According to the experts, cybersecurity issues being faced by the organizations will go up in frequency and complexity—and that the demand for new cybersecurity talents will be more than supply, making it even challenging for businesses than before to hire cybersecurity professionals.
Top of that, not all small businesses can afford the necessary equipment and talents.
One solution you might be considering is SOC-as-a-service. The full form of SOC is the Security Operations Centre. In this service, you outsource your cybersecurity operations such as threat detection and monitoring to the team of cybersecurity experts, security analysts,s and engineers.
Simply put, opting for SOC-as-a-service is all about outsourcing your cybersecurity needs to a third-party vendor.
This way, you can minimize the need to hire in-house cybersecurity experts to handle advanced cybersecurity threats. Once you subscribed to SOC as a service, you get a third-party team of experts who monitor your cybersecurity from their remote location. This service is generally affordable and doesn’t require you to invest in certain hardware, software or staff. All you need to hire them.
SOC-as-a-Service protects your IT assets and information wherever they are located, including cloud, on-site and SaaS applications.
This way, you can have your networks and assets guarded by a managed security professional. It allows you to focus on your core strengths and also get the benefits of the expertise of cybersecurity professionals.
That’s said, you can’t just pick any SOC vendor randomly. You need to choose a partner that can match your vision while providing the high-quality service you expect.
Here is a rundown of key factors to keep in mind while picking a SOC service provider.
What Kind of Security Features They Have?
An efficient SOC vendor is equipped with all built-in security features to help prevent compliance gaps, thereby ensuring protection against security incidents.
Look at their contracts and certifications to find out if they include the following things:
- Regular reporting on, the performance of, third party cybersecurity audits.
- Being certified for at least one recognized cybersecurity standard.
- The use of encryption for data.
These are some of the ways you can determine the security efforts of your vendor. Checking them will help you incorporate services smoothly and enhance security when the time comes to work with a SOC.
Where Are They Located?
Also, consider the location of your service provider. You are less likely to consider this much if you are going to hire a virtual SOC, but the locations of your vendor can still be important for certain reasons.
\First of all, ask if they have more than one location. This is because a provider with more than one site can ensure you better disaster recovery and backup services.
Secondly, find out where their team is deployed. A virtual SOC means the team your work with could be operating from anywhere.
Consider the Prices:
Cost is always there to bother you when it comes to choosing a cybersecurity service. SOC-as-a-service offers various pricing models, and some vendor provides greater value and flexibility than others. You can choose to pay a flat fee in advance or pay for the licenses or other services at the end of each billing period. Also, ask if there is any capital cost included in the services provided and if there is a minimum term for the contract. Most enterprises usually prefer monthly billing. Keep in mind that providers at either end of the pricing sequence might not be the best option.
Those who charge you too high will dent your budget. Those with dramatically lower prices might be affordable, but they might also be a cutting corner or unable to deliver the important services required by you.
Make sure to prefer value over the price. The right vendor might not offer an attractive price, but they will deliver the quality service you require.
What Does Their Team Contain?
Technology is essential, but a tool is only efficient when it is operated by a team of the right experts.
The right SOC service is composed of human skills, expertise and knowledge that are an important part of any cybersecurity team.
Make sure to ask them if their team includes the following experts:
- Security analyst for monitoring and investigating
- Security engineers in installing and investigating malicious activities
- Data scientists to controlling the data acquisition and enrichment
- Data engineers to building and installing data pipelines
- Incident Response Specialist to detect and prevent cyber threats.
The Bottom Line:
Properly executed and managed, outsourced SOC services can be an essential part of the cybersecurity program of your business; hiring a service provider can be the right way to improve the posture of your cybersecurity. Make sure to carefully assess SOC vendors so that you can get the right services for your business.
If you are looking for the right service provider, you can contact us today. We’re ready to help you improve security for your business – and build toward a safer tomorrow.
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