SOC vs. NOC: Why Collaboration is Critical

In many organizations, the Security Operations Center (SOC) and the Network Operations Center (NOC) operate as two separate entities, each with its own mission and focus. The SOC is responsible for monitoring, detecting, and responding to security threats, while the NOC ensures the network's health, availability, and performance. While their core objectives may differ, the reality is that a strong collaboration between these teams is essential for an effective security posture and seamless IT operations.

Understanding the Divide

SOC and NOC teams often work in silos, leading to communication gaps, inefficient workflows, and delayed incident response. Traditionally, the SOC focuses on threats, intrusion attempts, malware infections, and other security risks, while the NOC deals with uptime, bandwidth issues, and network failures. However, these responsibilities frequently overlap. Security incidents often have network performance implications, and network issues can be symptomatic of security breaches.

Key Areas of Collaboration

Incident Detection and Response:

• SOC analysts rely on log data and network telemetry to detect threats. The NOC provides vital insights into traffic patterns and anomalies that could indicate a breach.

• When a security incident occurs, the NOC plays a crucial role in mitigating the impact, whether through firewall rule changes, traffic rerouting, or network isolation.

DDoS Attack Mitigation:

• Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks blur the lines between security and network operations. The SOC may identify the attack, but the NOC is responsible for implementing countermeasures, such as traffic filtering and blackholing malicious IPs.

Network Performance vs. Security Policies:

• The NOC ensures optimal network performance, but stringent security policies enforced by the SOC (such as IPS rules, firewall configurations, and Zero Trust measures) can sometimes lead to degraded performance or service disruptions.

• Collaboration is necessary to strike the right balance between security enforcement and network efficiency.

Threat Hunting & Root Cause Analysis:

• SOC teams proactively hunt for potential threats, often leveraging network logs and traffic data that the NOC manages.

• When investigating security incidents, joint efforts help determine whether an issue is caused by a network misconfiguration or an actual security compromise.

Vulnerability & Patch Management:

• Patching and updates are a common source of friction. IT and NOC teams handle the deployment, but the SOC ensures patches align with security policies and compliance standards.

• Without proper coordination, patches may be delayed due to operational concerns, leaving security gaps.

Breaking Down Silos: Steps to Improve SOC-NOC Collaboration

Implement a Unified Communication Channel:

• Use shared dashboards, ticketing systems, and collaboration platforms to bridge gaps.

• Ensure SOC and NOC teams have direct lines of communication for real-time coordination.

Conduct Joint Training & Drills:

• Running security drills that include both SOC and NOC ensures that teams are aligned on response procedures.

• Cross-training SOC analysts on network operations and NOC engineers on security fundamentals fosters better understanding.

Define Clear Roles & Responsibilities:

• Establish guidelines on which team handles specific incidents and document escalation procedures.

• Develop a playbook for common security-network incidents, ensuring efficient response times.

Leverage Automation & Shared Visibility:

• Utilize SIEM, SOAR, and network monitoring tools to create an integrated security and network visibility approach.

• Automate alerts that trigger workflows for both SOC and NOC teams.

Hold Regular Coordination Meetings:

• Weekly or biweekly check-ins ensure that both teams stay informed on emerging threats, network challenges, and security patches.

• Reviewing past incidents together helps identify areas for process improvement.

The divide between SOC and NOC teams is often the result of legacy organizational structures, but in today’s cybersecurity landscape, collaboration is not just beneficial—it’s critical. By fostering a culture of teamwork, leveraging shared tools, and defining clear workflows, organizations can enhance both security and operational resilience. A strong SOC-NOC partnership ultimately leads to faster threat detection, improved incident response, and a more secure and efficient IT environment.