SOC Fundamentals
Last updated
Last updated
In today’s constantly evolving cyber threat landscape, it is crucial for organizations to secure their digital assets and respond to potential attacks in real time. In this context, Security Operations Centers (SOC) play a fundamental role in an organization’s cybersecurity strategy. This report provides a detailed analysis of what SOCs are, the key responsibilities they undertake, and how these responsibilities are structured.
The first section covers the definition and structure of SOCs, including L1, L2, and L3 analyst roles, as well as incident management processes. Additionally, it explores core SOC functions such as continuous monitoring, incident response, security analysis, reporting, and regulatory compliance. The following sections focus on one of the most critical challenges in SOC operations: the risks associated with false positives and the methods used to minimize these risks, such as rule optimization, machine learning, and contextual analysis.
Moreover, this report examines the technological infrastructure used in SOCs—including SIEM, IDS/IPS, EDR, DLP, SOAR, threat intelligence platforms, and log management tools—and how these technologies support critical SOC functions like 24/7 monitoring, real-time response, and proactive threat hunting.
This report aims to provide insights into how SOCs can be structured more effectively, how incident response strategies can be enhanced, and what methods can be applied to continuously improve cybersecurity operations. It is designed for managers, analysts, and anyone interested in IT security, offering essential approaches to enhancing digital security, ensuring business continuity, and protecting corporate reputation.
A Security Operations Center (SOC) is a unit responsible for protecting an organization against cybersecurity threats. These centers continuously monitor, analyze, and respond to security incidents. SOCs typically operate in shifts, ensuring round-the-clock security monitoring. They play a critical role in ensuring an organization's information security by proactively and reactively addressing both internal and external threats. SOC teams identify security vulnerabilities and take measures to prevent their exploitation. They conduct these analyses using various security tools and techniques.
To detect threats, SOCs utilize technologies such as SIEM (Security Information and Event Management), IDS (Intrusion Detection System), and IPS (Intrusion Prevention System). The primary responsibilities of a SOC include:
Continuous Monitoring: Analyzing network traffic and events through SIEM and IDS systems.
Incident Response: Detecting attacks and minimizing their impact.
Security Analysis: Managing logs and conducting threat hunting to better understand cyber threats.
Reporting and Compliance: Documenting security incidents and ensuring regulatory compliance.
A SOC typically consists of three main layers:
L1 Analyst (Incident Monitoring and Classification): Evaluates incoming alerts, prioritizes them, and analyzes simple attacks.
L2 Analyst (In-Depth Analysis and Response): Assesses more complex threats and provides detailed insights using threat intelligence.
L3 Analyst (Threat Hunting and Advanced Response): Analyzes advanced attacks, conducts threat hunting, and enhances SOC processes.
This section explains the process SOC teams follow to detect, analyze, and mitigate security threats. These processes help in the early detection of threats and prevent potential attacks. Incident management, one of the most critical responsibilities of SOC teams, consists of five fundamental steps:
SOC teams continuously monitor an organization's network traffic, system logs, and security events to identify anomalous behaviors. The primary tools used in this process include SIEM (Security Information and Event Management), IDS (Intrusion Detection System), and IPS (Intrusion Prevention System). More detailed information about these tools can be found under the "Technologies Used in SOC" section.
Example Scenario: Detecting a Brute-Force Attack
A SOC may detect that a specific IP address has attempted multiple failed login attempts within a short period. This could indicate a brute-force attack. The SIEM system analyzes system logs and reports hundreds of failed login attempts for a particular account.
SOC's Response:
• IDS detects unusual login attempts and generates an alert. • SIEM analyzes logs from different systems and identifies the attack's source. • SOC analysts verify the attack and block the suspicious IP address to stop further login attempts. • User accounts are locked, and password reset policies are enforced.
