News
Nearly 90% of Organizations Prefer Outsourced or Hybrid Models for their SOC
Most companies choose to outsource at least part of their Security Operations Center (SOC), with a significant number adopting SOC-as-a-Service (SOCaaS), according to global research by Kaspersky.
This strategic move enables organisations to benefit from round-the-clock protection, ensure compliance with regulatory standards and leverage advanced cybersecurity solutions and qualified expertise that are often beyond their internal capabilities.
As cyberthreats become increasingly sophisticated, organisations are rethinking how they build and operate their Security Operations Centers. With this in mind, Kaspersky carried out a comprehensive global survey to identify the main motivations, strategic goals, and potential challenges associated with its planning and implementation¹.
The findings of this research revealed that 64% of companies plan to outsource part of their SOC, combining internal capabilities with external expertise.
Meanwhile, over a quarter of respondents (26%) are ready to fully implement an SOC-as-a-Service (SOCaaS) model. By contrast, only 9% plan to build their SOC entirely in-house, highlighting the growing challenges of maintaining round-the-clock monitoring and attracting qualified specialists.
SOC outsourcing enables organisations to delegate selected SOC functions or even the entire operational cycle to a trusted external provider. This approach can include a variety of services:
Design and architecture of the SOC.
Deployment and maintenance of SOC technologies.
Monitoring and analysis by external security analysts.
Consulting and training services.
Full SOCaaS delivery, where the provider handles detection, investigation and response around the clock.
Most companies prefer maintaining strategic tasks internally, whilst leveraging external teams and advanced technologies for operational and highly technical workloads. Among organisations planning to outsource SOC functions, the most commonly delegated tasks to third-party providers included solution installation and deployment (55%), solution development and provisioning (53%), and SOC design (47%).
When engaging external SOC specialists, companies also showed a clear preference for augmenting specific roles, with first-line analysts (61%) and second-line analysts (52%) being the most in-demand among external specialists. These figures illustrate that companies focus more on frontline and intermediate security tasks, such as monitoring and responding to threats.
Why do organisations choose SOC outsourcing?
The leading motivator for SOC outsourcing is the need for 24/7 protection (55%) – an operational requirement many internal teams cannot sustain alone. Another highly cited benefit is reducing workload on internal IT security specialists (47%), enabling teams to focus on strategic tasks.
Additionally, access to advanced solutions and technologies (42%) and external support to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and standards (41%) further drive the decision to outsource, highlighting the value of specialised expertise and cutting-edge tools such as XDR, MDR, MXDR and others.
Budget optimisation is important for only 37% of companies – indicating that the primary value of outsourcing lies in improved protection, not just cost savings.
“The trend towards outsourcing SOC functions, whether fully or partially, is primarily driven by the necessity for enhanced operational focus and strategic agility. By shifting routine and technical tasks externally, organisations are able to concentrate on high-value activities such as strategic decision-making and orchestrating responses to sophisticated threats.
“Moreover, this approach often results in considerable cost efficiencies, allowing for optimised resource allocation. Ultimately, this model transforms the SOC into a critical strategic capability, directly contributing to business continuity,” comments Sergey Soldatov, Head of Security Operations Center at Kaspersky.
Ogba Ogbaga, an Abuja-based lawyer, has said that he has been instructed to institute legal proceedings against MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, 9mobile and MultiChoice Nigeria, operators of DStv, over what he described as unfair consumer practices relating to expiring data bundles and television subscriptions.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Ogbaga said his law firm, GIMBG Legals, received instructions from its client, KAA, also known as KaaTruths, to challenge the companies’ subscription policies in court.
According to him, the proposed suit will question whether telecom operators and DStv’s subscription models comply with provisions of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018 and other applicable laws.
Ogbaga alleged that telecom providers operate internet data services that are unfair to consumers, claiming subscribers sometimes do not receive the services they paid for but still lose their subscriptions once the validity period expires.
He also criticised DStv’s subscription model, arguing that consumers lose paid viewing time due to factors such as power outages, adverse weather conditions and service interruptions, while subscriptions continue to count down regardless.
“Our clients have complained that MTN data services are unduly one-sided,” Ogbaga said, adding that the legal action would also extend to other telecommunications providers and DStv.
He said the court action would seek judicial determination on whether the companies’ subscription practices comply with consumer protection laws.
The lawyer also invited interested legal practitioners to collaborate on the case, saying his firm would provide updates as the matter progresses.
In a separate Facebook post on Wednesday, Ogbaga said previous policy discussions, town hall meetings and debates at the National Assembly had failed to address the concerns raised by consumers.
He argued that telecom operators regularly carry out maintenance and network upgrades that temporarily disrupt services without extending customers’ subscription periods, while DStv subscribers also lose viewing time because of electricity outages and weather-related disruptions.
The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has commenced the issuance of new licence certificates to insurance companies that successfully met the industry’s new minimum capital requirements, marking the formal beginning of a new regulatory era aimed at strengthening the financial capacity, governance and global competitiveness of Nigeria’s insurance sector.
At a ceremony held at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja, the Commissioner for Insurance, Olusegun Ayo Omosehin, presented the new licence certificates to compliant operators, describing the exercise as a major milestone in the industry’s recapitalisation programme.
According to the Commission, a total of 43 insurance companies declared compliant with the new capital requirements are expected to receive the new licence certificates in phases.
Omosehin congratulated the successful companies, saying the issuance of the new licences signals the beginning of a stronger regulatory framework anchored on improved capitalisation, sound corporate governance, innovation and sustainable growth.
He urged operators to leverage their enhanced capital base to develop innovative insurance products, improve operational efficiency and deepen insurance penetration across the country.
The Commissioner said the Commission expects the recapitalised companies to deliver stronger financial performance while maintaining high standards of professionalism and customer service.
He also announced that NAICOM’s next major regulatory initiative would be the implementation of the Risk-Based Capital (RBC) framework, under which insurers’ capital levels would be aligned with the risks inherent in their respective business portfolios.
According to him, the new framework will further strengthen the industry’s resilience by ensuring that insurers maintain capital commensurate with the risks they underwrite, thereby enhancing policyholder protection and boosting market confidence.
Omosehin reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to removing regulatory impediments where necessary while maintaining effective oversight to safeguard policyholders and strengthen confidence in the insurance market.
The issuance of the new licence certificates marks the commencement of a phased transition to higher capital standards aimed at improving the financial capacity, solvency and claims-paying ability of insurance companies operating in Nigeria.
Management of Nigeria CommunicationsWeek Media has withdrawn its publication titled “Adefolarin Ogunsanya and the Allegations of Shareholder Interference and Self-Dealing at Pan African Towers,” which was published on its platform.
The decision to retract the story follows an editorial review to ensure that the platform maintains the highest standards of accuracy, fairness and responsible journalism in reporting matters that are the subject of ongoing judicial proceedings.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek acknowledges that the issues raised in the publication remain before the courts and have not been finally determined.
Accordingly, the organisation has decided to remove the article from its platforms pending the conclusion of the legal processes or the availability of additional verified information.
The publication regrets any inconvenience or misunderstanding the report may have caused to readers or any individuals or organisations mentioned in the story.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek remains committed to the principles of balanced, factual and ethical journalism and will continue to uphold professional standards in its coverage of judicial and corporate governance matters.
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