A dedicated facility or team that monitors an organisation's security around the clock and responds to incidents.
A Security Operations Centre (SOC) is the nerve centre of an organisation's cyber security operations. SOC analysts monitor security alerts from SIEM, EDR, and other tools, investigate potential incidents, and coordinate response. A traditional SOC operates 24/7/365 with multiple analysts working in shifts. SOCs use tiered staffing—Tier 1 analysts handle initial triage, escalating complex incidents to more senior Tier 2 and Tier 3 analysts. Building an internal SOC requires significant investment in tools, facilities, and skilled personnel, which is why many organisations opt for SOC as a Service.
Why It Matters
The DSC Perspective:
Having a SOC—whether internal or outsourced—demonstrates mature security operations. Many customer questionnaires and frameworks ask about 24/7 monitoring capabilities. For most SMEs, outsourced SOC services provide enterprise-grade monitoring at accessible cost.