The way security incidents are handled makes a big difference to the well-being and productivity of a Security Operations Centre (SOC).

It’s reported that 71% of security analysts face some type of burnout yet they are integral to cybersecurity operations as they help businesses detect and respond to cyberthreats. This helps businesses avoid devastating consequences such as financial loss and reputational damage.

One of the most pressing issues facing SOC analysts is alert fatigue. The constant flood of security alerts, many of which turn out to be false positives, can overwhelm analysts, leading to burnout and potentially missing critical threats.

Also, manual processes in alert triage and response add more fuel to the fire by using up already limited time and resources.

We’re going to explore the impact of cybersecurity automation on SOC workflows, looking at how it streamlines tasks and addresses common challenges – like alert fatigue. You’ll learn how combining manual efforts with automation can improve efficiency in SOC operations.

What is the impact of alert fatigue?

The average SOC team receives 4,484 alerts daily, which can be repetitive or low priority. Dealing with vast amounts of alerts leads to desensitisation, causing analysts to overlook or dismiss critical ones amongst the noise.

Alert fatigue not only makes it harder for analysts to effectively identify and respond to genuine threats but also contributes to increased stress and burnout. Automation can alleviate workload by handling routine tasks, allowing analysts to focus on high-value security incidents.

Automated VS manual triage: What’s the difference?

Manual and automated triaging differ greatly in how they are carried out in SOC environments. Manual triaging involves a hands-on process where analysts manually search for information related to security incidents, often referring to various sources on the internet to gather relevant data.

This method requires analysts to rely on their expertise and judgment to make decisions based on the collected information.

Manual triaging typically consists of multiple phases:

1. Enrichment – initial date about a security alert or incident is gathered.
2. Initial Triage – predefined searches are conducted, providing analysts with preliminary findings.
3. Analysis & Investigation – recommendations for escalation or closure based are made based on gathered data.
4. Decision & Escalation phase – remediation actions are implemented such as password resets or device locking.
5. Documenting phase – detailed information about the alert is recorded.

Automation simplifies triaging by taking over routine tasks traditionally done by analysts. Autonomously managing steps 1 to 3 of the manual process. Using predefined response protocols eliminates the need for ongoing analyst involvement.

Given that analysts usually spend over half their time on manual tasks, automation becomes a no-brainer for increasing productivity.

Which tasks can you automate?

Automating routines and repetitive tasks can increase efficiency for SOC analysts, freeing up valuable time for more strategic activities. Tasks like planning and tracking work items can be complex when done manually, involving many interconnected steps.

Automation simplifies these processes by integrating them and ensuring actions flow effortlessly in both directions.

For example, when creating new automated incident submissions, the corresponding updates need to be tracked across various teams and software to ensure smooth communication and progress updates. These tracking routines occur automatically after an update, maintaining order and coherence across various components.

This type of automation minimises the need for repetitive manual tasks, such as updating multiple items in different areas, reducing the risk of errors and improving overall productivity of the SOC.

With routine tasks automated, analysts can dedicate themselves to more business-critical tasks, such as analysing issues, defining escalation criteria, and submitting automation proposals.

Automation ensures that updates are quickly implemented allowing analysts to focus on driving innovation and taking on more complex challenges.

What are the challenges of automating triage?

Automated triaging and response play a big role in reducing alert fatigue within SOC teams by efficiently handling routine incidents. Relying solely on automation may pose certain challenges, especially when dealing with complex security incidents.

Automation is great at processing straightforward incidents with predefined response protocols, yet it may encounter difficulties with incidents requiring human judgment or contextual understanding.

For example, in noisy environments where various events occur at once, automation might struggle to detect critical incidents from the background noise. Also, certain incidents can require analysis or investigation beyond the capabilities of automated systems.

In such cases, relying solely on automated triage could lead to overlooked or mishandled incidents, potentially exposing your organisation to greater risks.

Final thoughts

Automation lessens alert fatigue and frees up analysts for strategic activities by handling repetitive tasks. The differences between manual and automated triaging shows automation’s scalability and reliability in managing security incidents.

We believe it’s important for businesses to find the right balance between automation and manual intervention. Automation improves SOC efficiency and reduces workload, but human oversight is essential, especially for complex security incidents requiring critical thinking and contextual understanding.

This balance ensures improved incident management and optimal utilisation of resources in SOCs.

CloudGuard

If you’re concerned about how open your business is to potential cyber attacks, the key thing is to understand the areas in which you’re currently vulnerable. One of the quickest and most effective ways to do this is by undergoing a comprehensive security assessment.

Security Operations Centres (SOCs) face many challenges when it comes to managing and responding to security incidents.

One of the biggest headaches analysts face is the manual triaging process – spending more than half their time on tedious manual tasks. During manual triage, analysts must painstakingly gather information from various sources to piece together relevant data.

This approach is not only time-consuming but is also prone to inconsistencies and delays in incident response.

Automated alert triage can offer a helping hand. It is a rapid, efficient alternative to manual processes as it automates routine tasks and provides analysts with actionable insights.

