Placeholder

What is SOAR? Understanding its Core Concepts

In cybersecurity, SOAR stands for Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response, a framework that was created to help organizations protect themselves. By definition, SOAR security solutions unify various tools and processes, enabling them to work as one system, an approach that helps organizations manage the flood of daily security alerts. By combining human knowledge with automated technology, SOAR platforms allow even small teams to run security operations smoothly and effectively.

 

The main parts of SOAR are:

 

  • Orchestration connects different security tools, making them work together as one and giving a single view for faster reactions to threats.
  • Automation handles repetitive tasks, reducing errors and freeing staff to focus on complex challenges.

  • Response to an incident is addressed through predefined response plans called playbooks. Their goal is to make sure both automated systems and human analysts act quickly and consistently, addressing phishing emails, malware attacks, or other types of dangers.

 

The SOAR framework aims to create a strong and unified defense system by integrating technology, people, and processes. Properly implemented, modern SOAR security solutions are considered a proactive and scalable method for defending against cyber threats.

How Does SOAR Work & Why is it Important?

SOAR helps organizations work faster and more effectively by combining orchestration, automation, and efficient incident response.

 

Orchestration enables SOAR to unify various security tools, fostering collaboration and improving threat response efficiency. For example, SOAR integrates tools like Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), endpoint protection systems, and threat intelligence platforms to streamline data sharing and decision-making.

 

Automation allows SOAR to handle routine, repetitive tasks such as triaging alerts, isolating endpoints, and initiating malware scans. This reduces errors, saves time, and ensures analysts can focus on more complex threats.

Response is the culmination of orchestration and automation, where predefined playbooks guide swift and consistent actions during security incidents. By standardizing responses to common threats - such as phishing emails or malware attacks - SOAR reduces response times and minimizes the impact of incidents.

The Security Orchestration Automation and Response Process

Step

Description

Ingestion of Security Data

Consolidates alerts, logs, and threat intelligence from diverse sources.

Enrichment and Contextualization

Compares data with threat information to improve alert accuracy.

Automated Workflow Execution

Executes repetitive tasks using pre-built playbooks.

Incident Escalation and Manual Intervention

Escalates complex cases to analysts with enriched insights.

Feedback and Continuous Improvement

Refines playbooks post-incident for better future responses.

SOAR vs. SIEM

While organizations often deploy both SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response) and SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) solutions, they serve distinct purposes. SIEM acts as a vigilant observer, continuously monitoring and analyzing logs from across the network infrastructure to detect potential threats. When it spots suspicious activity - like unusual login patterns or unexpected data transfers - it raises alerts for the security team.

 

SOAR takes a different approach, functioning as a conductor that coordinates your security tools and automates response actions. Through predefined playbooks, it orchestrates how different security solutions work together when threats are detected. For instance, if SIEM flags a potential phishing email, SOAR can automatically investigate the sender, quarantine similar messages, and notify relevant team members - all without manual intervention.

At a Glance

Indicator

Description/Example

Unusual internal traffic

Connections between systems that don't usually communicate, often using SMB, WinRM, or RDP.

Suspicious authentication behavior

Bursts of failed logins followed by a success; logins at odd hours or to unfamiliar systems.

Anomalous process chains

Office apps spawning PowerShell, or scheduled tasks launching command shells.

System/service changes

New scheduled tasks or services created across multiple hosts in quick succession.

Registry or file system anomalies

Unexpected changes tied to persistence mechanisms.

Key Features and Components of SOAR Solutions

Each part of SOAR plays a key role in improving how organizations protect against cyber threats.

 

Security Orchestration connects all the security tools and systems together into one workflow, so they work together seamlessly. This gives teams visibility and control over security events, combining data from SIEMs (for security info), endpoint protection (to secure devices), and threat intelligence platforms (to provide context around threats). By unifying these tools, analysts don't have to waste time switching between systems or risk missing important alerts.

 

Security Automation takes over repetitive, time-consuming tasks, such as sorting through alerts (triaging), adding extra details to threat data (enrichment), and creating tickets to track issues. Automation also helps cut down on "alert fatigue," which happens when analysts face too many alerts. By filtering out the noise, SOAR lets teams focus on the big threats and be more productive. While automation does the routine tasks on its own, it complements human expertise by making processes faster and reducing the workload.

 

Incident Response combines orchestration and automation to manage every step of handling security incidents - finding threats (detection), stopping them (containment), fixing problems (recovery), and keeping records (documentation). SOAR platforms include customizable playbooks, which are step-by-step guides that ensure incidents are handled consistently.

