Everything You Need to Know About Managed SOC.

An Introduction to Managed SOC

Cyber threats are a constant and the stakes are rising. In the UK, the government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025 showed that 43% of businesses and 30% of charities experienced a cyber breach in the past year. For many, that meant lost revenue, reputational damage, and regulatory scrutiny. This means that tens of thousands of British organisations are regularly dealing with malicious activity that can disrupt operations, erode customer trust and trigger regulatory penalties.

Meanwhile, major regulatory updates such as the EU’s Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), which came into force on 17 January 2025, and the NIS2 Directive expand cyber‑resilience obligations across critical sectors. These forces are converging to make cybersecurity a board‑level priority. Against this backdrop, Security Operations Centres (SOCs) have emerged as a linchpin of modern security strategies. The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) explains that the role of a SOC is to limit the damage to an organisation by detecting and responding to attacks that have evaded preventative controls. Historically, large organisations built their own SOCs in‑house, but today the complexity of threats, the global cyber‑skills shortage and pressure to control costs have spurred the growth of managed SOC services, where the detection and response capability is delivered by a specialised partner.

The threat landscape itself is evolving at a pace that makes static defences insufficient. ENISA’s good‑practice guide on Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs) and SOCs notes that threats are becoming increasingly complex and that building global ecosystems of CSIRTs and SOCs that share information is essential. Attackers often leverage supply‑chain vulnerabilities, zero‑day exploits and multi‑stage ransomware campaigns that can bypass conventional controls. At the same time, the rapid adoption of cloud computing, remote working and the Internet of Things (IoT) has expanded the potential attack surface. Traditional perimeter‑centric security models are no longer adequate; continuous monitoring and real‑time response are required to detect lateral movement and insider threats. Managed SOCs offer the 24/7 visibility, response speed and threat intelligence modern enterprises need to stay resilient.

This long‑form guide demystifies managed SOC, explaining what it is, how it differs from traditional approaches and why it matters for organisations operating in the UK. By the end you will understand how to evaluate managed SOC providers and why UBDS Digital is trusted by leading public‑ and private‑sector organisations.

What is a Managed SOC (Security Operations Centre)?

A Security Operations Centre is a dedicated capability that combines people, processes and technology to monitor, detect, respond to and recover from cyber threats. The NCSC’s guidance on building a SOC notes that no two SOCs are identical but all share the same basic mission: collect security‑relevant data, analyse it for signs of suspicious activity, and coordinate an appropriate response. This mission extends far beyond simply looking at alerts from firewalls; it encompasses threat intelligence, forensics and continuous improvement.

Because the SOC functions as the nerve centre for security, its processes must be clearly defined, covering everything from logging baselines and detection engineering playbooks to incident response drills and retrospective reviews. Analysts write custom detection rules mapped to MITRE ATT&CK techniques, run simulations to validate coverage and collaborate with IT operations, DevOps and business stakeholders to ensure controls remain aligned with organisational objectives. When a breach occurs, analysts need investigative skills such as log correlation, memory analysis and malware triage to reconstruct the attacker’s actions. Tabletop exercises and “purple‑team” drills help maintain readiness, identify blind spots and ensure that lessons learned feed back into detection and response playbooks.

In practical terms a SOC typically consists of:

• People: security analysts, incident responders, threat hunters and engineers who interpret data, triage alerts and coordinate remediation.
• Processes: defined procedures for log collection, alert triage, escalation, communication and post‑incident reviews. Many SOCs align with standards such as ISO/IEC 20000‑1, which sets requirements for service quality and resilience.
• Technology: tools such as security information and event management (SIEM), endpoint detection and response (EDR), network analytics, cloud monitoring and orchestration platforms. Frameworks like the MITRE ATT&CK® knowledge base provide a common language for describing adversary tactics and techniques, ensuring that detections are mapped to realistic threat behaviour.