Although it offers a variety of benefits, there are key differences between manual and automated triage, and specific thresholds for when manual intervention is required. Let’s delve into it!

Manual triage vs automated triage

Manual alert triage

As the day begins at the SOC, a steady influx of alerts makes their way into the monitoring dashboard. Each alert represents a potential security incident, ranging from suspicious network activity to malware detections and everything in-between.

During the triaging process, there are steps that analysts must follow to assess and categorise each alert – Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

These steps are essential for identifying the severity of the incident, determining its potential impact on the organisation’s security posture, and deciding on the appropriate course of action.

The manual alert triage process:

1. Enrichment
2. Initial Triage
3. Analysis & Investigation
4. Decision & Escalation
5. Documenting

During the manual triaging process, analysts will follow these sequential steps to assess and respond to security alerts or incidents.

First, the enrichment phase involves gathering initial data about the alert to understand its context.

Next, in the initial triage stage, predefined searches are conducted to produce preliminary findings, setting the groundwork for further investigation.

Then, during the analysis and investigation phase, recommendations for escalation or closure are made based on the gathered data, allowing analysts to determine the severity of the incident.

Afterwards, in the decision and escalation phase, appropriate remediation actions, such as password resets or device locking, are implemented based on the assessment.

Finally, in the documenting phase, detailed information about the alert, along with the actions taken, are recorded for future reference and analysis.

A SOC team, even one operating 24/7, can become a factory of human-intensive tasks. The sheer volume of events, multiplied by the number of customers/users and the duration of threats, creates an environment polluted by human errors and inefficiencies.

The automated alert triage process:

1. Phase 0 – Detect
2. Phase 1 – Enrich
3. Phase 2 – Investigate
4. Phase 3 – Remediate

First, during phase zero, threats from multiple sources are consolidated in real-time, analysing security event data to identify anomalies and potential threats early. Detected suspicious events are handed over to ANSEL, our automated SOC Analyst.

Next, In phase one, detected threats are enriched with contextual information, offering insights into the threat’s nature and severity to help prioritise response efforts.

Then, an automation investigation is conducted using predefined rules and playbooks, analysing enriched data to find the threat’s root cause, related indicators of compromise (IOCs), and assess impact.

Lastly, identified threats are mitigated through automated actions to contain, neutralise, or eliminate them, minimising business impact. If an alert falls outside predefined actions, it’s escalated to a Managed SOC team for further analysis and action.

What are the benefits of automated alert triage?

We’ve talked a lot about the difference between manual and automated alert triage, but what are the actual benefits to your SOC?

Reduced MTTRe

Implementing automated alert triage reduces Mean Time to Respond (MTTRe), which is vital for effective triage. By minimising MTTRe, you shrink the exposure window during which attackers could exploit vulnerabilities.

Reduced Alert Fatigue

Alert fatigue is one of the most pressing issues SOC teams face. Analysts can spend over half their time manually investigating alerts.

This prolonged manual process not only consumes valuable time but also increases the likelihood of errors due to the monotony of certain tasks. Automation can take care of routine tasks whilst ensuring consistency every time.

SOC Efficiency

By automating repetitive alerts, automation helps save valuable time for analysts, enabling them to focus on strategic tasks that demand higher-level thinking. This not only increases productivity in your team but allows them to address more critical and complex challenges.

Talent Gap

It’s no secret that security teams are struggling with lack of resources, budget and technology. Automation serves as a force multiplier, allowing you to do more with fewer resources.

The combination of automating routine tasks and amplifying human decision-making with machine intelligence helps bridge the talent gap.

Cost Reduction

Automation reduces the need for a full-fledged SOC team, meaning you can significantly cut costs while improving operational effectiveness.

By automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks, such as alert triage, enrichment, and response, you can operate more efficiently without the need to add more people.

CASE STUDY: CloudGuard automation saves Amazon Filters 52 days vs manual methods

The challenges of automated alert triage

Automation reacts quickly to known threats by triggering pre-built automations, but it often lags behind in addressing novel threats. This lag occurs because new threats need to be identified, researched, and then integrated into existing automation systems, a process that takes time.

Also, automation relies on predefined rules and algorithms, which may not be equipped to handle emerging threat scenarios effectively.

At CloudGuard, we tackle this challenge by integrating third party threat intelligence sources into our technology such as Recorded Future.

Final thoughts

Automated alert triage helps ease the challenges faced by your SOC every day. It simplifies incident handling processes and solves common challenges, like alert fatigue, to improve SOC efficiency and effectiveness.

Its structured approach, together with predefined workflows, ensures consistency and accuracy in your incident assessment and response. Automated alert triage should only be used to complement your existing SOC operations.

Businesses can’t full rely on automation for alert triage as manual intervention is still essential for addressing issues that automation may encounter. CloudGuard believes in utilising both automation and a SOC team to ensure optimal alert triage and incident response.

CloudGuard

If you’re concerned about how open your business is to potential cyber attacks, the key thing is to understand the areas in which you’re currently vulnerable. One of the quickest and most effective ways to do this is by undergoing a comprehensive security assessment.