Ransomware attacks now strike within 24 hours of initial breach, down from weeks just two years ago. Your security operations centre must detect and respond faster than ever before.

Gartner’s “Predicts 2025: Security Operations” report reveals a stark reality: a third of organisations won’t manage to build functioning internal SOCs, handicapped by budget limits and the industry-wide talent drought.

The internal SOC dilemma

Building an internal SOC requires more than just hiring analysts. Round-the-clock coverage means triple-shift staffing, plus backup for holidays and sick leave — costs spiral quickly beyond initial projections.

Even well-funded enterprises rarely go it alone anymore. They’ll run core operations internally but farm out penetration testing and threat research to specialists who see attack patterns across hundreds of clients.

The outsourced alternative

Third-party providers eliminate recruitment headaches with fully outsourced SOCs. But you’re handing your crown jewels to strangers — can you trust them to respond at 3 AM when ransomware strikes?

Your vendor must mesh with existing IT workflows without creating friction. One miscommunication during incident response could mean the difference between containment and catastrophic breach.

The hybrid advantage

Hybrid models now dominate enterprise security strategies for good reason. Gartner’s research indicates 90% of SOCs in the Global 2000 will adopt this approach, outsourcing at least half their operational workload.
Strategic decisions stay in-house where they belong. Meanwhile, external analysts handle the grunt work of alert triage and overnight monitoring that burns out internal staff.

Making the right choice

Six critical factors determine your optimal SOC structure, starting with an honest assessment of available resources. Talent scarcity might force your hand regardless of preference or budget.

Long-term sustainability matters more than immediate capability. An unsustainable model collapses within months, leaving you exposed and scrambling for alternatives.
The Secureworks solution

Secureworks Taegis exemplifies advanced hybrid SOC capabilities built on 20+ years of threat intelligence. The platform embeds AI-driven detection across 4,000 organisations worldwide.

Focus your internal team on strategic initiatives while Secureworks handles round-the-clock threat hunting — access seasoned experts without the burden of recruitment, training, or retention challenges.