How to Evaluate and Choose Managed SOC Services Providers

The number of cyberattacks on businesses has reached a critical juncture, and industry leaders require advanced, preventative measures to deter, detect and repel threat actors. A 2024 Microsoft Digital Defense Report indicates that more than 600 million cyberattacks are carried out daily with varying levels of toxicity. Ransomware attacks have escalated, and general malware incidents have risen by 180 percent in recent years. Those are reasons why business leaders are searching for the most determined cybersecurity defenses possible to protect their digital assets. Partnering with a cybersecurity firm that offers managed SOC services is at the top of many checklists.

Building an in-house Security Operations Center (SOC) has proven to be financially challenging, even if a large corporation could overcome the skills shortage in the data security field. Outsourcing SOC services to a third-party provider generally gives companies the digital protections and regulatory compliance they seek. But, choosing between firms can be a challenging process. At Red River, we provide industry-leading managed SOC services. Rather than simply tout our capabilities and accomplishments, we encourage you to consider the following information and hold us to your standards.

What Managed SOC Services Do for Businesses

Frequently referred to as SOC as a Service (SOCaaS), a managed security operations center offers businesses data and network protections many could not afford otherwise. A third-party managed IT and cybersecurity firm provides a diverse array of cybersecurity measures backed by advanced technologies, infrastructure and access to experts in the field. These are core managed SOC services organizations receive through a scalable suite of cybersecurity solutions.

Continuous Monitoring

Even when your company is closed, hackers continue to search for gaps in the security efforts to infiltrate the network. Rather than wake up to the bad news you’ve been hacked, a managed SOC service typically provides 24-hour network monitoring.

Advanced Threat Detection

A third-party provider possesses the equipment, tools and technology to automate oversight of a company’s entire network, endpoint devices and user traffic. Employing AI, machine learning and other next-gen technologies, threat detection alerts can be triggered by subtle anomalies and suspicious activities. If a legitimate user seems to stray from normal data and application processes, an alert may be triggered. In this way, managed SOC services deliver the real-time threat detection required to isolate and expel hackers before damage is done.

Faster Incident Response

Advanced threat detection benefits serve as a segue to proactive incident response. It may come as something of a surprise, but the average data breach isn’t discovered and contained for upwards of 9 months, according to an IBM data security report. When companies partner with a SOCaaS provider, threat detection delays are effectively erased. Incidents are dealt with immediately, whether through established automated responses or alerts, prompting digital security experts to bring tools and expulsion methods to bear.

Regulatory Compliance

A well-crafted and proactive SOCaaS solution provides the type of blanket coverage outlined in many of the federal, state and international data protection regulations. For instance, the federal government recently rolled out its Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), based largely on National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) frameworks. A managed SOC service can advance the cybersecurity measures necessary to achieve CMMC compliance. The same holds true for the HIPAA regulations healthcare organizations must follow. A properly defined and orchestrated SOCaaS solution can provide regulatory compliance and streamline reporting.

It’s also important to keep in mind that a managed SOC service works in conjunction with other cybersecurity measures. Organizations maintain protections such as zero trust architecture, multi-factor authentication, enterprise-grade antivirus software and firewalls, as well as the niche defenses necessary for a specific industry.

Given the preemptive nature of managed SOC services, it’s easy to see why an organization would gravitate toward working with a provider. Unfortunately, too many upstart firms overstate their experience, expertise and capabilities. When starting a business relationship with a SOCaaS firm, consider conducting due diligence.

Evaluate Managed SOC Services Providers

To effectively evaluate a managed SOC services provider, you’ll need to have a basic understanding of your cybersecurity needs, applicable data protection regulations, budget and network infrastructure. Decision-makers can usually get answers from IT staff members. During the evaluation process, it’s essential to identify firms that offer a suite of SOC services that cover your security requirements.

The third-party firm’s tech stack and infrastructure should also seamlessly mesh with yours. The last thing an organization wants to do is re-invest in its software and hardware to sync with a vendor’s. That being said, these are things to consider when whittling down your list of potential managed SOC services providers.

Expertise and Certifications

A SOC provider should have a slate of certifications that demonstrate a well-rounded knowledge of cybersecurity and managed services. As a customer, it’s in your best interest to understand the degree of expertise each certification shows. Some are considered foundational, while others prove advanced SOCaaS and data protection capabilities. These are deemed essential certifications for a managed SOC services provider.

• CompTIA Security+: Earning this certification demonstrates the recipient possesses foundational knowledge of security measures. It’s a basic credential every cybersecurity professional needs.
• CompTIA CySA+: Acquiring this accreditation indicates that professionals enjoy a deeper understanding of cybersecurity analysis and incident response. An invaluable educational experience for SOC analysts, possessing the knowledge associated with this certification makes the firm a viable option. Real-time assessments, decisions and incident response are core components of proactive SOC as a service solutions.
• Practical SOC Analyst Associate (PSAA): Focused largely on pragmatic skills and hands-on training, PSAA is designed to show a cybersecurity professional can take theoretical concepts and put them to work in a meaningful fashion.
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP): Considered an advanced certification, CISSP covers a wide range of issues. Recognized globally, a firm that earns this accreditation has the ability to design a customized SOC, implement nuanced strategies and manage a customer’s ongoing cybersecurity defenses.
• Certified Information Security Manager (CISM): Highlighting an individual’s expertise and hands-on experience handling an organization’s data security policy and procedures, it validates a SOC analyst’s ability to develop new programs. A CISM-certified professional typically enjoys a deep understanding of the nuanced relationship between organizational goals and digital security.

