Top 5 Problems When Your NOC & SOC Aren’t Integrated
Introduction
In our changing world, organizations encounter a wide range of threats and difficulties. Companies usually employ two teams to tackle these concerns effectively: the Network Operations Center (NOC) and the Security Operations Center (SOC). While these teams have distinct roles, their activities frequently intersect. However, failing to integrate these two critical functions can lead to problems that compromise your business’s security, operational efficiency, and even your overall success.
Numerous issues may stem from the lack of integration between NOC and SOC functions, with some of these problems posing significant risks that can threaten your company’s overall security. This article will explore the main issues arising from not integrating your NOC and SOC and discuss why integration is essential for modern cybersecurity.
Top 5 Problems When Your NOC & SOC Aren’t Integrated
Increased Vulnerability to Attacks:
A disconnected NOC and SOC can increase an organization’s vulnerability to cyber-attacks. The lack of real-time collaboration and knowledge sharing between network and security teams may result in gaps in threat detection and response, leaving systems exposed to potential breaches. The security operations team may require the Windows team to apply critical security patches and updates to ensure the operating system is protected against known vulnerabilities. The NOC & SOC may also collaborate to enforce security-related group policies across the windows infrastructure, such as installing EDR agents or agent updates on all the windows devices, or removing any PUA from workstations.
Delayed Incident Response:
When network and security teams operate independently, incident response can be delayed. Network issues may be resolved without considering potential security implications, leaving vulnerabilities unaddressed and giving attackers more time to exploit weaknesses. For example, the SOC may need the NOC to block or disable user access. In case of password guessing or brute force attempts, the SOC may request the NOC team to perform user access related actions including user block, disable, re-enable etc.
Inefficient Incident Resolution:
Most security teams don’t want to touch the infrastructure. With an integrated NOC & SOC, the SOC team can assess the threat and offer prescriptive steps to resolve it and the NOC team can take the necessary steps to mitigate the threat. For example, blocking an IP address or shutting down a port on a firewall. For Office 365, the SOC may reach out to the email exchange admin for AD related requests like disabling a user in case of credential access attacks, geo fencing the user, MFA related action items and app user creation for API integrations.
Limited Visibility:
The absence of an integrated NOC and SOC can limit visibility into the correlation between network events and security incidents. This makes it harder to detect and respond to potential threats when network and security data is not analyzed together. The SOC actively monitors events for disabling and enabling the Windows Audit policy. For any environmental changes, the SOC may need the NOC to enable or disable the Windows Audit Policy.
Increased Operational Costs:
Maintaining separate NOC and SOC functions can lead to higher operational costs. There may be redundant infrastructure, tools, and personnel, along with additional training and support requirements. Consolidating these functions can help optimize resources and reduce costs. For example, both teams may separately monitor and manage network devices, leading to inefficiencies, wasted resources, and potential inconsistencies in device configurations.
Conclusion
In today’s interconnected and rapidly changing digital landscape, integrating NOC and SOC functions is not a luxury but a necessity. Failing to bridge the gap between these teams can result in Increased Vulnerability to Attacks, Delayed Incident Response, Inefficient Incident Resolution, Limited Visibility, and Increased Operational Costs. To effectively tackle these challenges, organizations must prioritize integrating NOC and SOC functions, nurturing collaboration, and alignment between these pivotal teams. Moreover, when considering an external SOC provider, opting for one that offers integrated NOC and SOC services is essential.
Only through integration can organizations achieve a more robust security posture, enhanced operational efficiency, and better resilience against the challenges of the digital age.
If you want more information on the benefits of outsourcing and integrated NOC and SOC, we want to hear from you https://www.flexisit.com/contact_us.php