The SOC is the operational backbone of cyber defence. Logs and telemetry from across the infrastructure are ingested, enriched with threat intelligence and correlated to identify anomalies. When a potential incident is confirmed, the SOC coordinates containment and eradication, then performs root‑cause analysis and recommends changes to policies or controls. In mature environments the SOC also undertakes proactive threat hunting to identify hidden attackers, as well as red‑team exercises to test defences.

Importantly, a SOC is not a one‑size‑fits‑all concept. The NCSC points out that some organisations may not need a “full‑fat” SOC and can instead design systems in a way that reduces the requirement for continuous monitoring. Nevertheless, as attacks increase in sophistication and regulators demand more evidence of continuous control, most organisations will require at least some form of protective monitoring. This is where SOCs offer a right-sized, scalable solution delivering enterprise-grade capabilities without the burden of building in-house.

The Core Services of a Managed SOC

A Managed SOC delivers round-the-clock protection, advanced detection capabilities, and expert response without the overhead of staffing and running your own security operations. While each provider’s offering differs, the following core services are typically included. These services span the full detection and response lifecycle, and often go beyond what most internal teams can deliver alone:

24/7/365 Security Monitoring

Continuous monitoring is the foundation of any effective SOC. Providers collect and analyse logs from endpoints, networks, cloud platforms and applications around the clock, ensuring that threats are detected regardless of when they occur. Where a traditional in‑house SOC might operate only during business hours, managed SOCs provide uninterrupted vigilance.

Threat Detection and Analytics

Managed SOCs use a combination of SIEM, machine learning and threat intelligence feeds to identify malicious behaviour. By correlating events against frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK and the CIS Critical Security Controls, which provide a prioritised set of best practices for strengthening cyber defences, analysts can distinguish between benign anomalies and genuine attacks. Advanced analytics also help reduce alert fatigue by filtering out noise.

Incident Response and Containment

When an incident is confirmed, the managed SOC coordinates containment and remediation. This includes isolating affected endpoints, blocking malicious IP addresses and working with internal IT teams to restore services. Some providers offer integrated Security Orchestration, Automation and Response (SOAR) capabilities to automate containment workflows, reducing response times and minimising damage. Automation also ensures consistency, reduces human error, and enables faster triage during high-volume attack campaigns, freeing analysts to focus on strategic response.

Threat Hunting

Proactive threat hunting involves searching for hidden adversaries that evade automated detection. Managed SOC analysts use hypothesis‑driven investigation, threat intelligence and anomaly detection to uncover stealthy attackers and long‑dormant malware. Regular threat‑hunting exercises help identify gaps in defences and improve detection rules. This proactive approach can surface long-dormant malware and insider threats that would evade automated detection alone.

Vulnerability Management and Compliance Monitoring

Many managed SOC services include vulnerability scanning and assessment to identify software weaknesses before they are exploited. Providers also help organisations meet regulatory obligations by generating evidence for standards such as ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials Plus and sector‑specific frameworks. Emerging regulatory frameworks across the UK and EU are increasingly mandating continuous monitoring and demonstrable operational resilience, making structured detection and reporting capabilities essential for compliance and audit readiness.

Reporting and Metrics

Transparency is essential when outsourcing security operations. Managed SOCs provide dashboards and regular reports summarising detected threats, incidents handled, vulnerabilities discovered and metrics such as mean time to detect (MTTD) and mean time to respond (MTTR). These insights allow CISOs and boards to measure the effectiveness of their security posture and justify investments. Many providers also offer executive dashboards, monthly summaries and benchmarking data that make it easier to report upwards and identify performance gaps.

Security Device Management and Integration

Managed SOCs also manage and tune the security devices that feed them. This includes onboarding firewalls, endpoint agents and cloud telemetry tools to ensure reliable, high-quality signal flow into the SOC. Proper tuning is critical misconfigured sensors can overwhelm analysts with false positives or miss real threats entirely.

