SOC Infrastructure vs Managed EDR – An MSSP Perspective

SOC Infrastructure vs Managed EDR – An MSSP Perspective

The headlines showcasing the latest cyberattacks on companies across multiple sectors serve as a continual reminder of how critical cybersecurity services is. The process of digital transformation itself needs to be improved. SMBs have also come to understand how important it is to protect that digital realm.

Many MSPs are moving to an MSSP to set themselves apart from the traditional MSP market, which is becoming increasingly commoditised daily. However, it would also be helpful to successfully deliver cybersecurity risk management services if you had the right security solutions that integrate with your current solution portfolio. Based on your client's needs, that technology stack might consist of several firewalls, EDRs, antivirus programs, and additional reporting systems. The issue is that a wide range of tools inevitably results in numerous sets of reporting and administration consoles. These solutions aimed to increase visibility, but switching between consoles is time-consuming. It is necessary to have a supporting infrastructure to which all these components connect.

For an MSSP, providing a full stack along with the management and reporting infrastructure to support it all can be time-consuming. Managed Endpoint Detection and Response (managed edr services), SOC-as-a-Service (SOCaaS), and Security Operations Centers (SOC) are among the options that are currently offered on the market. For those in the MSSP space, these options often need clarification, which worsens the decision-making process.  

What is SOC?

SOC is the abbreviation for the Security Operations Centre. Proactive monitoring, threat and vulnerability management, incident qualification, and security operations (including security device management) are SOC's main focus areas. But for a lot of people, it can mean different things. Yet one thing is sure: a SOC is a business function involving numerous people, processes, and technologies, regardless of whether it is provided externally via outsourcing or internally by employees.

What is EDR?

EDR software concentrates on various endpoints, such as PCs, servers, tablets, mobile phones, etc. To do this, the monitored edr endpoint usage is analysed using behavioural analysis by EDR software. As a result, it is possible to identify actions that either follow normal attacker behaviour or depart from it after a learning period. Exploitation of security vulnerabilities can also be detected by EDR software. By analysing suspicious behaviours, EDR solutions help businesses protect against known and unknown threats (like viruses). NDR provides essential detection and response capabilities in addition to EDR.

What is the Difference Between EDR and SOC?

Although Managed SOC and EDRs Infrastructure seem similar, they differ from an MSSP perspective. Some of the main differences are:

  • SOC Infrastructure must be vendor- and technology-agnostic for an MSSP that supports multiple customer environments. A Security SOC solution can be easily integrated with the current security stack of an organisation. An MSP that has devoted significant time and energy to becoming an expert in their chosen technology stack needs more agility and flexibility from managed EDR solutions than SOC infrastructure can provide.
  • If an MSSP already has its chosen stack, it doesn't need any more hardware. They need more knowledge to fill in their accounts and knowledge gaps. A SOC Information Security solution improves your MSSP portfolio's current tools and offerings. Instead of making the wheel from scratch, you give it more power.
  • The SOC as a Service is more flexible and adaptive than a Managed EDR, which makes it a better option for MSSPs that support a range of infrastructure types. This level of customisation is essential because each customer has a unique set of equipment.
  • There are SOC solutions that are cloud-based. Since SOCaaS solutions are easy to integrate with cloud platforms, they offer the broad reach that modern hybrid networks require.
  • SOC infrastructure functions best in multi-tenancy environments, which is perfect for MSSPs that offer services to many customers.

Similarities Between Managed EDR and SOC

The two solution offerings seem to be very similar at first glance, and they do have some things in common:

SOC Infrastructure

The burden of remediation costs and attack disruptions is too high for an organisation to be secure in the modern era, especially for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). AI has changed the game for SMBs in the modern era that needs internal teams or resources to deal with external threat actors.

Utilising AI and ML technologies allows MSSPs to expand their services to client location sites even when they only sometimes have staff on site. Managed EDRs and SOC Security Services offer your clients an extra service layer and a set of eyes monitoring their networks. These services are backed by intelligent technologies offering comprehensive insight into an organisation. Which one suits MSSPs better is the question.

Managed Security Services Provide

Managed security services providers, or MSSPs, function similarly to traditional MSPs in terms of security, and they usually take care of an organisation's core security procedures. With continuous monitoring of known threats, an MSSP will also manage security, essential monitoring, and security infrastructure, such as firewalls and web gateways. For customer service, they also typically use email and live chat. MSSPs are a terrific choice for companies wishing to outsource their security responsibilities but not dealing with a challenging threat landscape from nation-state players with highly developed hacking abilities.

MSSP Perspective

Managed Security Services Providers are one option for organisations to outsource their security needs (MSSPs). The MSSP Security offers knowledge, resources, and tools for maintaining and enhancing an organisation's security posture. From the perspective of an MSSP, integrating EDR solutions with SOC services provides a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity, ensuring effective security threat detection, response, and mitigation.

Conclusion

In short, an in-depth understanding of organisational requirements is crucial for making an informed decision when comparing Managed EDR and SOC CyberSecurity infrastructure from the perspective of an MSSP. Managed EDR provides an outsourced, simplified solution; however, SOC Services allows for greater customisation and control. MSSPs have a lot of factors to measure when deciding on the best course of action, such as internal knowledge, budget, and the ever-changing threat landscape.

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