(Last Updated On: September 22, 2022)

SOC, also known as the Security Operations Center, is the central hub for an institute’s security operations. The security team works on numerous aspects related to technology, including the organization’s architecture and detecting any cyberattacks or security breaches. 

The task those individuals are responsible for isn’t menial. Instead, it requires ample research, focus, and dedication. The team, which consists of a group of engineers and analysts alike, is responsible for maintaining numerous aspects related to technology. This enables them to detect any threats and discard them as soon as they surface. 

This article expands on SOC, how you can get into it, and understanding what it entails. 

Who Works In SOC & How To Get Into It

There are two main types of people working in the SOC field. Those are the engineers and the data analysts. Moreover, there’s always a supervisor ensuring all tasks are running smoothly. Hence, you can specialize in SOC by studying data science, computer science, or engineering. A great university that offers those majors is the University of Chicago. Still, you must refer to the why uchicago essay examples to tailor your pitch adequately. “Uchicago Why Us” essay is where you simply explain why this is the ideal university for you. The University of Chicago essay examples boosts your chances of acceptance. 

That being said, while there are three types of people working in SOC, analysts; engineers; and managers, they all hold distinct responsibilities. For instance, an engineer is accountable for implementing and designing the security premises. On the other hand, the security analyst monitors threats, networks, and traffic to maintain the overall architecture. However, the manager is simple the person responsible for maintaining the flow within the team. The manager’s primary job is to ensure everything is up to the required standards. 

What Are the Main Roles of Security Operations Center?

Security Operations Centre comprises a team of highly proficient employees. The education each individual undergoes prepares them for the myriad of data and networks they’ll encounter on the job. Here is an in-depth explanation of what the main functions of SOC are:

• Security Training: the analysts within the team are responsible for raising awareness through training and preparing trainees for the tasks at hand
• Threat Identification: threat intelligence is a tool to pinpoint threats to networks. This enables the tracking of harmful material and allows the team to build strategies to eliminate them. 
• Monitoring: any suspicious activity, regardless of whether it’s under a university name or otherwise, is flagged and monitored. This prevents any potent threats from creating substantial damage. 

Is There a Difference Between SOC and NOC?

SOC Security definition engulfs various aspects of monitoring and detecting threats and security breaches at all times during the day. On the other hand, NOC stands for Network Operations Center, which is the team responsible for maintaining the network. For example, a college’s network should constantly be monitored to ensure it’s running rapidly and without any lags. 

Benefits of Having a Security Operations Center Team

A school is recommended to have a team of SOC simply to keep student and teacher data confidential. This technology has been significantly integrated through tools, databases, and many other digital products since the overall digital threats have increased. Individuals increasingly desire to keep their assets safe and prevent malicious attacks or invasions. Hence, a SOC team can be crucial for larger organizations for innumerable reasons, some include:

• Improving overall efficiency
• Continuous monitoring of networks
• Detects & builds strategies for security threats
• Reduces the headcount costs of cybersecurity
• Decreases the time and the price for repairing any damages to digital systems

The Top Functions of SOC

All the essential functions have been discussed above. However, the actual value of SOC isn’t limited to surveillance and maintaining the validity of technological databases. For example, a valuable lesson a SOC team learns is the need to work collaboratively to detect threats and respond efficiently to them. Moreover, strategies are built to minimize potential threats from invading the system. In a nutshell, the team behind SOC is the heart and soul that keeps an organization running smoothly. It works under specific compliance requirements and constantly audits and monitors the entire network. 

Conclusion: Understanding a Security Operations Center’s Function

Regardless of the type of organization you work under, incorporating a team of SOC is vital. Whether you outsource the work or welcome a whole team to your institute, maintaining security is the number one priority each organization should possess. 

As for the functions of SOC, they’re endless. The team never ceases to learn, analyze, and target new potential threats. There isn’t a day when an organization isn’t susceptible to potential breaches. Hence, as a student, if you’re considering studying to become part of SOC, remember while it could be demanding, it also entails exciting new premises each day.