SOC
/sɒk/ · Abbreviation · Security & Infosec
Definitions
Security Operations Center — a dedicated facility or team that monitors, detects, analyzes, and responds to cybersecurity incidents around the clock, typically staffed in shifts.
In plain English: The 24/7 security control room where analysts watch screens of alerts and respond when something suspicious happens on the network.
Etymology
- 1990s
- Large enterprises create dedicated Security Operations Centers, modeled after military command centers, to monitor networks 24/7
- 2005
- SIEM tools (Splunk, ArcSight) transform SOCs from manual log review to automated alert triage
- 2020s
- SOC-as-a-Service and AI-assisted triage emerge as the industry addresses chronic analyst burnout and alert fatigue