For years, the SOC (security operations centre) has been considered the cornerstone of strong enterprise cybersecurity. Large organisations invested heavily in building in-house teams, tools, and processes to monitor, detect, and respond to threats around the clock. But the reality is shifting. Today, many enterprises are discovering that maintaining an effective in-house SOC is not just difficult, it’s increasingly unsustainable.
The Growing Pressure on In-House SOCs
At its core, a security operations centre is designed to provide continuous visibility, rapid threat detection, and coordinated incident response. However, achieving this in practice requires significant resources, skilled personnel, advanced technology, and 24/7 operational coverage.
This is where the strain begins.
One of the biggest challenges is the global cybersecurity skills shortage, which is especially severe in emerging markets. The cybersecurity skills shortage in Africa continues to widen, making it increasingly difficult for enterprises to recruit and retain experienced analysts, threat hunters, and incident responders.
As a result, many organisations face:
- Understaffed SOC teams
- High employee burnout and turnover
- Limited ability to scale operations
- Gaps in threat monitoring and response
These challenges directly impact an organisation’s ability to detect and respond to threats in real time.
The Real Cost of Running a Security Operations Centre
The cost of running a security operations centre extends far beyond salaries. Building and maintaining a fully functional SOC requires continuous investment in:
- Advanced detection and response tools
- Threat intelligence platforms
- Ongoing training and certifications
- Infrastructure to support 24/7 operations
For many enterprises, the total cost becomes difficult to justify, especially when outcomes are inconsistent due to staffing constraints. Even well-funded SOCs can struggle to maintain full coverage, leading to delayed responses and increased risk exposure.
Challenges of Building an In-House SOC
The challenges of building an in-house SOC are no longer just technical; they are operational and strategic.
Key obstacles include:
- Scaling complexity: Expanding a SOC requires proportional increases in staff, tools, and processes
- 24/7 coverage demands: True round-the-clock monitoring is resource-intensive and difficult to sustain
- Alert fatigue: Analysts are overwhelmed by the volume of alerts, increasing the risk of missed threats
- Retention issues: Skilled professionals are in high demand and frequently move between organisations
These factors make it increasingly difficult for enterprises to maintain consistent, high-quality security operations.
SOC vs MDR: A Shifting Approach
As these challenges intensify, organisations are re-evaluating the traditional SOC vs MDR model.
MDR (Managed Detection and Response) offers a different approach, one that shifts the operational burden away from internal teams while maintaining (and often improving) security outcomes.
Rather than building and managing everything in-house, MDR provides:
- Continuous monitoring by dedicated security experts
- Advanced threat detection and analysis
- Rapid incident response and remediation support
- Access to up-to-date threat intelligence
This model allows enterprises to maintain strong security without the complexity of running a full SOC internally.
How MDR Supports Security Operations
Understanding how MDR supports security operations is key to seeing its strategic value.
MDR acts as an extension, or even a replacement, of the traditional SOC by:
- Filling skills gaps caused by the cybersecurity skills shortage
- Providing 24/7 coverage without requiring shift-based internal teams
- Reducing alert fatigue through expert triage and prioritisation
- Accelerating response times to minimise potential damage
Importantly, MDR enables organisations to scale their security capabilities quickly, without the long lead times associated with hiring and training staff.
A Practical Path Forward for Enterprise Cybersecurity
For many enterprises, the question is no longer whether to build an in-house SOC, but whether it remains viable in the current threat landscape.
Solutions like ESET Managed Detection & Response provide a practical and strategic alternative. By combining advanced technology with human expertise, it delivers continuous monitoring, expert analysis, and rapid response, without the overhead of building and maintaining a full internal SOC.
This approach allows organisations to:
- Strengthen their security posture
- Reduce operational complexity
- Gain access to scarce cybersecurity skills
- Improve resilience against evolving threats
The traditional security operations centre model is under increasing pressure. Between rising costs, talent shortages, and the need for constant vigilance, many enterprises are finding it difficult to sustain effective in-house SOCs.
At the same time, cyber threats are becoming more sophisticated, leaving little room for gaps in coverage or delayed response.
In this environment, MDR is not just an alternative; it’s a strategic evolution. By rethinking how security operations are delivered, enterprises can move from stretched internal teams to scalable, expert-led protection that keeps pace with today’s threat landscape