IBM’s Cost of Data Breach Report 2024 reveals that it took around 194 days for organizations to detect a data breach and another 64 days to contain it. According to the same report, breaches identified and contained in under 200 days typically cost organizations $4.07 million, compared to $5.46 million for slower responses.
Every extra day an attacker remains inside your network adds risk and cost. Security teams face mounting pressure to respond faster, but the sheer volume of alerts, manual investigation steps, and limited resources slow everything down.
This is where SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response) steps in to transform how teams handle threats. This article examines SOAR, how it works, and why it’s a critical tool for modern cybersecurity teams.
What is SOAR?
SOAR stands for Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response. It refers to a category of cybersecurity tools and platforms designed to help security teams manage and respond to threats more efficiently.
At its core, SOAR combines three main capabilities:
- Security orchestration: As a centralized platform, it allows users to connect different security tools and systems. Instead of jumping between security solutions, analysts can manage incidents from a single interface.
- Security automation: It handles repetitive tasks like gathering threat intelligence, triaging alerts, and triggering response actions (e.g., blocking an IP or isolating a device) without human input.
- Incident response: It helps teams address threats in a structured, consistent, and timely way through predefined workflows or playbooks.
SOAR security platforms are especially useful for Security Operations Centers (SOCs) that deal with a high volume of alerts and limited staff.
How Does SOAR Work?
SOAR works by connecting all your security tools, automating tasks, and guiding your team through a structured response process. It collates data from different sources, decides what to do based on pre-set rules or playbooks, and either acts automatically or assists your team in taking the appropriate steps.
Here’s a basic breakdown of how SOAR operates:
Ingests data from multiple sources
SOAR collects alerts and data from firewalls, SIEM systems, antivirus software, and threat intelligence platforms. It centralizes this information so analysts don’t have to check each tool separately.
Correlates and prioritizes security alerts
Using predefined logic, it groups related alerts and filters out false positives. This reduces noise and highlights genuine threats.
Triggers automated workflows
Once a threat is identified, SOAR can launch a playbook, which is a set of step-by-step actions to investigate and respond. These workflows might include:
- Enriching alerts with threat intelligence
- Running scans or gathering more context
- Notifying relevant teams
- Blocking suspicious IPs or isolating devices
Guides or executes responses
Depending on how it’s set up, SOAR can either perform these actions automatically or guide an analyst through the process with approvals at each step.
Tracks and improves processes
Every action is recorded for auditing and compliance. Over time, SOAR platforms can learn from past responses, helping improve future workflows.
By simplifying detection, investigation, and response, SOAR reduces the time it takes to contain threats.
Why is SOAR Important?
Understanding why SOAR has become so important requires looking at the pressures facing security teams today.
Rising threat volume
Cyberattacks and other malicious threats are increasing in both number and complexity. Every organization globally averaged nearly 1,900 weekly cyberattacks in 2024, representing a 75% surge from the previous year.
SOAR helps security teams respond faster and more accurately to these growing threats by automating key parts of the investigation and response process.
Analyst overload
Many security teams are stretched thin, and 71% of analysts have experienced burnout. SOAR reduces the workload by filtering low-priority alerts and automating manual tasks. This gives analysts more time to focus on serious threats.
Better coordination across tools
Most organizations use multiple security tools. SOAR acts as a central hub, bringing everything together and allowing those tools to work in sync.
Consistency and compliance
SOAR playbooks ensure security incidents are handled the same way every time, improving consistency and helping organizations meet regulatory requirements with clearer audit trails.
Benefits of SOAR
SOAR offers clear, practical advantages for security personnel, especially those dealing with increasing threats and limited resources. Here are some of the key benefits:
Faster incident response times
SOAR improves incident response times by automating time-consuming tasks like alert triage, data enrichment, and initial containment. This can reduce the time security operations teams spend responding to threats by up to 90%.
Reduced alert fatigue
With thousands of alerts coming in daily, analysts can’t investigate them all. SOAR filters out false positives and prioritizes real threats, helping teams focus on critical security tasks like incident investigation and responding to high-risk alerts that require human judgment.
Better use of resources
Automation handles repetitive work, so skilled analysts can focus on complex threats that require human judgment. This helps avoid burnout and maximizes team efficiency.
In fact, 66% of SOC analysts say that half or even all of their daily tasks could be automated today, highlighting just how much manual effort is still being spent on work that could be offloaded to automated systems.
Improved threat visibility and reporting
With centralized threat intelligence management, SOAR platforms allow personnel to analyze security data and get deeper context on indicators of compromise, attack patterns, and emerging threats.
