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Running a distributed Security Operations Centre (SOC)

Nick Savvides 2007

With the explosion in network security infrastructure many organisations are consolidating their security management into Security Operations Centres.

Running a security operations centre for a single organisation can be very difficult. Challenges faced in running a SOC are many and include:

  • Hiring the right staff
  • Scheduling of resources to load
  • Change control
  • Effective training
  • Choosing the right management technology
  • Effective communication between groups
  • Ensuring quality of security work

These problems are amplified when running a distributed environment with multiple SOCs across time zones servicing not just a single organisation but hundreds of customer organisations.

VeriSign runs such an environment in its MSS operations with a number of SOCs across the globe servicing MSS customers. Nick will discuss as a case study the problems and challenges faced, the solutions found and the resulting impact on operations.

About Nick Savvides

Nick Savvides is the Security Operations and Security Manager for VeriSign Australia. He is responsible for the operation of VeriSign's regional security operations centre (SOC) in Melbourne as well as the physical, electronic and personnel security for the region. His duties involve managing a team of security analysts servicing managed security services customers across the globe, acting as the escalation point for critical issues as well as ensuring that VeriSign operations follow best practice security guidelines and meet all VeriSign, ASIO T4 and Australian Federal Government Highly Protected requirements.

Nick brings over 10 years IT experience to VeriSign, with strong skills in security, Linux and high performance computing. Prior to joining VeriSign, Nick was IT Security Administrator at The University of Melbourne, where he managed the vulnerability assessment service responsible for performing security audits on University departments. Nick was also the primary IT security advisor with central IT at the University.