SOC as a Service: Enterprise-Grade Threat Detection and Response Without the Cost of an In-House SOC 

FAQs

• What is SOC as a Service (SOCaaS)?

  SOC as a Service is a managed security model that provides continuous threat monitoring, investigation, and response through an external team of experts. Instead of an organisation building and maintaining its own physical infrastructure and staffing, it relies on a provider to deliver these functions as an ongoing service. This approach allows enterprises to achieve comprehensive security coverage without the operational burden of managing a full internal Security Operations Centre.

• Why do traditional in-house SOC models struggle to maintain effective security?

  In-house SOCs face significant structural limitations, primarily due to the high costs and logistical challenges of maintaining 24/7 coverage. Many internal teams operate with reduced staffing during nights and weekends, creating coverage gaps where threats can remain undetected for hours. Additionally, the sheer volume of alerts in modern environments often leads to “alert overload,” where teams struggle to distinguish genuine threats from background noise, potentially missing critical signals.

• How does SOCaaS address the specific challenges of cost and staffing?

  SOCaaS converts the volatile costs of hiring, training, and retaining security analysts into a predictable service-based model. By leveraging an external provider, organisations avoid the capital expense of purchasing infrastructure and the difficulty of recruiting amidst a cybersecurity talent shortage. This ensures immediate access to skilled professionals and consistent round-the-clock coverage without the financial strain of staffing multiple shifts internally.

• How does SOCaaS function technically to detect complex threats?

  The service operates by continuously monitoring signals across endpoints, networks, and logs, 24/7. Crucially, it employs correlation—connecting related events across different tools to identify patterns that isolated systems might miss. For example, analysts can link an unusual login on one device with abnormal traffic elsewhere in the network to detect sophisticated attacks, such as lateral movement, which often relies on weak signals that are difficult to spot in isolation.

• What is the role of human analysts within the SOCaaS model?

  While automated tools collect data, trained security analysts are essential for validating alerts and investigating incidents. Analyst-led oversight filters out false positives, ensuring that internal teams are only alerted to confirmed risks. Furthermore, when an incident occurs, these analysts provide context on the scope and impact of the breach, offering clear guidance on containment and escalation to support the internal IT team.

• How does this model impact "dwell time" and incident response?

  Dwell time—the duration between a breach and its detection—is significantly reduced because SOCaaS reviews alerts as they happen, rather than after delays caused by staffing gaps. Because monitoring is continuous and does not follow business hours, response capabilities remain consistent on nights, weekends, and holidays. This rapid detection limits the window of opportunity for attackers to inflict damage or expand their control over the network.

• For which types of organisations is SOCaaS most suitable?

  This model is particularly effective for mid-sized to large enterprises where risk exposure has outpaced internal security capacity. It is also well-suited for organisations with strict regulatory compliance requirements that demand continuous monitoring and documented incident response. Additionally, businesses with complex, distributed environments—such as those with significant remote workforces or third-party access—benefit from the improved visibility SOCaaS offers across the network.