There’s an old adage that says some people are “book smart” while others are “street smart.” The gist of that idea is that advanced education doesn’t always equate to practical results. In terms of managed SOC services certifications, the best firms require their analysts to have both. That being said, working with a third-party firm that holds industry-specific credentials can be a value-added benefit.

Although there are no specific HIPAA cybersecurity certifications, a firm that works in the sector and holds related credentials has more experience than others. The U.S. Department of Defense recently implemented its Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) initiative. Partnering with a firm that consistently works in the military industrial base or is an established CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization, commonly called a C3PAO, may be an ideal managed SOC provider if your operation benefits from government contracts.

The point is to review certifications and experience to determine if the firm has the expertise and ability to deliver exceptional services. If the managed SOC services provider also enjoys experience in your niche, working together could make perfect sense.

Assess a SOCaaS Provider’s Tech Stack

The best managed SOC services are driven by dedicated cybersecurity professionals and supported by advanced technologies. When a third-party provider stays apprised of the latest data security innovations, customers gain threat detection, incident response and regulatory compliance benefits. These are items a leading cybersecurity firm would have in its tech stack.

• Security Information and Event Management (SIEM): This is a collection of systems that gather and assess digital information from wide-reaching sources, including endpoint devices and firewalls. A SIEM stack supports sweeping oversight.
• Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR): These are tools that give a managed SOC services provider exhaustive vision across business desktops, laptops and the handheld devices used to log into the network. These technologies ferret out suspicious activities across the entire landscape.
• Security Automation, Orchestration and Response (SOAR): Used to perform repetitive tasks without the need for human intervention, the automation these technologies provide free up cybersecurity experts to handle more pressing issues.
• Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS): These systems are designed to search for unusual activity and send real-time alerts to SOC analysts. Coupled with AI and machine learning, low-level threats can be addressed through automation. Higher degrees of danger trigger the need for a prompt human response.

A provider’s tech stack holdings are important to the degree that they deliver faster threat intelligence and responses. These are essential elements of a SOCaaS partnership because industry-leading technologies help reduce a company’s risk of suffering a debilitating data breach.

Customization and Scalability

Once you have pared down a list of possible managed SOC services providers based on expertise and technological capabilities, it’s critical to know whether the firm can adequately tailor a cybersecurity program to meet your enterprise’s demands. This usually means offering a suite of options that a customer can choose to adopt. If the third-party cybersecurity firm offers a slate of solutions, they should also be connected to assigned rates with some flexibility.

Industry-leading SOCaaS providers normally offer subscription-based solutions that come with scalable fee structures. Working with a firm that offers customized and scalable solutions allows organizations to increase or decrease their commitment based on need and budgetary constraints. As you work through the process of onboarding a SOCaaS provider, consider approaching the partnership like a job interview.

Questions to Ask Managed SOC Providers

When choosing a managed SOC services provider, don’t stop with the literature and academic credentials. You will be working with real people who have specific ideas about how to handle emerging threats, regulatory compliance, reporting and meaningful communication. Consider asking the following questions and evaluate the answers you receive before making a final decision.

• How do you handle false positives?
• How much experience do your SOC analysts possess?
• What certifications have the analysts overseeing my network earned?
• How do you support incident response and post-incident reviews?
• What are your policies and procedures for detecting, expelling and reporting threats?
• How do you adapt to the changing threats posed by hackers?
• What sector do you provide the lion’s share of cybersecurity defenses?
• How do you determine managed SOC services rates and fees?
• Could you provide references or reports on successful threat incident responses?

The answers you receive after asking these and other salient questions will be telling. An experienced, top-tier SOCaaS provider should be able to easily furnish complete answers. If you receive incomplete responses or ones that don’t quite hit the mark, that could be a red flag.

It’s crucial that you are satisfied with the firm’s expertise, experience, tech stack and ability to communicate with customers. The managed SOC services relationship is a fundamental element of conducting business in a dangerous digital landscape. When you choose a cybersecurity firm to protect your digital assets and network, the provider is asking you to trust them with your business and livelihood. Be sure the leadership team and frontline SOC analysts are up to the task and committed to detecting, deterring and expelling cybercriminals 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Red River Offers Scalable SOC as a Service Solutions

At Red River, we provide determined managed SOC services at a scalable rate. We have the expertise and SOC infrastructure to meet your digital security and regulatory compliance needs. If you’d like to learn more about our SOCaaS solutions, contact us today. Let’s get the process started.