(ISC)2 Certified in Cybersecurity Practice Exam

What does a Security Operations Center (SOC) primarily focus on?

1. Creating new security policies

2. Monitoring and analyzing security events

3. Physical security of organizational buildings

4. Employee cybersecurity training programs

The correct answer is: Monitoring and analyzing security events

The primary focus of a Security Operations Center (SOC) is monitoring and analyzing security events. SOC teams are responsible for continuously overseeing an organization's information systems to detect and respond to security incidents in real time. This involves the aggregation of security alerts generated by various security tools and systems, followed by detailed analysis to identify potential threats, breaches, or vulnerabilities. The SOC typically employs a variety of technologies and monitoring tools to oversee the network, applications, databases, and other security environments. Analysts in the SOC also investigate suspicious activities, correlate events, and produce actionable intelligence to enhance the organization’s overall security posture. This proactive approach is essential for timely threat detection and incident response, which are critical in today’s fast-evolving cybersecurity landscape. In contrast, other options such as creating new security policies, focusing on physical security, and implementing employee cybersecurity training are important aspects of an overall security program but fall outside the primary function of a SOC. These activities are typically handled by different teams within an organization's broader security structure. The SOC's main thrust remains on real-time monitoring and the analysis of security events to safeguard against potential security threats efficiently.