How much does SOCaaS cost?

SOC as a Service 101

As cyberattacks become more and more sophisticated, organizations of all sizes need to monitor and respond to threats in real time. Yet it’s incredibly expensive to hire and manage your own 24/7/365 cybersecurity team.

SOC as a service provides a welcome alternative. You get all the power of a SOC (security operations center) without the cost and complexity of staff hiring.

But what are the benefits of SOC as a service?

What should you look for in a provider?

Here’s everything you need to know.

Key points:

What is SOC as a service (SOCaaS)?

Definition of SOC in cybersecurity

A security operations center (SOC) is a cohesive team that executes an organization’s cybersecurity strategy. They choose and implement cybersecurity tools and controls, engage in monitoring, and respond to any threats on the network in real time.

A SOC is an expensive proposition for many organizations. At a minimum, most companies will need the following roles to support a SOC.

SOC manager
SOC tier 1 analyst (x2)
SOC tier 2 analyst

Definition of SOCaaS

SOC as a service is a managed service offering from an MSSP (managed security service provider). SOCaaS provides the value of an in-house SOC at a more affordable price point, allowing an organization to focus on their core business while still staying secure.

SOC as a service benefits

Why choose SOC as a service?

Great question. This managed service offers numerous benefits at a highly affordable price point. Here’s what you need to know.

1. SOCaaS comes with real-time threat-stopping infrastructure

If you set up your own SOC, you’re starting from scratch.

You’ll have to invest in cybersecurity tools and infrastructure to give your SOC team everything they need to succeed.

When you choose SOC as a service, you’re not starting at square one.

Because your SOCaaS provider is already up and running, they bring all the required tools and infrastructure with them. You get everything you need for your SOCaaS team to stop threats in real time.

How effective is this approach?

Here at Corsica Technologies, we stop hundreds of thousands of threats every day for our clients. Here’s a real-time view of threats we’ve stopped in the last hour.

Cyber Threats Blocked in the Last Hour

2. SOCaaS is more affordable

Outsourcing is always more affordable than hiring staff in-house. That’s true of SOC services, as in all other IT disciplines.

Think about every annualized cost that comes with an in-house SOC.

Staff salaries for a minimum of 4 cybersecurity experts ($500,000+)
Cost of benefits and additional HR overhead ($100,000+)
Implementation cost and ongoing cost of required software and infrastructure ($150,000+)

That’s just a minimum. The larger your organization, the more you’ll end up spending on an in-house SOC. As a rough ballpark, most organizations will pay $800,000 – $2M or more per year on this endeavor.

Now, a SOC is an incredibly valuable asset to any organization. But you can get it cheaper.

A lot cheaper.

How much more affordable is SOCaaS?

Check out our SOC calculator for all the details. →

3. The best SOCaaS providers offer 100% stable monthly pricing

As you evaluate SOCaaS providers, it’s a good idea to look closely at different pricing models. Some companies may have a more limited definition of what services are covered in your monthly fee. If that’s the case, you may find yourself with surprise bills as out-of-scope scenarios arise.

The alternative is a SOC company that that offers 100% stable monthly pricing.

That’s what we offer here at Corsica Technologies. No matter how much support you consume, your monthly price will stay the same. This is easier on your budget—and your CFO will thank you.

4. You don’t have to deal with the cybersecurity labor market

Cybersecurity experts are in high demand. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, they command a median salary of >$120,000, with expected job market growth of 33% between 2023 and 2033.

This adds another layer of complexity to an in-house SOC strategy. Not only will you have to pay top dollar for these professionals—you’ll have to do what you can to keep them around, or deal with churn. Because they can always move on to a higher-paying job.

A SOC provider deals with the same job market, but they take care of knowledge continuity among their team, and they provide that sense of ownership and a single point of contact that you can’t get from an in-house team.

In other words, SOC as a service can smooth out your interaction with the cybersecurity labor market, giving you the expert attention you need without the HR headaches of staff hiring.

5. You get broader industry perspective

An internal SOC team may get to know your company inside and out—and that’s certainly valuable. But a good SOC provider deals with numerous clients in numerous industries. They can see the horizon beyond your organization’s internal world. And that’s incredibly valuable.

