Building a Security Operations Center (SOC) is essential for any organization that needs visibility, threat detection, and timely incident response. While large enterprises invest millions into advanced SOC infrastructures, small and mid-sized organizations often lack that luxury. Fortunately, as outlined in the SOC guide, it is possible to build an effective SOC on a limited budget by focusing on four core elements: People, Processes, Technology, and Threat Intelligence.

Why a SOC Is Necessary

Basic defenses such as firewalls, antivirus, passwords, and two-factor authentication are valuable, but they only provide partial protection. Cyber incidents leave subtle indicators—or breadcrumbs—across various systems. Because no single tool records all activity, a SOC is needed to correlate events, detect threats, and coordinate response across systems.

Unlike physical CCTV cameras that offer one clear view, cybersecurity data is scattered: logs, alerts, traffic flows, user behavior, vulnerability data, and more. The SOC centralizes all of these signals for monitoring and response.

1. People — The SOC Team

People are the foundation of a SOC. Even with limited staff, a small team can succeed by clearly defining responsibilities and building a structure that supports growth.

Tier 1 Analyst (Alert Triage)

• Reviews alerts and determines which require action
• Creates initial incident tickets
• Performs vulnerability scans
• Maintains and configures monitoring tools

Tier 2 Analyst (Incident Responder)

• Investigates escalated alerts
• Validates indicators of compromise (IOCs)
• Identifies affected systems
• Guides the remediation process

Tier 3 Analyst (Threat Hunter)

• Uses threat intelligence to detect hidden attackers
• Performs penetration testing
• Analyzes vulnerabilities in depth
• Improves SOC monitoring and detection engineering

SOC Manager

• Oversees SOC staffing and daily operations
• Manages escalations
• Reports to executives and security leadership
• Ensures compliance with standards and controls

If an organization lacks the capability to fully monitor and respond to threats, outsourcing SOC services or using a hybrid model is often the best choice.

2. Processes — SOC Workflows

Clear processes define how the SOC operates. The four essential processes are:

Event Classification & Triage

The SOC must distinguish between false alarms and real threats. Analysts review high-priority events, document actions, and escalate legitimate threats.

Prioritization

Every event gets a severity rating based on potential impact. This ensures resources are spent on the most dangerous threats first.

Investigation

Once alert triage determines that an event is suspicious, analysts investigate system logs, correlated events, network traffic, and endpoint telemetry to determine root cause.

Incident Response & Recovery

After confirming an incident, the SOC:

• Contains the threat
• Removes malicious files, accounts, or processes
• Restores affected systems
• Documents the full incident timeline

3. Technology — SOC Tools on a Budget

Most organizations cannot afford individual high-cost tools for SIEM, IDS, vulnerability scanning, endpoint security, asset discovery, and more. The recommended approach is to use a consolidated platform that integrates:

• Asset Discovery
• Vulnerability Assessment
• Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS)
• Log Management
• SIEM Correlation
• Incident Response

Using a unified platform reduces cost, complexity, and the staffing required to support multiple tools.

4. Threat Intelligence — Strengthening Detection

Threat intelligence teaches analysts to recognize attacker behavior. When a SOC integrates threat intelligence feeds, it can detect:

• Malicious IP addresses and domains
• Suspicious file hashes
• New exploits and active attacker groups
• Emerging vulnerabilities

Threat intelligence is essential for threat hunting and proactive detection.

The Complete SOC Model

A mature SOC balances People + Processes + Technology + Intelligence. By aligning each of these components—even with limited resources—organizations can build a highly effective SOC that detects, investigates, and responds to cyber threats.

The key is consolidation, clarity, and efficiency. With well-trained analysts, documented workflows, the right technologies, and strong threat intelligence, a SOC can succeed at any budget level.