Threat Intelligence Integration

Threat intelligence provides vital context. Providers subscribe to curated feeds containing indicators of compromise, malicious domains and attacker tactics, then enrich your log data to identify patterns and attribute attacks. Many share anonymised insights across clients, enabling early alerts on emerging threats observed in similar sectors, giving your team advanced notice and aligning detection priorities with NCSC and ENISA guidance.

The Critical Decision: In‑House SOC vs SOC‑as‑a‑Service

Organisations facing the need for protective monitoring must choose between building their own SOC or partnering with a managed SOC provider. This decision hinges on factors such as cost, expertise, operational agility and compliance requirements. Below is a comparison of key considerations.

Cost and Investment

In‑House SOC: Building a SOC from scratch requires significant capital expenditure. Organisations must purchase SIEM licences, endpoint agents, threat intelligence subscriptions and monitoring infrastructure. In addition, they need to recruit and retain skilled analysts who command premium salaries due to the cyber‑skills shortage. Ongoing costs include training, tool upgrades, infrastructure maintenance and 24/7 staffing. For many organisations these costs can run into millions of pounds annually.

Managed SOC: SOC‑as‑a‑Service shifts much of this expenditure to the provider. Customers typically pay a predictable monthly fee based on the number of users, endpoints or data volume. This operating‑expense model eliminates the need for large upfront investments and allows costs to scale with the organisation’s growth. Some providers, including UBDS Digital, guarantee cost savings compared with incumbent managed SOC arrangements.

While a managed SOC can offer a cost-effective alternative to an in-house team, it's crucial to choose the right provider. Many traditional managed SOC services have hidden inefficiencies that can lead to silent overspending and underperformance. These issues often stem from outdated pricing models, a reactive-only approach to threat detection, separate billing for incident response, and disconnected tooling. A truly effective and cost-efficient managed SOC should guarantee cost savings and include all essential services like incident response as standard, built on an AI-powered platform for automated and proactive defense.

Expertise and Resourcing

In‑House SOC: Recruiting, training and retaining skilled security analysts is a constant challenge. The cyber‑skills shortage means that experts are in high demand and attrition rates are high. Building an in‑house team also requires developing processes, maintaining tool integrations and continually updating detection logic.

Managed SOC: Providers employ dedicated teams of analysts, threat hunters, incident responders and engineers who focus solely on security. By outsourcing, organisations gain access to this pool of expertise without the burden of recruitment and retention. Many managed SOCs operate multiple regional teams to deliver follow‑the‑sun support, providing coverage across time zones.

Technology and Innovation

In‑House SOC: Internal teams must choose, deploy and maintain a variety of security tools. This complexity can slow innovation and integration. Keeping up with emerging threats, new detection techniques and compliance changes demands continuous investment.

Managed SOC: Providers leverage economies of scale to invest in cutting‑edge technology such as machine learning analytics, SOAR platforms and cloud‑native monitoring. Customers benefit from continuous innovation without having to manage the underlying infrastructure. Managed SOCs also maintain integrations with popular cloud services and vendor‑agnostic architectures, making it easier to onboard new data sources.

Coverage and Scalability

In‑House SOC: Maintaining true 24/7/365 coverage in-house demands overlapping analyst shifts, often tripling personnel costs. Scaling up capacity to handle new business units or acquisitions may require lengthy hiring and procurement cycles.

Managed SOC: Service providers already run round‑the‑clock operations and can scale capacity on demand. This ensures that organisations receive the same level of coverage during nights, weekends and holidays. Managed SOC models also allow organisations to start small and expand service coverage as their risk profile evolves.

Control and Data Sovereignty

In‑House SOC: Having direct ownership of the SOC gives organisations full control over data storage, processes and response actions. Sensitive data never leaves the organisation’s environment, which may be important for certain regulatory or policy reasons.