In fact, a SOC provider can alert you to trends that they’re seeing among their client base. Perhaps a certain kind of attack is becoming more prevalent, or certain systems and processes are becoming vulnerable due to upgrades and market shifts.

Whatever the case, a SOC provider brings that broad perspective that’s difficult to replicate with an in-house team.

6. The best SOCaaS providers offer free incident remediation

If the unthinkable happens, how are you going to recover?

How are you going to clean up a cyberattack that your SOC team didn’t stop?

No SOC is perfect, whether that’s SOC as a service or an in-house team. But the best SOCaaS providers offer an advantage that you can’t get with internal hiring. They offer limited free remediation for cybersecurity incidents.

In other words, they’ll cover the cost of their own services to clean up a cyber incident.

Learn more here: Corsica’s Cybersecurity Service Guarantee.

7. Your IT team can focus on their core responsibilities

In today’s world, IT and cybersecurity responsibilities overlap significantly. Every system that IT manages also has cybersecurity risks and controls.

But internal IT teams rarely have the bandwidth to handle cybersecurity, which means they certainly can’t handle the demands of a SOC in addition to their normal responsibilities.

When you outsource your SOC, you get peace of mind from a great partner—and your IT team can focus on providing business-critical support.

8. Regulatory compliance gets easier

Regulatory compliance is challenging if you don’t have dedicated resources. You need to understand applicable regulation, audit your systems for compliance gaps, build a plan for remediation, implement it, and maintain compliance.

Only the small stuff!

While SOCaaS doesn’t necessarily address regulatory compliance directly, it does pave the way. You get the controls, processes, and personnel in place to help achieve and maintain compliance.

Of course, most SOCaaS providers can also help you with your compliance burden. Learn more here: IT Compliance Services.

MDR vs. SOC as a service

MDR (managed detection and response) is similar to SOCaaS in several ways. But there are several key differences too. Here’s how they compare.

	MDR	SOCaaS
Includes EDR software and required managed services	Yes	Yes
Includes SIEM software and required managed services	No	Yes
Includes firewall and required managed services	No	Yes
Includes VPN and required managed services	No	Yes
Includes SOAR tools (security orchestration, automation, and response) for incident triage	No	Yes
Includes ticketing software	No	Yes

Which service is right for you?

The answer will depend on your organization, your unique challenges, your internal resources, and your cybersecurity needs. That usually goes one of two ways.

Limited budget, no cyber staff: You need more than just MDR, and SOC as a service includes MDR. SOC as a service is probably the best choice.
Some cyber staff and controls in place: You may not need the full offering of SOCaaS. Supplementing your existing resources with MDR services makes sense.

SOC as a service vs. MSSP

How does SOCaaS compare to the services of an MSSP?

Many MSSPs provide SOC services, as we do here at Corsica Technologies. So there’s plenty of overlap between both types of providers.

But SOCaaS doesn’t cover as much as a comprehensive service bundle from an MSSP.

Broadly speaking, SOC services are focused on cybersecurity operations like threat hunting, detection, and remediation.

MSSPs provide operational firepower as well—but they don’t stop there. They also offer consulting, gap assessments, risk analyses, and help with regulatory compliance.

What does this look like in detail?

Let’s break it down. Here’s how SOC services compare to a comprehensive MSSP offering.

	SOCaaS	MSSP
Active threat-hunting	Yes	Yes
Real-time threat detection	Yes	Yes
Real-time threat response	Yes	Yes
Incident remediation	Yes	Yes
Backup monitoring and remediation	No	Yes
Cybersecurity risk assessments	No	Yes
Compliance gap assessments	No	Yes
Managed compliance services	No	Yes
Cybersecurity consulting	No	Yes
Integrated IT managed services	No	Yes
Three-year technology roadmap	No	Yes
Cybersecurity awareness training for your team	No	Yes

In other words, MSSPs provide broader, more comprehensive offerings that may include cybersecurity operations, while SOCaaS is strictly about cybersecurity operations.

Which one is right for your organization?

The answer will depend on several factors.

Your current cybersecurity posture
Your cybersecurity staff resources, if any
Your regulatory compliance needs

Not sure what you need? Don’t hesitate to contact Corsica Technologies. We can help you determine where you’re at today and where you need to go in terms of cybersecurity.

SOC as a service companies

What should you look for in a SOC as a service company?