Better collaboration across teams
SOAR platforms simplify assigning tasks, sending notifications, and coordinating actions across security, IT, and compliance teams. This ensures everyone is on the same page during a response.
Scalable security operations
As your business expands and threats grow, SOAR helps you scale security operations without needing to hire large numbers of new analysts, making it a cost-effective solution for growing organizations.
Challenges of SOAR Platforms
While SOAR brings major benefits to security operations, it also comes with challenges. Being aware of these issues ahead of time can help teams plan better and get the most value from their SOAR investment.
Common challenges include the following:
Integration complexities
SOAR needs to connect with many tools, such as SIEMs, firewalls, endpoint protection, and ticketing systems. If these tools don’t integrate well or require custom APIs, the setup process can quickly become complex and time-consuming.
Playbook design and maintenance
Security staff need to create, test, and update their SOAR playbooks regularly. This requires clear processes, technical expertise, and time, especially for organizations just starting to automate repetitive tasks.
False positives and alert quality
If the data coming into SOAR (e.g., from a poorly tuned SIEM) includes false positives, SOAR may act on incorrect information. Automation is only as good as the inputs it receives.
Over-automation risk
If too many actions are fully automated without checks, there’s a risk of blocking legitimate users, shutting down systems, or missing important context that only a human could catch.
Despite the above challenges, with the right planning and support, SOAR can become a powerful tool for improving speed, consistency, and control in cybersecurity operations.
SOAR vs. SIEM
SOAR and SIEM are both essential tools in modern cybersecurity, but they serve different purposes. Understanding how they compare is key to building an effective security operations strategy.
What is SIEM?
SIEM stands for Security Information and Event Management. It’s a type of software that helps organizations detect, monitor, and analyze security threats by collecting and centralizing data from across their IT systems.
A SIEM platform gathers logs and event data from different sources (firewalls, servers, operating systems, and applications) and uses built-in rules or machine learning to identify suspicious activity. It then creates alerts when something unusual or risky is detected.
Differences between SOAR and SIEM
Core purpose
- SIEM is designed to collect, store, and analyze log data from across your environment. Its main goal is to detect internal and external threats and provide visibility into what’s happening in your systems.
- SOAR, on the other hand, is focused on helping teams respond to those threats. It automates and coordinates the steps needed to investigate and resolve security incidents.
Functionality
- SIEM acts as a centralized logging and alerting system. It gathers data, applies correlation rules, and flags suspicious activity.
- SOAR takes those alerts and initiates response workflows automatically or with human input. It handles tasks like alert triage, data enrichment, containment, and case tracking.
Automation capabilities
- SIEM platforms offer limited automation. Most require analysts to review alerts manually and decide what to do next.
- SOAR is built for automation. It uses playbooks to handle repetitive tasks and can take predefined actions without human intervention.
Response capabilities
- SIEM may generate an alert or send a notification, but response actions are mostly manual.
- SOAR enables partial or fully automated responses, such as blocking a user, isolating a machine, or sending out a coordinated alert to other teams.
Aspect
SIEM
SOAR
Core purpose
To collect, store, and analyze security event data
To automate, coordinate, and manage incident response processes
Primary function
Threat detection, log manage
Incident response, workflow automation, and cross-tool integration
How it works
Ingests logs from various systems, correlates data, and generates alerts
Receives alerts from SIEM and other sources, then executes automated playbooks
Automation capabilities
Limited; often uses correlation rules and alert thresholds
High; automates tasks like triage, enrichment, containment, and reporting
Response actions
Typically stops at alerting and requires manual response
Can trigger automated or semi-automated response actions (e.g., block IP)
Output
Alerts, dashboards, and compliance rep
Automated actions, case managem
SOAR Use Cases Across Various Industries
Here are some real-world examples of the role SOAR platforms play across industries.
Financial services
Financial firms use SOAR to automatically detect suspicious transactions and fraudulent activities. The platform tallies alerts from transaction monitoring systems, flags unusual patterns, and triggers automated responses like freezing accounts temporarily or escalating cases to investigators. This speeds up fraud detection and reduces financial losses.
Healthcare
Healthcare providers use SOAR to monitor electronic health records (EHR) systems and secure sensitive patient information. Automated workflows help detect unauthorized access attempts and malware infections and then initiate containment actions like isolating affected devices or notifying compliance teams. This ensures faster protection of patient privacy and regulatory compliance.