Managed SOC: Outsourcing requires sharing log data with a third party. Organisations should therefore look for providers that offer strong data protection measures, UK‑based operations and compliance with privacy regulations. Modern managed SOCs adopt a “bring your own data” model This model is particularly beneficial for public-sector bodies and regulated industries in the UK, where data must remain within national borders. This approach preserves data sovereignty while still benefiting from expert analysis.

Ultimately, the right SOC model depends on your appetite for operational control, available budget, and how fast your security posture needs to evolve. For many UK organisations, especially those in critical infrastructure and financial services, Managed SOC delivers immediate resilience without the long runway of in-house buildouts Many enterprises adopt a hybrid model, retaining some monitoring capabilities internally while outsourcing 24/7 coverage or specialist functions. As NCSC’s blog “To SOC or Not to SOC” emphasises, there is no single right answer, protective monitoring can take different forms depending on your system design.

To aid decision‑making, consider the following summary of advantages and challenges:

• In‑House SOC - Advantages: Full control over data, direct alignment with corporate culture, customisation of detection and response playbooks, and the ability to build in‑house expertise.
• In‑House SOC - Challenges: High capital and operational costs, difficulty recruiting and retaining skilled analysts, slower adoption of new technology and limited coverage during nights and weekends.

• Managed SOC - Advantages: Predictable costs, access to specialised expertise and advanced tooling, continuous coverage, scalability and faster deployment.
• Managed SOC - Challenges: Data sharing with a third party, potential integration complexity and the need to choose a provider carefully to avoid vendor lock‑in or misaligned expectations.

• Hybrid Model: Combines elements of both approaches, retaining strategic functions in‑house while outsourcing operations. This offers flexibility but requires clear delineation of responsibilities.

Key Questions to Ask When Evaluating SOC Models:

• Do we need 24/7 monitoring?

• Are we equipped to handle incident response internally?

• How fast do we need to deploy?

• Do regulatory requirements restrict data sharing?

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Key Benefits of a Managed SOC for Your Business

As cyber threats grow more persistent and regulations more demanding, many organisations are reassessing whether they can continue managing threat detection and incident response entirely in-house. Managed SOCs offer more than outsourcing they deliver scalable expertise, 24/7 coverage, and operational resilience.

Here are the key benefits organisations typically gain:

1. Reduced Dwell Time and Faster Incident Response

Managed SOCs significantly improve time-to-detect and time-to-respond metrics. The SANS 2024 Detection & Response Survey reports that over half of organisations now detect threats in under five hours, with nearly a quarter responding within one hour.

Continuous monitoring and well-defined playbooks enable Managed SOC teams to triage alerts, validate threats, and initiate remediation quickly, helping to minimise disruption and damage.

2. Enhanced Detection Coverage

Managed SOC providers typically align detection engineering with frameworks such as MITRE ATT&CK and CIS Controls. This structured approach allows for broader coverage of known adversary techniques and behaviours.

According to the 2025 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, organisations required a median of 32 days to fully remediate edge‑device or VPN vulnerabilities only 54% were fixed within the year while mass exploitation often happened within hours of disclosure. This growing exposure window underscores the critical need for continuous, 24/7 detection and response capabilities. Meanwhile, the NCSC’s Annual Review 2024 confirms the urgency in the UK context: its Incident Management team supported 430 significant cyber incidents and issued 542 bespoke notifications to impacted organisations reinforcing the reality that static defences are no longer sufficient.

3. Unified Security Visibility

Modern SOC platforms consolidate telemetry across on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments. This integration supports unified dashboards, cross-environment correlation, and centralised risk insight allowing IT leaders to assess threats in context and prioritise response.

4. Operational Efficiency Through Automation and Expertise

SOC-as-a-Service models often incorporate Security Orchestration, Automation and Response (SOAR) tooling to streamline tasks such as log enrichment, alert triage, and incident escalation. By removing manual overhead from common workflows, teams can focus on higher-order analysis, threat hunting, and improving detection logic.

