Security operations centers (SOCs) look nothing like they did even just three years ago. If you’re still running a traditional SOC, you’re probably feeling the pain. Cloud sprawl, remote work, and AI-enhanced threats have completely changed the game—and the old playbook just isn’t cutting it anymore.
Companies are taking over 200 days to detect breaches, and when they do find them, they’re staring down an average price tag of $9.44 million. That’s not just a statistic—it’s a clear sign that something needs to change in how we approach security operations.
Fortunately, building a SOC that’s ready for 2025 doesn’t mean you need an army of analysts or a blank check. What you need is the right partner and a fresh approach. The most effective security teams we work with are actually streamlining their operations while improving detection rates. They’re getting there by being smart about automation, choosing the right tools, and knowing when to partner up versus build in-house.
Whether you’re starting from scratch or modernizing an existing SOC, this guide will show you exactly what works in the real world. No fluff, no theory—just practical SOC best practices and tools to help you build security operations that can handle what’s coming next.
The Evolution of Security Operations Centers
Once, SOCs were all about perimeter defense and log monitoring, but those days are long gone. Today’s attack surface has exploded beyond anything those traditional models were designed to handle. We’re seeing threats move faster, hit harder, and adapt in real-time.
The typical enterprise now manages over 130,000 endpoints, spans multiple clouds, and supports a workforce that could be anywhere in the world. Each one of those points is a potential entry for attackers. And they’re getting creative: we’re seeing sophisticated multi-stage attacks that can slip past traditional defenses and lie dormant for months.
The old “walls and watchers” approach just doesn’t work anymore. Even companies with 24/7 staffing and best-of-breed tools are struggling to keep up with alert volumes. We’re talking about thousands of alerts per day, with analysts spending precious time chasing false positives while real threats slip through the cracks.
But this isn’t just a story about problems—it’s about evolution. Leading SOCs are adapting in some fascinating ways:
- They’re shifting from reactive monitoring to proactive threat hunting
- Breaking down silos between security and IT operations
- Leveraging automation for the heavy lifting of alert triage
- Moving toward cloud-native security tools that can scale on demand
- Building in resilience from the start, assuming breaches will happen
The most successful security operations centers are fundamentally rethinking how they detect, respond to, and recover from threats. It’s a necessary evolution driven by a simple truth: the attackers are evolving, and we need to evolve faster.
Must-Have Components of a Future-Proofed SOC
After working with hundreds of organizations to strengthen their security operations, we’ve learned that effective SOCs share certain non-negotiable elements. While every organization has unique needs, these core components consistently separate high-performing security operations from those that struggle to keep pace with threats.
Infrastructure That Scales
Your foundation needs to be rock-solid but flexible enough to grow with your needs. Modern SOCs require cloud-native architecture that can adapt to changing threat landscapes and business requirements. This means implementing redundant systems for 24/7 operations and automated failover capabilities that guarantee your security operations never sleep.
The Right Technology Stack
No single tool will solve all your security challenges, but the right combination can. Your stack should start with a next-gen SIEM that can handle cloud-scale data ingestion, backed by EDR/XDR solutions with genuine response capabilities. These core technologies need to work in concert to share data and insights to provide a unified view of your security posture.
The Human Element
While automation helps, human expertise remains at the heart of the best security operations. Your team needs skilled analysts who can investigate complex threats, incident responders ready for action, and threat hunters who think like attackers. Most importantly, you need leadership that understands both the technical and business sides of security.
Integration Points
Your SOC can’t operate in isolation. Security operations need to integrate tightly with IT operations for rapid response, business continuity teams for crisis management, and executive leadership for strategic alignment. The strongest SOCs we see aren’t just security hubs—they’re business enablers that help organizations move faster while staying secure.
Measurement and Metrics
Modern SOCs run on data (not just about threats but about their own performance). You need clear visibility into detection and response times, regular testing of controls, and metrics that tie security efforts to business outcomes. This data drives continuous improvement and helps justify security investments to leadership.
10 SOC Best Practices for Implementation
Building the right foundation is just the start—the real challenge lies in running a SOC that consistently delivers results. And that’s easier said than done. After years on the frontlines of incident response and seeing what actually works in the real world, we’ve identified key practices that make the difference between SOCs that thrive and those that merely survive:
1. Run Continuous Threat Hunting:
Don’t wait for alerts to find threats. Dedicate time each week for proactive hunting using up-to-date threat intelligence and behavioral analysis to spot attackers before they can do serious damage.
