Learn how to plan, train, and test your security operations center (SOC) for a worst-case scenario. Discover tips to improve your incident response process and capabilities.

In a world which is evolving every second, soc team must be ready and prepared to anything that may happen from new attack techniques to screaming through million of logs, in order to achieve that a proper distribution of expertise and knowledge must be in place.

How can you prepare a SOC to respond to a major security incident?

A major security incident can be a nightmare for any organization, especially if it affects critical systems, data, or customers. A security operations center (SOC) is a team of experts who monitor, detect, analyze, and respond to cyber threats and incidents. But how can you prepare a SOC to handle a worst-case scenario? Here are some tips to help you plan, train, and test your SOC for a major security incident.

1 Define the incident

The first step is to define what constitutes a major security incident for your organization. This may depend on factors such as the impact, severity, scope, and duration of the incident, as well as the legal, regulatory, and reputational implications. You should have clear criteria and thresholds for declaring a major security incident, as well as escalation procedures and communication channels. You should also assign roles and responsibilities for the incident response team, including the incident commander, the technical lead, the communication lead, and the support staff.

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Fouad EL Din Abdul Khaleq

Security Operations Center Team Leader at Monty Mobile
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Frameworks are the pillars to anything, if you have a well structured framework that has the roles , communication, scopes, asset classification (what asset is critical) , playbooks , etc.. in a clear and realistic way then defining and responding to any incident will be much flaunt and fast. In addition making incidents simulations and training all responsible units to such incidents will further enhance the response time .

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2 Update the playbook

The second step is to update your incident response playbook with the specific steps and actions for handling a major security incident. A playbook is a document that guides the SOC through the incident response process, from identification to containment to recovery. It should include checklists, workflows, tools, scripts, templates, and best practices for each phase of the incident response. You should review and revise your playbook regularly to ensure it reflects the current threat landscape, technologies, and policies.

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3 Train the team

The third step is to train your SOC team on how to execute the playbook and perform their roles effectively during a major security incident. Training should cover both technical and soft skills, such as incident analysis, forensic investigation, malware analysis, remediation, reporting, documentation, collaboration, and communication. You should also provide refresher courses and knowledge updates to keep your team up to date with the latest trends and techniques.

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Fouad EL Din Abdul Khaleq

Security Operations Center Team Leader at Monty Mobile
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In a world which is evolving every second, soc team must be ready and prepared to anything that may happen from new attack techniques to screaming through million of logs, in order to achieve that a proper distribution of expertise and knowledge must be in place.

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4 Test the plan

The fourth step is to test your incident response plan and playbook with realistic scenarios and simulations. Testing should measure the performance, readiness, and resilience of your SOC team, as well as identify any gaps, weaknesses, or areas for improvement. You should conduct regular tests, such as tabletop exercises, red team exercises, or live fire drills, to evaluate your team's skills, knowledge, and coordination. You should also collect feedback and lessons learned from each test and incorporate them into your plan and playbook.

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5 Review the results

The fifth step is to review the results and outcomes of your incident response plan and playbook after a major security incident. You should conduct a post-mortem analysis to determine what went well, what went wrong, and what can be improved. You should also document and share the findings, recommendations, and action items with the relevant stakeholders, such as management, customers, partners, and regulators. You should also update your plan and playbook accordingly and implement any necessary changes or enhancements.

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6 Improve the process

The sixth step is to improve your incident response process and capabilities continuously. You should monitor and measure your SOC's performance and maturity using key metrics and indicators, such as the mean time to detect, contain, and resolve incidents, the number and severity of incidents, the customer satisfaction and feedback, and the compliance and audit results. You should also seek and implement best practices, standards, and frameworks for incident response, such as the NIST SP 800-61 or the SANS Incident Handler's Handbook.

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Nick Lasenko, CISSP, BBA, CISA

Cybersecurity, Critical Infrastructure, Privacy Risk Management, AI Anomaly Detection
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To prep your SOC? Stop. FIRST, 3 things: 1. Is your asset prioritization complete? 2. Have you completed a BIA? 3. Know who does what? Also, where does your SOC function end, and 3rd party vendor support begin? NEXT: Leverage applicable standards as next steps (e.g. NIST800-61).

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Reza Talebi

Network Security Analyst at Ressis Network - رسیس
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1.Develop incident response plans and playbooks, validate through drills 2.Implement robust logging, security monitoring, and SIEM for detection 3.Build relationships with internal and external teams to coordinate response 4.Cross-train staff on tools, processes to avoid capability gaps 5.Stock emergency supplies and equipment for analysis and recovery 6.Implement system redundancy for networks, power, data centers 7.Isolate and backup critical data, harden SOC systems 8.Advance planning, detection, coordination, resilience capabilities ready SOC to investigate, contain, and recover from crises

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How can you prepare a SOC to respond to a major security incident?

1

2

3

4

5

6

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1 Define the incident

2 Update the playbook

3 Train the team

4 Test the plan

5 Review the results

6 Improve the process

7 Here’s what else to consider

IT Operations

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How can you prepare a SOC to respond to a major security incident?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Define the incident

2 Update the playbook

3 Train the team

4 Test the plan

5 Review the results

6 Improve the process

7 Here’s what else to consider

IT Operations

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