This blend of automation and human oversight helps reduce analyst fatigue and improves consistency.

5. Proactive Threat Hunting and Continuous Improvement

Beyond reactive alerting, many Managed SOCs conduct ongoing threat hunting - formulating hypotheses, investigating anomalies, and validating gaps in detection coverage. This proactive model contributes to continuous refinement and resilience.

According to the SANS 2025 SOC Survey, over 80% of SOCs now operate 24/7, reflecting the shift from perimeter monitoring to persistent, context-aware defence.

6. Cost Containment and Resource Scalability

Operating an internal SOC involves substantial ongoing costs including skilled analyst recruitment, infrastructure, licensing, and round-the-clock staffing. Managed SOCs offer more predictable operating expenditure and scale flexibly with changes in threat volume or organisational growth.

This model enables organisations to maintain capability without being constrained by internal resource limitations.

7. Regulatory Readiness and Audit Support

With evolving standards like Cyber Essentials Plus, ISO/IEC 27001, and broader UK and EU regulatory frameworks, there is growing pressure on organisations to demonstrate continuous control, effective logging, and rapid incident response.

Managed SOCs support compliance through structured reporting, audit-ready logs, and advisory input aligned to sector and jurisdiction-specific obligations.

8. Intelligence Sharing and Internal Team Uplift

Because Managed SOCs operate across multiple clients and industries, they often detect new tactics and threats earlier than internal teams alone. Many providers share anonymised threat intelligence and conduct post-incident reviews, allowing internal stakeholders to learn from real-world scenarios.

In this way, a Managed SOC not only strengthens defences, but also contributes to the maturity of the internal security function.

Managed SOCs are not a replacement for internal accountability, they are an extension of it. By providing round-the-clock monitoring, scalable expertise, and structured response, they allow internal teams to focus on strategic security functions rather than being overwhelmed by operational noise.

For many UK organisations, especially those under increasing regulatory pressure or struggling to hire in a competitive market, Managed SOCs represent a pragmatic path to operational resilience.

Who Needs a Managed SOC?

While many organisations can benefit from continuous threat monitoring and structured incident response, some scenarios make a Managed SOC especially relevant. These include sectors with heightened regulatory obligations, complex threat surfaces, or constrained internal resources:

1. Regulated and Critical Industries

Organisations in sectors such as financial services, energy, telecommunications, and healthcare must meet increasingly stringent operational resilience requirements. Across regulated industries, evolving legislation in the UK and EU is driving stricter expectations for 24/7 monitoring, rapid incident response, and demonstrable oversight at the board level.

A Managed SOC helps meet these requirements by providing consistent telemetry collection, alerting, reporting, and testing while aligning with recognised frameworks such as ISO/IEC 27001 and the NCSC Cyber Assessment Framework.

2. Government and Public Sector Bodies

UK public sector organisations across both central departments and local authorities hold sensitive data and support critical services. As noted by the National Audit Office, improving cyber resilience across government remains an ongoing challenge.

A Managed SOC can provide a structured, standards-aligned capability that supports national security goals while easing the burden on internal teams. Services can be tailored to meet Public Services Network (PSN), Cyber Essentials Plus, and other public sector requirements.

3. Medium to Large Enterprises

Larger organisations typically generate substantial volumes of log data across multiple systems, clouds, and endpoints. This creates a complex monitoring environment that may be difficult to manage internally particularly outside standard working hours.

A Managed SOC provides the scale, expertise, and 24/7 coverage required to monitor these environments continuously, without the cost or complexity of maintaining a fully staffed internal function.

4. Resource-Constrained Teams and SMEs

Smaller organisations may lack the in-house expertise, tooling, or budget to establish and sustain a dedicated SOC. Yet, they still face regulatory scrutiny, supply chain risk, and targeted threats.

Managed SOC services offer these organisations a way to access mature detection and response capabilities without needing to invest in infrastructure or specialist hiring.

