If you are in need of an Information Security Operations Center (SOC) Service Provider. It’s important to know what to look for and consider to ensure that your needs are being met. From the size of the SOC to the organizational structure. There are multiple factors you should consider before hiring anyone to provide services to your company. Some things may seem small, but they can make all the difference in overall customer satisfaction. In this article. We will go over 6 important elements to look for in a SOC Service Provider.
6 Important Elements for SOC Service Provider
Point 1: The Analysts
You need analysts who are trained, experienced and passionate about security. The best test is simply asking them how long they have been doing it. Where they were trained, what tools do they use and have they published anything on security? If you can’t answer these questions without a degree of research you don’t know your vendors enough. As an analyst myself it is not hard for me to find out about other analysts just by asking around.
Trust your gut instinct on who knows what they are talking about and has real world experience. My rule of thumb is if I am asked to send sensitive information over email I will never do so.
I always ask for a phone call or Skype conversation instead. This allows me to verify that I am speaking with someone from the company before sending any information over unencrypted channels. This can be easily accomplished by providing contact information such as a phone number. And possibly even requesting some form of ID prior to any sensitive data exchange taking place via email which would be very simple but effective method.
Point 2: The Processes
While we expect each of our vendors to have their own approach, it is important that they maintain an appropriate balance between expediency and rigor. We do not expect them to find every single bug; however, we do need them to implement processes that root out security problems wherever possible. We will also look for providers who make use of outside-the-box solutions, since conventional solutions may not provide us with as much information as we need regarding vulnerabilities. If you think outside of the box, you’ll likely come up with better solutions and we value that creativity and flexibility!
Point 3: Internal Personnel Competency
As organizations face increasing threats from attackers and new techniques of attack, you need to make sure that your external security provider has personnel with both specialized training and experience. Today’s attackers are well-educated, organized, and funded. To keep up with their capabilities, it’s crucial that you work with people who know what they’re doing.
A reputable service provider will have teams of certified security professionals that specialize in areas like network security, application security, penetration testing, digital forensics, incident response and more. Also look for certifications such as CISSP or CEH to ensure that staff is qualified and up-to-date on today’s technologies.
Point 4: Expertise across the board
Are you looking for a vendor who is an all-around social media expert? Or are you willing to let your vendor manage specific elements of your marketing efforts, like Facebook or search engine optimization? To make sure you’re selecting from providers with relevant experience, ask which industries they have previously worked with.
Ask questions and find out what their capabilities are in terms of overall social media expertise. This will help ensure that you get everything you need and nothing more. Also, if you can get references from previous clients, it will be easier to determine whether or not they are right for your business.
This point applies as well when looking at technical know-how—is these people experienced enough to do what I want them to do? Do they understand my company’s goals and objectives well enough to tailor their services accordingly? While it might seem obvious that you should hire someone who knows how to market online effectively, some vendors don’t understand certain facets of digital marketing.
It’s important that vendors demonstrate comprehensive knowledge so that their offerings align with your objectives—and theirs! Otherwise, why would you want them working on something so important?
Point 5: Resources, Tools and Infrastructure
A state-of-the-art SOC isn’t only made up of tools and technology. It also requires an organization that can support it. High employee turnover, lack of proper funding, and inadequate resources are all hindrances that can adversely affect your company’s security infrastructure. A cutting edge service provider will provide you with adequate IT infrastructure, help you hire new staff members, and be cognizant of how to keep costs low without sacrificing quality. Always remember that without proper maintenance, your investment into cybersecurity is essentially wasted.
Point 6: Customer Support / Real-Time Monitoring
A good SOC service provider should allow for real-time monitoring, as it enables you to quickly determine what new issues need your attention. 24/7 support is also an important aspect of using a good SOC service provider. Your vendor’s agents should have training and experience with security information management products that are relevant to your needs. And they should also have access to technical experts so they can handle any advanced requests or issues. Finally, if you work with other departments within your organization on IT projects or share data with them. Make sure that your organization’s various stakeholders use one central security monitoring tool; otherwise. You could end up introducing more complexity into an already complex situation.
Conclusion
The right security service provider is one that can evolve with your business and help you navigate threats as they arise. Look for a company that understands your business, has industry-specific expertise, responds quickly when issues arise and can provide solutions customized to fit your unique needs. At Absolute Software, we offer enterprise-level IT solutions and services to some of today’s biggest brands. Contact us today to learn more about how we can keep your data safe.