SOC (security operations center)

A SOC, or security operations center, is the team, and often the physical or virtual room, that monitors an organisation's systems for attacks, usually around the clock. SOC analysts review alerts generated by security tools, decide which are harmless and which are real threats, investigate further, and escalate or respond when needed. Many SOCs organise analysts in tiers, with newer analysts handling first review and senior analysts taking deeper investigations. Some organisations run their own SOC; others use a managed security provider. SOC analyst is one of the most common entry-level security jobs, and it builds skills in networks, operating systems, attacker techniques, clear note-taking and calm decision-making under pressure.