5. Organisations Undergoing Digital Transformation

The shift to cloud infrastructure, remote work, and hybrid IT introduces new threat surfaces that require persistent monitoring and contextual response. As environments become more dynamic, traditional perimeter-focused defences are no longer sufficient.

A Managed SOC helps bridge this gap ensuring that security visibility and control evolve in step with the organisation’s transformation efforts.

The decision to adopt a Managed SOC is not limited to sector or size. It is ultimately a question of risk tolerance, maturity, and capability. If your organisation is required to demonstrate operational resilience, faces 24/7 threat exposure, or lacks dedicated cyber defence personnel, then externalising your SOC function may be both practical and strategic.

Choosing the Right Managed SOC Provider

Selecting a Managed SOC provider is a high-stakes decision and one that should be based not just on capabilities, but on trust, operational fit, and long-term resilience. As the SOC becomes embedded in your incident response plans and board-level reporting, the choice of provider affects more than just your tech stack.

Here are the core areas to assess:

1. Strategic Fit and Maturity Alignment

Start by understanding how the provider aligns with your organisation’s risk appetite, sectoral regulations, and internal capabilities. A high-maturity financial institution subject to stringent UK or EU regulatory expectations will require a more advanced service model than an SME scaling into the cloud.

2. Detection and Response Capabilities

Evaluate the provider’s technology stack including SIEM, endpoint detection, cloud-native tooling, and SOAR platforms. Confirm they support integration with your current environment and that detections are mapped to frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK and CIS Controls. Ask how frequently detection rules are updated and how they test coverage.

3. Analyst Expertise and Staffing Models

Request transparency into analyst qualifications, roles (Tier 1 - 3), and experience across sectors. If operating in sensitive industries, confirm whether analysts are UK-based and SC or DV cleared. Staff continuity is also key, high churn can erode institutional memory and response consistency.

4. 24/7 Service Assurance

Not all “24/7” claims are equal. Validate SLAs for both detection and containment, and ask whether those SLAs include human analyst review or are automation-only. Some providers charge separately for incident response, check whether end-to-end containment is included.

5. Data Protection and Sovereignty

Inquire where your logs are stored, processed, and accessed. UK public sector and financial entities may prefer a UK-operated SOC, especially when dealing with classified or citizen data. Ask if the provider supports “bring your own data” models that keep telemetry in your environment.

6. Regulatory Alignment and Certifications

Look for evidence of adherence to standards such as ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 20000-1, ISO 22301 for continuity, and Cyber Essentials Plus. They should also clearly demonstrate how their service supports your compliance with UK-specific frameworks like the NCSC’s Cyber Assessment Framework, as well as broader regulatory expectations across the UK and EU.

7. Transparency and Shared Insight

A good SOC should be more than a black box. Ensure you have access to dashboards, incident detail, and detection logic. Post-incident reviews and regular service improvement reports show whether your provider is committed to evolving your security posture.

8. Scalability and Service Model Flexibility

As your organisation grows, acquires, or transforms, your SOC partner must be able to adapt. Ask how quickly they can onboard new data sources, support hybrid models, or scale coverage across geographies or business units.

9. Commercial Model and Predictability

Understand how pricing is structured by endpoint, data volume, user, or flat rate. Watch for hidden costs: some providers charge separately for incident response, onboarding, or cloud connectors. Consider whether cost savings are guaranteed, and what trade-offs those guarantees involve.

10. Proven Experience

Ask for references from clients in your sector and regulatory environment. Case studies or anonymised after-action summaries can reveal how the provider responds under pressure and whether they deliver consistent outcomes, not just alerts.

Choosing a Managed SOC is less about picking a vendor and more about selecting a long-term operational partner. Resist the temptation to optimise purely on price. Focus instead on fit, visibility, and strategic value.

