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SOC
28 January 20262 min read

What is a SOC and why your business needs one

A Security Operations Center (SOC) is the heart of modern cyber defense. Understand how it works, the benefits, and why more and more SMEs are adopting SOC-as-a-Service.

PT

PFX Titan

What is a SOC?

A Security Operations Center (SOC) is a centralized team of cybersecurity professionals that monitors, detects, analyzes, and responds to IT security threats in real time.

Traditionally, SOCs were exclusive to large enterprises and government institutions due to the high investment required in technology and human resources. However, the SOC-as-a-Service model is democratizing access to this critical capability.

How does a SOC work?

Continuous monitoring

The SOC collects and analyzes security events from all infrastructure sources:

  • Firewalls and network systems
  • Endpoints (computers, servers, mobile devices)
  • Cloud applications and services
  • Email systems
  • Authentication logs

Threat detection

Using SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) tools and advanced correlation rules, the SOC identifies suspicious patterns that may indicate an ongoing attack.

Incident response

When a threat is confirmed, the SOC team executes predefined response procedures to contain, eradicate, and recover from the incident.

Why does your SME need a SOC?

The threat landscape

  • 43% of cyberattacks target SMEs
  • The average time to detect a breach is 197 days without adequate monitoring
  • The average cost of a data breach for a European SME is 120,000 euros

Regulatory compliance

With NIS2 coming into force, many Portuguese SMEs will need to demonstrate security monitoring and incident response capabilities.

24/7 protection

Attackers don't work business hours. A SOC ensures your company is protected at any time, every day of the year.

SOC-as-a-Service: the solution for SMEs

The SOC-as-a-Service model allows SMEs to access enterprise-grade SOC capabilities without the upfront investment in infrastructure and dedicated staff.

Advantages

  • Predictable cost — monthly subscription instead of capital investment
  • Specialized team — immediate access to certified security analysts
  • Cutting-edge technology — enterprise-class SIEM/XDR platforms
  • Scalability — adapts to your organization's growth
  • Compliance — support for NIS2, GDPR, ISO 27001

The PFX Titan approach

At PFX Titan, we built our SOC-as-a-Service on an enterprise-grade open-source technology stack, including Wazuh, OpenSearch, and Shuffle SOAR. This approach allows us to offer high-quality monitoring services at accessible prices for Portuguese SMEs.