SOC as a Service: Complete Guide to Managed SOC Operations

SOC as a Service (SOCaaS) delivers comprehensive Security Operations Center capabilities through external providers without the multi-million dollar investment required to build internal SOC infrastructure. This guide explains SOCaaS benefits, costs, and how to select providers.

What is SOC as a Service?

SOC as a Service (SOCaaS) provides 24/7 security monitoring, threat detection, incident response, and security operations through external providers. Organizations gain access to expert security analysts, advanced technologies (SIEM, EDR, threat intelligence), and proven processes without building costly internal SOC infrastructure.

SOCaaS combines the capabilities of managed security service providers with the active detection and response focus of MDR services, delivering complete security operations as a subscription service.

Benefits of SOC as a Service

Cost Efficiency

Building internal SOC requires $2-10M+ investment annually including staff salaries ($300K-$800K+ for team), technology licenses ($100K-$300K), and infrastructure. SOCaaS costs $120K-$1.2M annually, 60-80% less while providing comparable or superior capabilities.

24/7 Expert Coverage

SOCaaS providers staff multiple shift teams ensuring round-the-clock monitoring without hiring 10-15 FTEs needed for internal coverage. Organizations gain immediate access to experienced security analysts, incident responders, and threat hunters impossible to hire and retain at small-mid size business scale.

Rapid Deployment

SOCaaS becomes operational in 2-8 weeks versus 12-24 months required to build internal SOC including hiring, technology procurement, process development, and operational maturation.

SOCaaS vs Internal SOC vs MDR

Understanding differences helps select appropriate model:

• Internal SOC: Complete ownership and control, requires $2-10M+ annual investment, 12-24 months to build, best for enterprises 5,000+ employees
• SOCaaS: Outsourced complete SOC operations, $120K-$1.2M annually, 2-8 week deployment, ideal for mid-size 100-5,000 employees
• MDR: Focused on detection and response with endpoints, $180K-$720K annually, lighter service than full SOC, best for organizations needing threat detection without comprehensive SOC

Selecting SOC as a Service Providers

Evaluate providers based on analyst expertise, technology platforms, response times and SLAs, incident response capabilities, threat intelligence quality, integration with existing tools, reporting and communication, customer references, and pricing transparency.