Our Managed SOC Services: The UBDS Digital Difference

At UBDS Digital, we’ve built a Managed SOC offering tailored to the specific operational, regulatory, and threat landscape facing UK organisations. From central government departments to financial institutions, our clients trust us to deliver resilient, transparent, and outcomes-focused security monitoring and response.

Here’s how we differentiate:

UK-Based Expertise and Sovereignty Built-In

Our entire SOC team operates from within the UK, with analysts holding SC clearance and deep familiarity with UK data protection requirements. For organisations subject to UK and EU regulatory oversight such as those aligning with the NCSC’s Cyber Assessment Framework, this approach provides greater assurance and localised control over sensitive telemetry

Continuous Monitoring and Real-Time Response

We deliver 24/7/365 monitoring across cloud, endpoint, network, and SaaS environments. Detection workflows are mapped to MITRE ATT&CK and continuously refined based on threat intelligence. When threats are confirmed, our SOAR capabilities enable automated containment minimising response latency and business impact.

Built-In Incident Response, Not Bolt-On

Incident response is a core part of the service and not a premium add-on. Our playbooks are tested regularly and integrated into your escalation framework. That means no additional charges when action is required, and no delays in mobilising a response team when it matters most.

Proactive Threat Hunting and Intelligence

Beyond alert triage, our analysts conduct hypothesis-driven threat hunts to surface dormant threats, misconfigurations, or blind spots. Insights from one environment feed into others creating cross-sector intelligence that helps identify emerging threats early.

AI Governance That Meets the Highest Global Standard

Our Managed SOC doesn’t just leverage AI and automation, it’s governed under the globally recognised ISO 42001 Artificial Intelligence Management standard. UBDS Digital is among a select few organisations worldwide to achieve this accreditation, proving our AI-driven security operations meet rigorous requirements for governance, transparency, and ethical oversight. This ensures every AI model and automation within our SOC, from machine learning threat detection to automated containment is robust, secure, and continuously improved in line with the highest benchmarks. For our clients, that means AI-powered SOC capabilities you can trust, backed by industry-leading governance.

Visibility, Metrics, and Co-Ownership

Clients receive access to customisable dashboards showing key metrics such as detection coverage, response times, and incident timelines. We maintain transparency in how rules are tuned and detections are mapped so internal teams can learn, challenge, and evolve with us.

Designed for Operational Flexibility

Our platform integrates with cloud providers like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, as well as on-premises and hybrid estates. Whether you need full SOC-as-a-Service or a hybrid model with retained internal oversight, our team adapts to your structure and maturity level.

Regulatory Alignment by Design

UBDS Digital is certified to ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 20000‑1, ISO 22301, ISO 42001 and Cyber Essentials Plus. We help organisations map our controls to external obligations whether sectoral (e.g., FCA or NHS DSP Toolkit) or broader UK and EU regulatory frameworks.

Managed SOC - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the difference between a SIEM and a Managed SOC?

Quick answer: A SIEM collects and analyses security data; a SOC is the skilled team, processes, and technology that act on it.

A SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) platform gathers, normalises, and analyses log data for indicators of compromise. A Security Operations Centre (SOC) interprets those insights, investigates threats, and initiates response actions. Think of the SIEM as the engine and the SOC as the driver.

How quickly will a Managed SOC detect threats?

Quick answer: Minutes, not hours - top-tier SOCs detect verified threats in under 10 minutes.

According to SANS Institute research, leading Managed SOCs achieve a mean time to detect (MTTD) under 10 minutes in high-fidelity environments. Detection speed depends on:

• Comprehensive telemetry coverage
• Well-tuned detection rules
• Security automation and orchestration

Always choose providers who publish their MTTD and MTTR benchmarks.

Is my data safe with a Managed SOC?

Quick answer: Yes – with the right provider meeting strict encryption and compliance standards.

Trusted SOC providers will:

• Encrypt logs at rest and in transit
• Restrict access by security clearance
• Offer in-environment processing for data sovereignty

Always verify certifications such as ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials Plus. Ask whether they support a “bring your own data” model to maintain ownership.