 

The difference between security orchestration and automation is what they do. Automation does specific tasks on its own without human intervention. Orchestration does the tasks across different tools and teams to achieve security goals. Together, they create workflows that can be customized to your organization's needs so you can respond to threats faster and maintain security.

Benefits of Implementing SOAR in Cybersecurity

SOAR improves operational efficiency by automating routine security tasks, such as alert triage, threat intelligence enrichment, and task management. Alert triage is the process of sorting and prioritizing incoming security alerts to determine which are the most critical threats. By automating these repetitive and time-consuming tasks, SOAR reduces errors and lets security analysts focus on problems that require human expertise and decision-making.

 

The platform also enables faster responses to threats. When a potential problem, such as malware or unauthorized access, is detected, SOAR uses automated playbooks - predefined sets of actions - to take immediate steps to contain and resolve the issue. This rapid response reduces two critical security metrics: Mean Time to Detect (MTTD - how quickly threats are found) and Mean Time to Respond (MTTR - how quickly they are addressed).

 

SOAR strengthens an organization's overall security by improving how teams manage and understand threats. It integrates data from multiple sources, including internal tools like Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems and external updates from threat intelligence feeds.

 

Over time, SOAR continuously improves by learning from past incidents. It refines its responses and strengthens defenses, making the organization more resilient against future attacks. A central dashboard provides a comprehensive overview of all security activities, helping teams make informed decisions and follow consistent procedures.

How Does SOAR Contribute to Threat Intelligence Management

SOAR platforms excel in threat intelligence management by aggregating data from multiple sources, correlating it, and applying contextual enrichment. Real-time insights from a vast telemetry network are integrated to automate the triage of security incidents using various tools (like IntelliTriage). This process leverages machine learning, behavioral analytics, and predefined detection scenarios so that the quality and relevance of threat-related alerts are optimized.

 

By reducing alert fatigue and correlating network events into actionable intelligence, SOAR enables organizations to make informed decisions swiftly. Moreover, the integration of Threat Intelligence Platforms (TIPs) into SOAR systems allows for continuous updates on global threat landscapes, empowering analysts to anticipate and mitigate risks effectively​.

What is a SOAR Playbook?

Playbooks are critical for automating and standardizing incident responses. A good playbook is designed to handle specific types of incidents with precision, with predefined steps that fit your workflow. Here are the key attributes:

 

  • Clear instructions that define actions for each step, reducing ambiguity.
  • Scalability through a flexible approach that can address varying levels of incident severity or scope.
  • Integration: Seamless incorporation with existing tools like threat intelligence feeds, SIEMs, and EDR systems.
  • Automation: Inclusion of repetitive, time-consuming tasks such as data enrichment, endpoint isolation, or malware scanning.
  • Review Mechanism: Built-in checkpoints for analyst review in cases where manual intervention is necessary.

Developing and Implementing SOAR Playbooks

Creating effective playbooks requires careful planning and flexibility to fit your organization's needs. Here are the key steps:

 

  1. 1.       Choose incidents to automate. Identify which types of security issues would benefit most from automation. Focus on those that happen often or are very risky. For instance, a phishing response playbook can automatically analyze email headers against threat databases, quarantine suspicious messages, and notify affected users. Similarly, failed login detection playbooks can track login attempts, flag suspicious patterns, enforce account lockdowns, and alert administrators when needed.
  2. 2.       Set clear goals for each playbook. These objectives might include reducing response times or minimizing false positives. For example, when dealing with endpoint malware infections, you might aim to isolate infected endpoints within five minutes or complete initial threat assessments within ten minutes.
  3. 3.       Map out the sequence of actions for each playbook. Taking malware response as an example, your sequence might begin with collecting threat data, then cross-referencing with threat intelligence, followed by isolating the infected endpoint, and finally initiating remediation actions.
  4. 4.       Define triggers for activating your playbooks appropriately. These could be specific conditions like many failed login attempts that come from the same IP address, in a short time, or the detection of known malware by endpoint protection systems.
  5. 5.       Customize to match your organization's specific needs, if needed. For example, you could modify standard phishing response playbooks to include organization-specific notification templates or unique escalation procedures.
  6. 6.       Remember to include human oversight in your playbooks. Complex incidents often require human judgment, so build in steps to notify analysts when needed. For instance, automated alerts can be configured for senior analysts when potential data exfiltration is detected, or approval can be required before taking critical systems offline.
  7. 7.       Regularly test and improve your playbooks to keep them effective. Run simulations to evaluate performance, measure response times, and assess resolution efficiency. Regular testing of incident escalation paths and monthly reviews of automated response effectiveness help maintain optimal performance.
  8. 8.       Ensure your playbooks stay current by integrating them with real-time threat intelligence feeds. This allows for automatic updates to blocked IP lists and adjustments to detection rules based on emerging threat patterns.