2. Automate the Routine, Focus on the Complex:
Your analysts’ time is too valuable to waste on repetitive tasks. Automate initial alert triage, correlation, and basic response actions so your team can focus on sophisticated threats that require human expertise.
3. Build Robust Incident Playbooks:
Every second counts during an incident. Create tested response playbooks for common scenarios, but keep them flexible enough to adapt to unique situations.
4. Implement “Shift Left” Security:
Stop treating security as a final checkpoint. Work with development and IT teams to build security controls and monitoring into systems from the start to catch issues before they hit production.
5. Practice Crisis Response Regularly:
Table-top exercises aren’t just compliance boxes to check. Run realistic crisis simulations monthly and involve both technical teams and business stakeholders to identify gaps before real incidents occur.
6. Maintain a Single Source of Truth:
Consolidate your security tools’ outputs into a single, prioritized view that gives analysts the context they need without overwhelming them.
7. Build Strong Intelligence Sharing:
Establish reliable channels for sharing threat intelligence with trusted industry peers and participate in information sharing communities to stay ahead of emerging threats.
8. Monitor the Monitors:
Track key metrics like mean time to detect (MTTD) and mean time to respond (MTTR), but also watch for analyst burnout and alert fatigue.
9. Keep Communication Channels Clear:
Security incidents are chaotic enough without communication breakdowns. Establish and regularly test clear escalation paths and communication protocols for incidents of varying severity.
10. Invest in Continuous Training:
Set aside dedicated time for team training on new threats, tools, and techniques, and build a culture that rewards continuous learning.
Top SOC Tools for 2025
Modern SOCs need an integrated toolkit that can handle everything from automated threat detection to incident response at cloud scale. Here’s what should be in your technology stack:
- Next-Generation SIEM Platforms: Traditional log collection isn’t enough anymore. Modern SIEMs need built-in threat detection, user behavior analytics, and the ability to handle cloud-scale data ingestion. Look for solutions that offer real-time correlation and automated response capabilities.
- Extended Detection and Response (XDR): XDR platforms provide visibility across endpoints, networks, and cloud workloads from a single console. They’re becoming essential for spotting complex attacks that span multiple systems.
- Security Orchestration and Automation (SOAR): SOAR platforms help automate routine tasks, orchestrate complex workflows, and speed up incident response.
- Cloud-Native Security Platforms (CNSP): As infrastructure moves to the cloud, you need tools built specifically for cloud environments. CNSPs provide continuous monitoring, configuration management, and threat detection across multi-cloud environments.
- Threat Intelligence Platforms: Raw threat feeds aren’t enough—you need platforms that can aggregate, analyze, and operationalize threat intelligence. Look for solutions that integrate directly with your detection and response tools.
- Network Detection and Response (NDR): Modern attacks rarely stop at the endpoint. NDR tools use machine learning and behavioral analytics to spot suspicious network activity and lateral movement that other tools might miss.
- Identity Threat Detection and Response (ITDR): Dedicated ITDR tools help monitor and protect authentication systems, directory services, and access management tools.
- Interactive Investigation Platforms: Look for platforms that combine threat hunting, case management, and forensic capabilities in an analyst-friendly interface.
Future-Proof Your SOC with Airiam
Building a modern SOC isn’t a one-and-done project—it’s an ongoing journey that requires the right combination of technology, expertise, and partnership. As threats continue to evolve, having a battle-tested ally can make all the difference in keeping your organization secure.
That’s where Airiam comes in. With over 75,000 hours of frontline ransomware recovery experience and a track record of protecting organizations across every major industry, we know what it takes to build and run a truly effective security operations center. Our comprehensive solution suite—including AirGuard for managed detection and response and AirGapd for ransomware-resilient backup—provides everything you need for complete security operations.
Whether you’re building a SOC from scratch or modernizing your existing security operations, we’re here to help. Our team of experts can evaluate your current security posture, identify gaps, and build a roadmap for strengthening your defenses against both current and emerging threats.
Ready to take your security operations to the next level? Our team can help you understand how Airiam’s solutions can strengthen your security posture. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and see how we can help protect your organization’s future.
