR protects your devices
- Watches for unusual behaviour
- Helps your team act fast if there is a threat
You definitely want EDR in place. It is not just about catching threats but also about cutting down response time when something goes wrong.
SIEM (security information and event management)
Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) is a tool that collects and analyses security data — like logs and alerts — from many different sources across your organization (such as firewalls, servers, EDR systems, and more). It helps spot unusual activity, sends alerts if something looks suspicious, and supports investigations when incidents happen. It is also useful for meeting compliance requirements.
But keep in mind that if you are using an EDR tool, your SIEM might not automatically get access to all the EDR data. That depends on the EDR vendor and what features your organization is paying for.
Sometimes, to get the full set of EDR logs into your SIEM, you will need to pay extra — either to unlock more data from the EDR or to send that data to your SIEM platform.
NDR (network detection and response)
Network Detection and Response (NDR) is a Cybersecurity tool that watches all the traffic moving through your network. It is like a security camera system but for the digital space that looks for unusual or suspicious behaviour, detects threats and supports fast response if something shady is going on.
It is like video surveillance, like a camera that monitors who is coming and going into a building. NDR keeps an eye on all the data (packets) moving in and out of your network.
This tool can be expensive but for many organizations, the ability to spot the threats in real time and act quickly makes it totally worth the investment.
SOAR (security orchestration, automation, and response)
Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) is a platform that helps security teams to respond to cyber threats faster and more efficiently.
It connects all your security tools, automates routine tasks, and organizes the response process so your time is not starting from scratch every time something happens.
Think of it like a smart assistant for your security team. It follows a playbook – a step-by-step guide to make sure every threat is handled the same way, every time. This helps avoid mistakes and speeds up how quickly your team can react.
Some experts opine that SOAR doesn’t have to live inside the Security Operations Center (SOC) – it could be managed by a different team. But what is important is that your organization has clear playbooks and starts automating repetitive steps so that your team can focus on the big stuff.
TIP (threat intelligence platform)
Threat Intelligence Platform (TIP) is a tool that gathers threat data from all kinds of sources – free feeds, paid subscriptions, and even private intelligence groups – and helps your security team figure out what actually matters to the organization.
Think of it like a smart filter for all the noise out there. The internet is flooded with data about cyber threats, but not all of it is relevant to you. The Threat Intelligence Platform helps you to centralize that information, analyse it and prioritize the threats that are most likely to target your business.
- TIP helps you to work smarter (not harder)
- It turns raw threat data into real, usable insights.
- It helps you defend against the right threats – not just any threats.
UEBA (user and entity behaviour analytics)
User and Entity Behaviour Analytics (UEBA) is a security tool that watches how people and systems normally behave – and looks for anything out of the ordinary.
It uses machine learning and advanced analytics to spot weird or risky activities, like:
- A user logging in from a strange location
- A system suddenly moving large amounts of data
- A person accessing files they normally don’t touch.
These behaviours could point to insider threats (like a disgruntled employee) or signs that someone’s account has been hacked.
After threat data is pulled in by a TIP, it is often passed to tools like UEBA to see how users and systems are behaving to those threats. If something is off, UEBA raises a flag so your team can jump on it.
- UEBA learns what “normal” looks like
- Then it alerts you when something is not normal.
- It is a key for catching stealthy threats from inside or through compromised accounts.
Identity and Access Management (IAM)
Identity and Access Management (IAM) tools are like digital gatekeepers. They make sure that the right people can access the right system – and that no one else can.
- Identity: At first, the system verifies who you are, typically with your username, and password, and sometimes with extra security like a code sent to your phone.
- Access Management: Then it checks what you are allowed to do – like which files, applications or systems you can open and blocks anything you should not see.
IAM helps protect sensitive data from being accessed by hackers or even employees who shouldn’t have access.
Personnel challenges in setting up a SOC
Setting up a SOC isn’t just about fancy tools and dashboards – it is all about people running them.
Whether your SOC is built internally or delivered by an outside provider, having a skilled security analyst is critical. But here’s the catch: finding and keeping the top talent is one of the biggest challenges.
Good analysts are in high demand. If they get a better offer elsewhere, they might leave – and just like that, your SOC loses valuable expertise.
There is analyst fatigue and burnout. The workload is intense. Analysts deal with a constant flood of security alerts, many of which are false alarms. Sorting through all that takes focus, energy, and time. And over time it leads to stress, fatigue and burnout.
It is especially tough in incident response roles, where every decision can impact the company.
SOC Skill GAP & Structure
In large SOCs, it helps to organize analysts into tiers based on their experience and skill level.
For example:
- Tier 1: Entry level for basic monitoring and alert triage.
- Tier 2: More advanced for deeper investigation and threat hunting.
- Tier 3: Senior analyst who will handle complex incidents and response strategies.
This kind of structure helps avoid overwhelming newer analysts while making sure serious threats get the attention they need.
The bottom line is; that the technology is only as good as the team behind it. If your analysts are overworked or constantly leaving, even the best security tools will not be enough.
Other factors CISOs should consider when building a SOC
Creating an effective Security Operation Center (SOC) is not just about buying tools. It is about making sure your people and processes actually work together.
Here is something important CISOs should think about when setting up or improving a SOC:
1. Are your analysts set up for success?
Ask yourself – Have I made any analyst’s job easier or harder?
If your security team is juggling 50 browser tabs just to do basic tasks, then there is something wrong. Overcomplicated workflows mean slow response time and frustrated analysts. The more streamlined their tools and dashboards are, the better they will perform.
2. Focus on detection engineering?
This is the behind-the-scenes work of tuning your tools to reduce false alerts.
If your analysts keep seeing the same annoying, irrelevant alerts every day – that’s wasted time. Instead, tweak the system so it learns what is important and what’s noise. That way, your team isn’t stuck chasing shadows.
3. Use AI to Boost Analyst Performance
Artificial Intelligence is not just hype. It is already helping SOC teams work smarter.
- AI can speed up investigation.
- AI can help filter out false positives
- AI can suggest better ways to respond to incidents.
AI will not replace your team, but it can level them up and make everyone faster and more efficient.
The bottom line is, that building a good SOC means combining the right tools, clear processes, and well-supported analysts and constantly improving along the way.
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