SOC for 360-degree Cyber Resilience: Dedicated Protection without Compromise

The dedicated Security Operations Center (SOC) stands for a future-oriented and comprehensive 360-degree security approach that unites the three elements of technology, people and processes 24/7 without interruption. In combination with Managed Detection & Response (MDR) and a clear incident response approach (CSIRT), the strategic backbone of a future-oriented cyber defense is created. A cyber defense that is geared to the real threat situation and grows dynamically with it. We take a closer look.

Threat situation: multi-layered, dynamic - and a threat to existence

The figures are clear: according to the latest cyber study by the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), around 24,000 (!) Swiss SMEs have been compromised by serious cyber incidents in the last three years and suffered considerable financial and operational damage. Particularly alarming: almost 40 percent of these companies did not have an emergency plan in place. You can find a summary in the Computerworld article.

The threat situation in Germany is also alarming. In its latest report, the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) reports months of outages as a result of ransomware attacks - with extorted ransom sums in the billions. Particularly explosive: on average, almost three times as much was paid for exfiltrated data as for encrypted data, while the number of data leaks continues to rise.

"With AI, attackers are increasing CEO fraud, spearphishing and deepfakes to exploit vulnerabilities. Only a dedicated 360-degree security architecture provides effective protection here."

This development is also confirmed by InfoGuard's own Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT), which is currently detecting and processing a sharp increase in CEO fraud cases, spearphishing attacks and deepfakes. Attackers are increasingly using AI-based tools to detect vulnerabilities and launch targeted deceptions. In such cases, far more than a classic firewall is needed: a 360-degree security architecture is required that recognizes threats and reacts in a coordinated manner before damage occurs and things get serious.

Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS): cybercrime is turning into 24/7 big business

The professionalization of cybercrime is progressing rapidly. With Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS), even less tech-savvy perpetrators can buy malware and use it to blackmail companies. The barriers to entry are low, but the damage is enormous! In many cases, a single successful attack leads to business interruptions, data loss and reputational damage.

A Security Operations Center (SOC) is a central line of defense here: it identifies threats in real time, isolates malware and slows down its spread - before widespread damage occurs.

Compliance, NIS2 & Co: cyber security is becoming a management task

Regulatory innovations such as NIS2, DORA, CRA or FINMA circulars and their tightening have finally made cyber security a mandatory task at C-level.

Today, companies are not only obliged to secure their IT and OT infrastructure - they must also actively demonstrate that they can react quickly and in a coordinated manner in the event of a security incident. What is required is the ability to initiate effective measures across the entire supply chain ecosystem, contain attacks and reliably prevent business interruptions - discreetly, efficiently and in a solution-oriented manner.

In conclusion, it can be said: A SOC is successful when it not only analyzes data, but also intelligently combines people, processes, response paths and professionalism.

The 3 essential pillars of the SOC: people, process and technology

The success and effectiveness of a dedicated SOC is based on three pillars:

1. people - experience counts

A professional SOC team monitors the IT environment around the clock and 24/7, analyzes anomalies, reacts to incidents and initiates a coordinated incident response if necessary. A specialized, integrated CSIRT supports these activities, communicating with the authorities in the event of a crisis, carrying out forensic analyses and - if necessary - negotiating with the attackers. In the event of a security incident, these specialists are responsible for quickly restoring the ability to act and thus minimizing the business impact. This shows that people remain an indispensable factor in modern cyber defense.

2. process - standardized procedures for emergencies

Tried and tested, documented processes form the backbone of a functioning SOC. These include emergency plans, clearly defined escalation levels and coordinated communication channels - taking into account current compliance requirements. This is the only way to efficiently manage security incidents and minimize consequential damage.

3. technology - one step ahead of the threat with XDR

Technologically, a modern SOC is based on an open "Extended Detection and Response (XDR)" architecture. This enables data to be collected and analyzed across end devices, networks, cloud environments, OT/IoT infrastructures and identities. Machine learning enables patterns to be recognized that remain hidden from conventional tools. Automated responses ensure speed and precision - a decisive advantage in the event of an attack.

Managed or co-managed SOC? The reality check for companies

Setting up your own SOC is costly, involves large investments and is labor-intensive. This poses a major challenge for many organizations, especially for SMEs with limited budgets. In many cases, setting up their own SOC fails due to a lack of personnel (keyword: shortage of specialists), limited resources and the complexity of technical integration. How this challenging balancing act can be achieved was the subject of an earlier article.

This is why more and more organizations are opting for a "co-managed SOC" approach with Managed Detection & Response (MDR).

The advantages are obvious:

• Managed SOC: Companies outsource their cyber security completely - including 24/7 monitoring, incident response, compliance support and reporting.
• Co-managed SOC: companies retain control, while an MDR service provider complements the team with targeted expertise and technology.

Conclusion: the ability to act starts with the right SOC

Whether KRITIS operator, growing SME, medium-sized or large company - the key to sustainable cyber resilience lies in a professional security organization. A well-positioned SOC not only gives you an overview, but also the ability to act confidently at the crucial moment.

With a certified SOC and integrated CSIRT, InfoGuard supports you in strategically strengthening your cyber defense and securing it operationally. For a security strategy at the highest level - forward-looking, reliable and around the clock. Benefit from the perfect combination of experienced specialists, state-of-the-art technology and established processes.

These 3 key factors characterize our SOC services and our self-developed Cyber Defence Platform:

• Open XDR architecture: flexible, vendor-independent, seamless integration into existing technology stacks - customization and state-of-the-art detection technologies included.
• In-house, experienced CSIRT: Leading incident response expertise in the DACH region, also available for companies without a SOC thanks to incident response retainers or insurance companies.
• Over 90 highly qualified, German-speaking specialists: 24/7 SOC with "eyes on screen" - live operation, always staffed - and continuous threat monitoring for maximum protection. Everything from a single source.

Find out more about our dedicated 24/7 managed SOC solution and how we can help you set up and develop your cyber defense.

Caption: Image from our own image archive