SOC teams rapidly respond to detected security incidents to prevent the attack from spreading. During the incident response process, L2 and L3 SOC analysts determine the attack's source, assess its impact, and implement appropriate mitigation measures. These measures include identifying, isolating, analyzing, and eliminating threats. Additionally, post-incident forensic investigations and security policy enhancements fall under incident response. A well-structured incident response process helps minimize the damage caused by an attack and strengthens an organization's security.
Example Scenario: Ransomware Attack
An employee opens a malicious email attachment, causing ransomware to spread across the company's network. User files are encrypted, and attackers leave a ransom note demanding payment.
SOC's Response:
• SIEM reports suspicious network activity and detects abnormal file encryption originating from a specific device. • L2 analysts decide to isolate the affected systems by disconnecting them from the network. • L3 analysts investigate the attack's origin and determine which vulnerability was exploited by the ransomware. • Security patches are applied across all network devices to prevent further spread. • Finally, security policies are updated, and employee awareness training is conducted to prevent future attacks.
SOC teams conduct in-depth analysis of detected threats and incidents to understand how attacks occurred, the techniques used, and the attackers' intent.
Example Scenario: Detecting a Data Breach
A company receives threat intelligence indicating that sensitive customer data has been listed for sale on the dark web. The SOC team conducts a detailed investigation to determine the source of the data leak.
SOC's Response:
• DLP (Data Loss Prevention) systems are examined to identify how the data was exfiltrated. • Proxy and firewall logs are analyzed to trace the destination IP address of the leaked data. • SIEM is used to analyze all internal and external data flows. • If the breach is traced back to an employee or malware, a forensic investigation is initiated. • The company's security policies are reviewed, and data encryption and access controls are strengthened.
SOC teams document every security incident in detail and share reports with relevant departments to prevent similar attacks in the future.
Example Scenario: Internal Audit and Compliance Requirements
SOC’s Response:
• An incident report is created for each security event. • The report includes the attack source, attack process, and the measures taken. • Reports are formatted according to regulatory and compliance requirements. • Legal notifications are made in collaboration with the management and legal teams.
This process is crucial for improving the organization's security policies and ensuring compliance with legal requirements.
SOC teams establish security standards for the organization and enforce security policies. These policies cover access controls, encryption standards, security patches, and security awareness training.
Example Scenario: Employee Training Against Phishing Attacks
An employee falls victim to a phishing attack and shares their credentials with an attacker posing as a bank representative. The SOC team analyzes the incident and determines that employees need training to prevent such attacks.
SOC’s Response:
• Cybersecurity awareness training sessions are organized for employees. • Phishing simulations are conducted to measure employees' reactions to attacks. • Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is enforced to enhance security. • Security policies are updated, and guidelines are created to help employees recognize and respond to suspicious emails.
By implementing such policies, the organization enhances its overall security posture and increases employee awareness.
One of the most critical concepts encountered in all these processes is "False Positives." A false positive occurs when a security event or threat is perceived as existing, but in reality, there is no actual threat. False positives can arise due to misinterpretations by SOC teams or incorrect evaluations by security solutions (EDR, DLP, IDS/IPS, firewalls, etc.). Examples of false positives include legitimate network traffic being flagged as malicious, a legitimate website being classified as harmful, or an employee’s lawful email being marked as spam.
False positives can negatively impact an organization's overall operations and create various problems in cybersecurity decision-making processes:
Impact on Business Processes: Automated security measures triggered by false positives can lead to service disruptions. If a system is taken offline or an application is halted due to a misinterpreted event, employees may be unable to perform their tasks.
Decreased Trust in Security Solutions: Security solutions that continuously generate false positives may lose credibility among employees and SOC analysts. Over time, employees might disable or ignore security tools, increasing the risk of missing real threats.
Waste of Time and Resources: The time and effort spent validating false positives can make it difficult for SOC teams to analyze critical threats. Poor prioritization may lead to overlooking real security incidents, allowing them to progress undetected.
To minimize false positives, security solutions should be fine-tuned and adapted to the organization's operational environment.
