Security Operations Center

Security Operations Center (SOC) Definition

A Security Operations Center (SOC) is a centralized team or facility that monitors, detects, investigates, and responds to cybersecurity threats in real-time. It acts as the nerve center for an organization's security posture.

Key Functions of a SOC (or) why Do organization need SOC :

1. Continuous Monitoring – 24/7 surveillance of networks, systems, and endpoints.
2. Threat Detection & Analysis – Identifying and analyzing cyber threats using SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) tools.
3. Incident Response – Investigating and mitigating security incidents.
4. Threat Intelligence – Collecting and analyzing global threat data to improve defenses.
5. Compliance & Reporting – Ensuring regulatory compliance (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA, ISO 27001).

SOC Team Structure

A Security Operations Center (SOC) consists of multiple roles responsible for monitoring, detecting, and responding to cyber threats.

SOC Levels & Roles:

• 🔹 Level 1 (L1) – SOC Analyst (Triage & Monitoring)

  • Monitors security alerts using SIEM tools.
  • Performs initial investigation and escalation.

  • 🔹 Level 2 (L2) – Incident Responder

  • Analyzes escalated incidents from L1.

  • Conducts deeper threat analysis and containment.

  • 🔹 Level 3 (L3) – Threat Hunter / Forensic Analyst

  • Actively searches for undetected threats.

  • Performs malware analysis & reverse engineering.

  • 🔹 SOC Manager

  • Oversees SOC operations and ensures security compliance.

  • Coordinates between security teams and management.

  • 🔹 Threat Intelligence Analyst

  • Tracks cyber threats and analyzes attack patterns.

  • Provides insights to improve defense strategies.

SOC Workflow

A Security Operations Center (SOC) follows a structured process to detect, analyze, and respond to cyber threats.

1. Threat Monitoring & Detection

• SOC analysts continuously monitor security logs and alerts using SIEM tools.
• Sources: Firewalls, IDS/IPS, endpoint security, cloud logs.

2. Triage & Alert Analysis

• L1 SOC Analyst: Reviews alerts and classifies them based on severity.
• Filters false positives and escalates real threats.

3. Incident Investigation & Response

• L2 Incident Responder: Investigates escalated alerts.
• Identifies attack patterns and potential impact.
• Containment actions: Blocking malicious IPs, isolating infected systems.

4. Threat Hunting & Forensics

• L3 Threat Hunter/Forensic Analyst: Proactively searches for hidden threats.
• Analyzes malware and reverse-engineers attack methods.

5. Remediation & Recovery

• Removes threats, patches vulnerabilities, and restores affected systems.
• Ensures business continuity and minimizes downtime.

6. Post-Incident Reporting & Improvement

• Documents the incident, root cause, and response actions.
• Updates security policies and strengthens defenses.
• Shares threat intelligence to prevent future attacks.

Daily Routine of an SOC Analyst (L1)

A Level 1 (L1) SOC Analyst is responsible for monitoring, detecting, and escalating potential security incidents. Their daily routine typically includes:

1️⃣ Start of Shift – Log Review & Handover

• Check updates from the previous shift.
• Review ongoing incidents and pending escalations.
• Verify the health of SIEM, IDS/IPS, and other security tools.

2️⃣ Monitoring & Alert Analysis

• Continuously monitor SIEM dashboards for new alerts.
• Analyze logs from firewalls, endpoints, and network traffic.
• Identify false positives and escalate real threats to L2 analysts.

3️⃣ Incident Triage & Response

• Classify alerts based on severity (low, medium, high, critical).
• Perform initial investigation (IP reputation checks, malware scans).
• Document findings and escalate complex cases to senior analysts.

4️⃣ Threat Intelligence & Reporting

• Check threat intelligence feeds for new vulnerabilities and attacks.
• Correlate alerts with recent threat intelligence updates.
• Maintain daily reports on security incidents and trends.

5️⃣ End of Shift – Handover & Documentation

• Update the ticketing system with findings and incident status.
• Communicate ongoing threats or critical issues to the next shift.
• Ensure proper documentation of actions taken for future reference.

---

Daily Routine of an SOC Analyst (L2)

A Level 2 (L2) SOC Analyst handles deeper investigations, incident response, and threat analysis. They validate escalations from L1 analysts and take appropriate actions to mitigate threats.

---

1️⃣ Start of Shift – Review & Handover

• Go through the previous shift's reports and unresolved incidents.
• Check escalated alerts from L1 analysts.
• Verify SIEM, EDR, and threat intelligence platform health.

2️⃣ Incident Investigation & Response

• Analyze logs, network traffic, and endpoint behavior for deeper investigation.
• Perform forensic analysis on affected systems.
• Identify Indicators of Compromise (IoCs) and correlate them with threat intelligence.
• Contain and mitigate active threats (blocking malicious IPs, isolating infected hosts).

3️⃣ Threat Hunting & Intelligence Analysis

• Proactively search for undetected threats in the environment.
• Use threat intelligence feeds to update detection rules.
• Investigate patterns of attack (MITRE ATT&CK framework, TTPs).

4️⃣ Security Policy & Rule Tuning

• Fine-tune SIEM rules to reduce false positives.
• Optimize IDS/IPS, firewall, and endpoint protection configurations.
• Assist in creating playbooks for incident response.

5️⃣ End of Shift – Handover & Reporting

• Document detailed incident reports and analysis.
• Provide updates on threat trends and remediation actions.
• Ensure smooth handover to the next shift with ongoing cases.

---

Key Tools Used by L2 Analysts:

✅ SIEM (Splunk, QRadar, ArcSight)
✅ EDR (CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, Microsoft Defender)
✅ Threat Intelligence (VirusTotal, AlienVault, MISP)
✅ Forensic Tools (Volatility, Autopsy, Wireshark)

Daily Routine of an SOC Analyst (L3)

A Level 3 (L3) SOC Analyst, also known as a Senior SOC Analyst or Incident Responder, is responsible for advanced threat analysis, incident containment, and security improvements. They handle complex escalations from L2 analysts and contribute to threat mitigation strategies.

---

1️⃣ Start of Shift – Review & Handover

• Review escalations from L2 analysts.
• Check ongoing critical incidents and remediation status.
• Assess threat intelligence updates and advanced persistent threats (APTs).

2️⃣ Advanced Incident Investigation & Response

• Conduct deep forensic analysis on compromised systems.
• Investigate Zero-Day exploits and advanced threats.
• Develop Indicators of Compromise (IoCs) and Indicators of Attack (IoAs).
• Contain and remediate complex security incidents (e.g., ransomware, APTs).

3️⃣ Threat Hunting & Malware Analysis

• Perform proactive threat hunting across networks and endpoints.
• Reverse-engineer malware to understand its behavior and impact.
• Analyze attack techniques using frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK.

4️⃣ Security Architecture & Policy Improvements

• Enhance detection and response strategies.
• Fine-tune security controls, SIEM rules, and firewall policies.
• Collaborate with security engineers to improve infrastructure defenses.

5️⃣ End of Shift – Reporting & Knowledge Sharing

• Provide detailed reports on major incidents and remediation efforts.
• Conduct post-mortem analysis and suggest preventive measures.
• Train L1/L2 analysts on advanced attack techniques and response methods.

---

Key Tools Used by L3 Analysts:

✅ Digital Forensics (Volatility, Autopsy, FTK)
✅ Malware Analysis (IDA Pro, Ghidra, Cuckoo Sandbox)
✅ Threat Intelligence (MISP, ThreatConnect, Anomali)
✅ SIEM & EDR (Splunk, QRadar, CrowdStrike)