Should You Build or Buy SOC Operations?

Every organization has unique cyber security risks. You can protect your data from external threats by assessing these risks and creating a security plan. Generally, this process involves either building an internal Security Operations Center (SOC) or partnering with a Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP).

What Factors Are Involved with Building a SOC?

Some businesses and organizations may prefer to keep their cybersecurity program in-house. However, you must have the time, people, and money to do so. To start, your team will need to consider the cost of creating and maintaining the system.

The upfront costs may include software, equipment, training, and physical office space. As for maintenance, this will involve updates, buying new cybersecurity technologies, and recovering from potential mishaps.

In addition to considering the overall cost of an internal SOC, you will need to plan for staffing. First, consider whether you have existing staff to take on this work. However, there is a likelihood that your organization would need to hire new IT employees.

A recent article in Dark Reading stated, there are “65 cybersecurity professionals are in the workforce for every 100 available jobs.”

There’s also a significant strain on the cybersecurity talent pool; 63% of respondents to an ISACA report shared they had unfilled cybersecurity positions. Almost the same percentage – 62% – stated their team was understaffed, taking more than six months to fill open positions. Finding people is one of the driving factors behind healthcare organizations looking externally for cybersecurity services.

You also want to ensure that your company can spare one of your most precious resources: time. Building a SOC from the ground up will take time at every level of your organization. So, you will need to consider how setup and troubleshooting time could impact your bottom line.

Why Might an MSSP Be a Better Solution?

Many healthcare organizations choose to work with an MSSP to augment or provide full SOC services, and there can be plenty of benefits to doing so. For example, partnering with a trusted healthcare MSSP can take your network security to the next level — with minimal interruptions to internal operations.

When working with an MSSP, you should expect a full risk assessment and vulnerability management program. While it’s tricky to assess your organization’s security shortcomings, this team of experts will look at your protocol and pinpoint the improvements that need to be made.

For example, your IT team might not know that your information security program is outdated, but an MSSP will. They can use the latest technology, threat intelligence, and processes to help protect your network.

SOC services should continuously monitor the network, run audits, and reassess risk as your business changes. There will also be processes to alert you of a potential incident, and the SOC team can address the threat.

This approach will be preventative rather than reactive. But the MSSP can react faster if there is a full incident and be prepared to help with a response plan.

Learn more about the value of comprehensive SOC services on our Threat Defense page.