What is the primary function of a security operations center (SOC)?

The primary function of a security operations center (SOC) is to monitor and respond to cybersecurity incidents. This is essential for protecting an organization’s information systems and data from various threats. The SOC acts as the central hub for an organization’s security activities, utilizing a range of tools and technologies to detect, analyze, and respond to security breaches or incidents in real-time.

Staffed by cybersecurity professionals, the SOC continuously watches over networks, systems, and data to identify potential threats, assess their severity, and coordinate incident response efforts. By doing so, the SOC helps to ensure that security measures are effectively implemented, vulnerabilities are addressed, and any threats are mitigated quickly, thereby reducing the potential impact on the organization.

Focusing on incident monitoring and response distinguishes the SOC from other functions related to security, such as policy creation, software installation, or application design, which, while important, do not encapsulate the core operational purpose of a SOC.