How a Network Operations Center Strengthens Your Security Perimeter

There is no getting away from the fact that cyberattacks are on the increase. Not even small business are exempt from the nefarious types of attacks that can do long and lasting damage to a business both in terms of infrastructure and reputation.

According to Techradar.com, cyberattacks on businesses grew by an average of 50% worldwide. Increasingly, it is looking that most businesses face the question of when will they be targeted as opposed to if they will be targeted. And this leads us to the next question, what to do about it?

Network Operations Center to the Rescue

One solution more and more businesses are adopting is to outsource security to companies which deploy a dedicated network operations center sometimes referred to as a security operations center (SOC).

The role of SOC is multifaceted and thanks to elements such as 24/7 systems monitoring it is proving to be a real deterrent against nefarious types that want to break into your system. As an overview, SOC is best explained as:

• 24/7 Monitoring – This takes the form of monitoring suspicious activity such as bogus logins, to monitoring for changes in the system which could indicate a ransomware or malware attack. With a network operations center in operation, your business will see minimal downtime. Monitoring in real-time gives you full visibility over IT infrastructure and software assets.
• Proactive Threat Detection – The idea here is to identify and act against threats before they become issues. This maximises uptime and offers excellent protection against cybercriminals.
• Up to Date Threat Prevention – Since computing and hacking became a thing there has been a silent war where criminals are trying to hack systems, while cyber security professionals come up with ways to repel and eliminate threats. Any network operations center provider should be up to date on the latest means of attacks and have a strategy on how to prevent them.
• Seasoned Security Personnel – Experienced cybersecurity professionals are essential to repelling today’s threats. Good providers will provide their own teams which can work with yours to give the best security for your IT infrastructure.
• Bespoke Defence – A good SOC provider will have a bespoke plan to keep your data safe. Often, this is an industry specific strategy that is deployed to counter threats and extend your security perimeter.
• Data Compliance – As most hackers go after data it is important that any security deterrent meets current security levels in terms of GDPR and its equivalents around the world.

Other Network Operation Centre Considerations

So now we know the advantages of deploying a SOC system what else is there to know? It is important that the reporting is on point. Good reporting will show where threats are coming from and if there are further measures that can be undertaken to prevent attacks.

If an attack did get through, how did it accomplish that? What damage was done? How is this attack preventable in the future?

If you can get a good robust IT security team in place, you’ll business will build trust, you’ll sleep better, and you’ll offer a better service to customers and clients.