Cybersecurity threats are evolving at a breakneck pace, leaving businesses scrambling to keep up. For SMBs and mid-market companies, this challenge is even more daunting due to limited resources, increasing attack surfaces, and the complexity of managing security operations.
Enter SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response)—a game-changing solution that automates threat detection and response, enabling businesses to protect their environments faster and more efficiently. The traditional perception that SOAR is only for large enterprises is rapidly changing. Today, platforms like Next Perimeter make these advanced security capabilities accessible to SMBs without the complexity or high costs associated with enterprise solutions.
Understanding the role of SOAR and how it can enhance security operations is crucial for businesses looking to strengthen their defenses. This post will break down how SOAR works, why it matters, and how it can transform your cybersecurity strategy.
Understanding SOAR: Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response
At its core, SOAR integrates three key components to enhance security operations, each playing a vital role in streamlining threat detection and response.
Orchestration: Unifying Security Tools
SOAR connects various security tools, enabling them to work together seamlessly. Instead of relying on fragmented security solutions that operate in silos, businesses can centralize their response efforts. This unification allows for more coordinated threat mitigation, reducing the risk of missed alerts and delayed responses. By ensuring that all security tools work in concert, SOAR provides a holistic defense mechanism against cyber threats.
Automation: Reducing Manual Effort
One of the most significant advantages of SOAR is automation. By executing predefined playbooks, SOAR automates repetitive security tasks, reducing the workload on IT and security teams. This means security professionals can focus on high-priority threats while the system handles routine alerts. Automation drastically reduces response times and minimizes human error, which is often a factor in delayed or inefficient threat mitigation. By eliminating manual intervention for known threats, businesses can operate more efficiently while maintaining a high level of security.
Response: Rapid Threat Containment
SOAR enables businesses to take immediate action when a threat is detected. Whether it involves isolating an infected device, blocking malicious IP addresses, or revoking compromised user credentials, SOAR ensures threats are contained before they escalate. This rapid response capability prevents further damage and minimizes the risk of data breaches or operational disruptions. In an environment where threats evolve quickly, the ability to respond in real time is critical for businesses of all sizes.
Imagine a scenario where a user’s account is flagged for suspicious login activity. Without SOAR, an IT administrator would need to manually investigate the alert, determine the severity of the threat, and take appropriate action. With SOAR, the system can automatically revoke the user’s access, notify administrators of the issue, and escalate actions such as disabling the account if further malicious behavior is detected. This proactive approach ensures that security threats are neutralized before they cause significant damage.
Why SOAR is Essential for SMBs
Many SMBs assume that SOAR is overkill for their needs. In reality, it’s a critical tool for businesses of all sizes—especially those without large security teams. The misconception that automation and orchestration are only beneficial for enterprises prevents many smaller businesses from leveraging the power of SOAR. However, with cyberattacks becoming more frequent and sophisticated, SMBs need effective security solutions that provide comprehensive protection without adding complexity.
Preventing Lateral Movement
Cyberattacks often start with a single compromised endpoint, but attackers don’t stop there. Once inside a network, they move laterally across systems to escalate their attack. SOAR stops this progression by isolating infected devices, revoking access, and blocking malicious actions in real time. Without SOAR, attackers can navigate through systems undetected for an extended period, increasing the potential damage they can cause. By proactively shutting down an attacker’s movement, SOAR helps businesses contain threats before they spread.
Faster Incident Response
Every second counts during a security incident. Traditional security measures often involve manual investigation and response, leading to delays that allow threats to grow. SOAR automates the detection and response process, reducing response times from hours to seconds. When a security incident is detected, SOAR initiates predefined actions immediately, ensuring that threats are mitigated before they can escalate. This ability to act swiftly gives businesses a significant advantage in maintaining security and reducing downtime.
Cost Savings
Recovering from a breach is expensive. Costs include downtime, lost revenue, legal fees, and regulatory fines. The financial impact of a cyberattack can be devastating for SMBs, which may not have the resources to recover quickly. SOAR helps businesses avoid these expenses by stopping threats before they cause damage. By preventing security breaches, companies can save substantial amounts on remediation efforts, compliance penalties, and operational disruptions. In addition to direct cost savings, businesses also benefit from reduced reputational damage, which can have long-term consequences.
Simplified Security
Many SMBs lack in-house security expertise. Hiring dedicated cybersecurity professionals can be expensive, and relying on a small IT team to manage security operations can lead to gaps in protection. SOAR’s pre-built playbooks and seamless integration with existing tools simplify incident response, making enterprise-level security accessible without the need for a dedicated team. By automating repetitive tasks and orchestrating security processes, SOAR enables businesses to maintain robust security postures with minimal effort.
How SOAR Works with Next Perimeter’s Platform
Next Perimeter’s SOAR solution seamlessly integrates with our SIEM, MXDR, and SASE offerings, creating a unified security ecosystem. Businesses that use Next Perimeter benefit from an interconnected security framework where automated responses and proactive threat mitigation ensure continuous protection.
Integrated Automation
SOAR leverages event data from our SIEM to trigger automated responses. When a security alert is generated, SOAR analyzes the event and executes appropriate actions, such as isolating endpoints flagged for malware, revoking user access for anomalous login activity, and blocking malicious IP addresses or domains. By automating these responses, businesses can eliminate the delay between threat detection and action, significantly reducing risk.
Pre-Built and Customizable Playbooks
Next Perimeter provides ready-to-use playbooks for common security threats, including Business Email Compromise (BEC), ransomware or malware infections, and anomalous sign-ins from untrusted locations. These playbooks define the actions SOAR should take when specific threats are detected, ensuring a consistent and effective response. Clients can also customize playbooks to fit their specific security needs, with the option to test workflows in Simulation Mode before full deployment. This flexibility allows businesses to tailor their security strategies while maintaining operational continuity.
Hands-Off Security Management
For SMBs without dedicated security teams, Next Perimeter’s Security Operations Center (SOC) handles the heavy lifting. Our experts configure, monitor, and manage SOAR, ensuring that businesses receive continuous protection without the need for constant manual oversight. This hands-off approach allows companies to focus on growth and operations while maintaining a strong security posture.
The Future of Automated Security
As cyber threats become more sophisticated, automation is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. SMBs and mid-market businesses must adopt proactive security measures to stay ahead of attackers. SOAR empowers these businesses by reducing risks, streamlining threat response, and automating security operations. By integrating SOAR into its platform, Next Perimeter makes enterprise-grade automation accessible, cost-effective, and easy to manage.
Ready to Automate Your Security?
With SOAR, businesses no longer have to choose between security and simplicity. Faster response times, reduced risk of breaches, and 24/7 protection ensure peace of mind for SMBs looking to strengthen their cybersecurity posture. Download our free guide, SOAR Essentials: Automating Cybersecurity for SMBs, or schedule a consultation with our team to learn how Next Perimeter can protect your business today.