 

Each playbook should be viewed as a living document that evolves with your security needs and threat landscape.

Challenges and Best Practices in SOAR Implementation

Each part of SOAR plays a key role in improving how organizations protect against cyber threats.

 

Integration with Existing Security Tools and Platforms

A critical challenge in SOAR implementation is ensuring that it integrates smoothly with tools like SIEM systems (used for collecting and analyzing security data), endpoint protection tools, and platforms that provide threat intelligence. Without proper integration, teams may waste time switching between systems or miss important details.

 

  • Best Practice: Choose a solution that easily connects with your existing tools or can be customized for smooth integration. This way, data isolation is prevented, while visibility and response times are improved. Adding threat intelligence to SOAR workflows provides more information for alerts, leading to faster and more accurate reactions to security threats.

 

Essential SOAR Skills for Security Teams

To use SOAR effectively, security teams need more than just basic cybersecurity knowledge: they should know how to set up and manage automated processes so that systems work correctly and efficiently.

 

  • Key Skills Include:

                   -  Scripting Proficiency: Writing small programs to automate tasks.

                   -  Incident Response Understanding: Knowing how to handle and respond to security incidents.

                  -  Threat Intelligence Knowledge: Understanding cyber threats and how data moves through systems.

 

  • Best Practice: Invest in training or hire experts to build these skills in your team. Providing broad training to all SOC members ensures everyone can confidently use SOAR, improving its overall impact.

 

SOAR's Role in the Security Operations Center (SOC)

Integrating SOAR into an existing SOC environment can sometimes be troublesome because SOCs often have already established workflows, team structures, and incident response procedures - and these need to align with SOAR capabilities.

 

  • Best Practice: Begin with a thorough assessment of current SOC processes and implement SOAR gradually, starting with processes that would benefit most from automation. Establish clear metrics to measure impact, such as automated vs. manual incident ratios and team adoption rates. A well-planned implementation should complement existing SOC tools and processes. At the same time, it should provide clear paths for scaling operations as threats evolve.

 

Choosing the Right SOAR Solution

Sometimes, a suboptimal choice can lead to wasted resources and limited effectiveness.

 

  • Key Considerations:

              -  Customizable Playbooks: Ability to create and adjust workflows.

             -   Flexible Deployment Options: Compatibility with cloud, on-premises, or hybrid environments.

             -  Vendor Support: Strong documentation and responsive support for troubleshooting and improvements.

 

  • Best Practice: Choose a SOAR solution that meets your current needs and, at the same time, can grow with your organization. Conduct regular assessments to optimize the system as new tools, threats, and requirements emerge.

How Bitdefender can help?

Bitdefender’s advanced cybersecurity solutions are designed to integrate seamlessly with SOAR systems, enhancing automation, orchestration, and response capabilities.

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What does SOAR stand for in management?

In management, SOAR stands for “Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, and Results”. It is a framework for strategic planning that focuses on building on an organization’s strengths and identifying opportunities while setting clear aspirations and measurable outcomes. This should not be confused with SOAR in cybersecurity, which stands for Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response and refers to a technology-driven approach to improving threat management and incident response.

Are SOAR tools suitable for small and medium businesses?

Yes, SOAR tools can benefit small businesses, although they are traditionally associated with large organizations. Many modern platforms are designed to scale, offering flexible deployment options that fit smaller IT budgets and resources. Additionally, small businesses can leverage SOAR as part of a broader Managed Detection and Response (MDR) strategy. MDR services often incorporate SOAR capabilities to automate repetitive tasks, centralize security operations, and provide expert incident management. This allows small and medium businesses to access advanced security automation without extensive in-house expertise. 

What common challenges do organizations face when adopting SOAR?

Setting up SOAR can be challenging. Some common issues include connecting it with your current systems, creating effective playbooks, and properly training your staff. Also, it can be difficult to match SOAR's features with your specific security workflows. Through careful planning, clear goals, and strong support from the vendor, organizations can ensure a successful implementation.

Looking for more info?