Do I still need internal security staff if I outsource?

Quick answer: Yes – outsourcing covers operations, not strategic leadership.

A Managed SOC handles day-to-day monitoring and incident response, but your internal team remains essential for:

• Risk governance and policy management
• Asset inventory and classification
• Integrating SOC findings into business strategy

How is a Managed SOC priced?

Quick answer: Common models include per endpoint, per user, or data volume tiers.

UBDS Digital offers a transparent subscription model with a 30% cost savings guarantee compared to typical Managed SOC arrangements. When comparing providers, ask about:

• Hidden fees (e.g., incident response charges)
• Long-term contract lock-ins
• Scalability of pricing as your needs grow

Can a Managed SOC help with regulatory compliance?

Quick answer: Yes – they deliver audit-ready logs and reports aligned with major UK/EU standards.

Managed SOCs can support compliance with:

• ISO 27001
• ISO/IEC 20000-1
• NCSC Cyber Assessment Framework
• Sector-specific UK and EU regulations

They can help you prepare for audits and ensure mandatory incident reporting deadlines are met.

What is the relationship between SOC, NOC, and CSIRT?

Quick answer: SOC = security monitoring, NOC = network performance, CSIRT = incident response expertise.

The SOC focuses on detecting and responding to cybersecurity threats. The Network Operations Centre (NOC) monitors infrastructure performance, while the Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) coordinates during major incidents. Many Managed SOCs combine SOC and CSIRT capabilities for unified security response.

Does a Managed SOC support cloud and SaaS environments?

Quick answer: Yes – modern SOCs monitor on-premises, cloud, and SaaS platforms.

They integrate with:

• AWS CloudTrail
• Azure Monitor
• Microsoft 365
• Google Workspace
• Azure AD and other identity platforms

UBDS Digital’s SOC provides native hybrid visibility across these environments.

What happens after an incident is resolved?

Quick answer: Post-incident analysis strengthens future resilience.

Effective SOCs will:

• Conduct root-cause analysis
• Update detection rules
• Document lessons learned
• Implement preventative measures

How long does it take to onboard a Managed SOC?

Quick answer: Weeks, depending on complexity.

The onboarding process typically includes:

• Discovery of log sources, assets, and integration requirements
• Baseline monitoring setup
• Configuration, testing, and optimisation

UBDS Digital offers rapid onboarding with minimal disruption, managed by dedicated project managers.

How does a Managed SOC integrate with our existing security tools?

Quick answer: Via API connections, log forwarding, and event normalisation.

During onboarding, your provider will:

• Integrate with SIEM, EDR, firewall, and cloud-native tools
• Enable bidirectional automation with ITSM/DevOps systems
• Map requirements early to avoid coverage gaps

At UBDS Digital, our Managed SOC is built to flex around your environment not the other way around. That’s why we offer a tiered model designed to meet you where you are.

For public sector and mid-market organisations, our SaaS-native SOC, delivered via UK-resident tenancy, provides rapid onboarding, embedded threat intelligence, and strong alignment to Cyber Essentials Plus and ISO/IEC 27001.

For those with more complex, multi-cloud or hybrid estates, we support a platform-agnostic SOC model that integrates with tools like Microsoft Sentinel, Palo Alto, Cisco, and others, delivering analyst-led, 24/7 response while keeping your data sovereign and secure.

And for high-maturity enterprises ready to scale intelligently, our most advanced tier blends AI-driven triage and autonomous containment with human-led oversight, allowing analysts to focus on high-impact investigations and continuous improvement. Across every model, we bring UK-based expertise, regulatory alignment, and operational excellence so you can move faster, stay compliant, and respond decisively. If you’re ready to elevate your cyber resilience, our team is ready to help.

Explore UBDS Digital’s SOC Services, download our Managed SOC Guide.

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