Retail and E-commerce
Retailers use SOAR platforms to manage cyber threats like distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks and website breaches. SOAR can also block malicious IPs to reduce the risk of fraud.
Manufacturing
Automated incident playbooks allow manufacturing companies to detect unusual network activity or malware targeting control systems. Then, the SOAR platform triggers rapid containment steps like isolating infected segments and alerting engineers to prevent production disruption.
SOAR Best Practices
To get the most out of a SOAR platform, it’s important to follow best practices for effective setup, smooth operations, and continuous improvement. Here are some key recommendations:
Start with high-impact use cases
Don’t try to automate everything at once. Begin with common, repetitive tasks that take up analyst time, like phishing response, malware triage, or user access reviews. This helps achieve quick wins and build confidence in the system.
Build and test playbooks carefully
Create clear, step-by-step playbooks that reflect your team’s existing processes. Test them thoroughly in a safe environment before putting them into production. Be sure to include approval steps for sensitive actions, especially early on.
Prioritize tool integration
Make sure that your SOAR platform integrates smoothly with your existing security stack (SIEM, firewalls, ticketing systems, threat intelligence tools, etc.). The more connected your tools are, the more effective your automation will be.
Maintain data quality
SOAR actions rely on the quality of the data they receive. Keep your SIEM and other data sources properly tuned to reduce false positives and act on the right alerts.
Involve the right teams
SOAR implementation shouldn’t fall on the SOC team alone. Involve IT, compliance, risk, and incident response teams in designing workflows, setting policies, and reviewing playbooks.
Balance automation with human oversight
Not every task should be fully automated. For example, deleting user accounts, shutting down systems, or blocking domains may have a serious business impact if done incorrectly.
Use automation for safe, repetitive actions like data enrichment, initial alert triage, or gathering logs, while leaving sensitive or high-risk decisions to security analysts.
Monitor and improve continuously
Track metrics like response time, alert volume, and playbook success rate. Review playbook performance regularly and update workflows based on new threats, lessons learned, or changes in your environment.
How Acrisure Cyber Services Can Help
Implementing and managing a SOAR platform takes more than just the right tools. It requires careful planning, integration, and ongoing support. That’s where Acrisure Cyber Services comes in.
With over 20 years of experience delivering cybersecurity services, our team works with you to identify your risks, streamline your security operations, and ensure your SOAR platform integrates smoothly with existing security tools.
to learn how we can build a tailored security strategy and maximize SOAR’s benefits for your organization.
FAQs
What are the factors to consider when choosing a SOAR platform?
Factors to consider include:
- Smooth integration with existing tools like your SIEMs, firewalls, and intrusion detection systems.
- Flexible and customizable workflow and playbook capabilities.
- Depth of automation features, including enrichment, triage, and containment with human oversight when needed.
- Alignment with your organization’s security and regulatory requirements.
- A transparent pricing model that fits your budget, including costs for integrations and additional users.
What are the main cyber threats to watch out for?
The main cyber threats to watch out for include:
- Phishing attacks, where attackers trick users into revealing sensitive information through fake emails or websites.
- Ransomware, where attackers lock or encrypt data and demand payment for its release.
- Malware, including viruses, trojans, and spyware that infect systems and steal or damage data.
- Insider threats, where employees or contractors misuse access to compromise systems, intentionally or accidentally.
- Zero-day exploits, which take advantage of software vulnerabilities before they are patched.
What SOC metrics should you track?
Key SOC metrics to track include:
- Mean Time to Detect (MTTD): How long it takes to spot a threat after it occurs.
- Mean Time to Respond (MTTR): Time from threat detection to containment or resolution.
- Mean Time to Investigate (MTTI): How quickly alerts are reviewed and investigated.
- False Positive Rate (FPR): Percentage of alerts that turn out to be harmless.
- Detection Rate: How many real threats are caught. Higher means better visibility.
How do you implement SOAR?
While the exact process may differ based on your organization’s size, tools, and goals, most SOAR implementations follow these core steps:
- Define your goals and use cases
Start by identifying key problems you want SOAR to solve, like speeding up phishing response, reducing alert fatigue, or automating malware containment. - Assess your current tools
Make sure your existing tools offer out-of-the-box integration with your chosen SOAR platform. If they don’t, you will need custom integration support. - Start with simple playbooks
Build and test automation for common, low-risk tasks such as alert triage and threat intel enrichment. Over time, you can build workflows for more complex or sensitive cases. - Train, monitor, and improve
Train your security personnel to use the SOAR platform, track key metrics, and refine your automation as needed.