Optimization of Detection Rules: Detection rules used in IDS/IPS and SIEM systems should be regularly reviewed and adjusted to align with the organization’s actual operational structure.
Utilization of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence: Real-time analysis of network traffic and security incidents can enable dynamic updates to threat detection rules.
Contextual Analysis and Use of Telemetry Data: Alerts generated by systems should be evaluated within the context of the organization's specific business processes. For instance, network traffic generated during maintenance operations should not be flagged as anomalous.
Strengthening Internal Communication: Effective communication between SOC teams and other IT and operations teams is essential. Events such as system maintenance and updates should be communicated in advance to prevent unnecessary alerts.
Leveraging Frameworks Like MITRE ATT&CK: Using frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK helps better understand cyber attack techniques and improve threat modeling.
Reducing false positives enhances the efficiency of cybersecurity systems, creating a more productive work environment for both employees and security teams.
For a modern SOC to operate efficiently, technological infrastructure is just as important as human expertise. SOC teams integrate the following key technological tools and solutions to detect, analyze, and respond to cyber threats:
Collects data from various sources (servers, network devices, applications, log systems, etc.), normalizes and correlates it, and generates real-time alerts. SIEM plays a critical role in enabling SOC analysts to quickly detect abnormal activities and potential threats.
Continuously monitors network traffic to identify suspicious activities and helps prevent attacks by automatically responding when necessary.
Detects abnormal behavior on endpoint devices and accelerates threat analysis and response processes. This allows for effective monitoring of endpoint-based attacks.
Prevents unauthorized access to and exfiltration of sensitive data within an organization. DLP solutions support business continuity by stopping data leaks at an early stage.
Automates incident response processes and ensures coordination between different security tools used by SOC teams. This reduces manual workload and shortens response times.
Continuously update information on emerging attack techniques and malware patterns, providing SOC teams with valuable cyber threat intelligence. Frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK serve as important guides in this process.
Used to centrally collect, analyze, and correlate all system and network logs over the long term. This enables detailed examination of past incidents and early detection of similar attacks.
The integration of these technologies allows the SOC to perform 24/7 monitoring, instant incident response, and proactive threat hunting. While each tool focuses on a specific security function, they work together to form a comprehensive defense mechanism.
This report has comprehensively examined the core functions of SOCs, incident management processes, the risks posed by false positives, and the technologies used within SOC environments. Based on the findings, the following conclusions and recommendations stand out:
For SOCs to function effectively, the integration of SIEM, IDS/IPS, EDR, DLP, SOAR, and threat intelligence platforms is essential. These technological tools provide a strong defense against cyberattacks with their capabilities for real-time data collection, analysis, and automated response.
Incident detection and response processes must be continuously updated, standardized, and increasingly automated. In an effective SOC structure, minimizing false positives, implementing emergency response plans, and ensuring comprehensive post-incident reporting enhance overall system efficiency.
Alongside technological infrastructure, experienced and continuously trained security analysts play a critical role in SOC success. Regular training programs ensure that personnel stay informed about the latest threats and attack techniques.
Establishing continuous and effective communication between SOC teams and other IT and operations teams helps accurately analyze incidents and prevent unnecessary interventions. Additionally, sharing lessons learned from incidents across the organization is crucial in preventing similar attacks.
SOC infrastructure and processes should be regularly reviewed, performance assessments should be conducted, and new technological advancements should be integrated. This approach not only strengthens defenses against existing threats but also prepares the organization for emerging attack vectors in the future.
In conclusion, SOCs play a vital role in protecting an organization’s digital assets. A strong SOC structure, where technological tools, processes, and skilled personnel work in harmony, minimizes the impact of cyberattacks while ensuring business continuity and maintaining corporate reputation. Therefore, organizations should tailor their SOC structures to their specific business needs and implement continuous training and improvement processes.
A financial company must comply with regulations such as the and . The SOC team prepares detailed reports on each security incident that can be presented to the relevant authorities.