That’s a great question. While many MSSPs offer SOC as a service, you want to make sure you choose the right provider. Not all MSSPs adhere to the same standards.

Here’s what sets a great SOCaaS company apart.

Great people with great expertise. Cybersecurity is a critical undertaking. You don’t want inexperienced technicians attempting to protect your systems. Make sure your SOC provider has a great team of seasoned professionals working for them.
Easy to work with. Your SOC team should be accessible, working in your time zone, speaking your language. They should have a “can-do” attitude and take their partnership role seriously.
24/7/365 availability. If you’re going to run a SOC, you need round-the-clock coverage. It’s that simple.
True all-inclusive pricing. Many MSSPs claim to offer “all-inclusive” pricing, but when you read the fine print, some SOC scenarios aren’t covered. You should ask hard questions and insist on 100% stable monthly pricing that includes unlimited, unmetered SOC service, regardless of how much support you consume.
Cybersecurity service guarantee. What if the unthinkable happens and a cyberattack occurs? How will your SOCaaS company handle it? The best providers offer a service guarantee for incidents. Here at Corsica, our Cybersecurity Service Guarantee offers free remediation services, with limits, for a cybersecurity incident.

When you bring these things together in one SOCaaS provider, the results are powerful. Just ask our client, Greg Sopcak.

How much does SOCaaS cost?

The answer depends on several factors.

The complexity of your environment
Your SOCaaS provider’s pricing model

A SOCaaS provider can help you determine how complex your environment is, and how that will impact pricing. But the other factor, the provider’s pricing model itself, is worth unpacking.

Unpredictable pricing models

Per device pricing. Some SOCaaS providers will charge by the number of devices protected. Under this model, it might appear that your cost is a simple calculation of devices multiplied by unit cost. Unfortunately, the contract probably contains some fine print for scenarios that will incur additional unexpected bills.
Tiered service bundles. Of the unpredictable model, this one gets the closest to predictable. MSSPs may bundle SOCaaS with other services, usually with several different tiers that go up in cost and coverage. This model gives you a greater sense of what you’re getting, but you still have to read the fine print for exceptions and requirements that will create additional charges.

Predictable: Fixed fee, unlimited SOC service

Luckily, there is an alternative here.

Rather than paying widely varying costs every month, you can get unlimited SOC service for one fixed fee. But you have to do your research—and ask your provider hard questions.

Here at Corsica, we offer truly unlimited (or unmetered) SOC services. Our team works with you to determine your needs. Then we give you a price that you can count on, month after month—even as your service consumption fluctuates.

This model gives you the vigilance of a SOC without wrecking your budget. Your CFO is happy, and you can focus on your core responsibilities—without worrying about 24/7/365 SOC operations.

SOC pricing calculator

Want to compare the cost of an in-house SOC to SOC as a service?

Use our FREE calculator to see both costs side-by-side.

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Getting the most from SOC as a service

If you have limited IT resources, SOC as a service is a great way to get 24/7/365 cybersecurity protection without the expense and hassle of creating a SOC in-house. But not all SOCaaS providers are created equal.

Here at Corsica Technologies, we act as a true technology partner, maintaining relevant certifications and strong references and testimonials in numerous industries. If you need to leverage the power of a SOC for roughly the cost of one staff hire, get in touch with us today. Let’s secure your business.

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In this article:

How much does SOCaaS cost?

SOC as a Service 101

Key points:

What is SOC as a service (SOCaaS)?

Definition of SOC in cybersecurity

Definition of SOCaaS

SOC as a service benefits

1. SOCaaS comes with real-time threat-stopping infrastructure

2. SOCaaS is more affordable

How much more affordable is SOCaaS?

3. The best SOCaaS providers offer 100% stable monthly pricing

4. You don’t have to deal with the cybersecurity labor market

5. You get broader industry perspective

6. The best SOCaaS providers offer free incident remediation

7. Your IT team can focus on their core responsibilities

8. Regulatory compliance gets easier

MDR vs. SOC as a service

Which service is right for you?

SOC as a service vs. MSSP

SOC as a service companies

How much does SOCaaS cost?

Unpredictable pricing models

Predictable: Fixed fee, unlimited SOC service

SOC pricing calculator

Getting the most from SOC as a service

In this article:

How much does SOCaaS cost?

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