As a small or mid-sized business (SMB) owner, it’s crucial to know that SMBs face growing cybersecurity risks. If you are relying only on traditional defences, these may not be robust enough to keep your company protected.
SOC-as-a-Service (SOCaaS) is one security solution that ensures your company is better prepared. This is a type of security operations centre that is affordable and extends enterprise-level protection to your business without the need for an in-house security team. In this article, we will explain everything you need to know about SOC for SMBs and the key ways your company can benefit from it.
Cybersecurity Risks Are Rising - Are You Prepared?
The frequency of cyberattacks is on the rise and each is becoming more and more sophisticated. Cyber criminals are even targeting small and mid-sized businesses more frequently. According to Newswire, 72% of Canadian SMBs reported that they had experienced a cyber attack between 2024 and 2025, while in 2022, 45% of SMBs fell victim to a cyber attack according to the Government website.
But with 74% of small businesses allocating only 10% or less of their budget to cybersecurity, many are not making this a priority. Additionally, many small and mid-sized businesses do not have sufficient resources or a full in-house security team to handle this.
What is SOC-as-a-Service?
SOC-as-a-Service is a cloud-based security operations centre that is outsourced. It has a few key components, including threat detection, incident response, log monitoring, and vulnerability management.
These services are managed by a security analyst or SOC team that uses advanced security tools, such as security information and event management (SIEM) to analyze logs, extended detection and response (XDR) to detect threats, security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR) tools to automate the SOCaaS response, threat intelligence platforms, and more.
How Does SOC-as-a-Service Work?
SOC-as-a-Service involves 24/7 system and network monitoring, followed by alerting processes when threats are detected. This is made easier by the above tools and processes, which are integrated with your existing IT infrastructure. SIEM is integrated via APIs or connectors while SOAR tools work with firewalls and endpoint security software, and XDR platforms collect data from cloud environments.
With real-time analysis, timely responses, and cybersecurity solutions for small businesses from experts, these processes can help SMBs stay a step ahead of any cyber threats and minimize their impact on their systems and networks.
Key Benefits of SOC-as-a-Service for SMBs
Alongside detecting cyber threats early, there are various additional benefits of SOC-as-a-Service for small and mid-sized businesses. The service includes the following advantages:
- Budget-Friendly Approach to Cyber Security – SMBs do not need to hire an internal security team or manage one since SOCaaS is outsourced to teams with security expertise at a low cost. This benefit can translate to cost savings, as you will not need to pay high rates for an internal team.
- System Protection at All Hours – SOC-as-a-Service offers 24/7 protection thanks to continuous monitoring, even during off-hours, which contributes to minimized downtime and less business disruption as threats are mitigated quickly.
- Faster Response to Threats – With 24/7 monitoring, cybersecurity teams can take immediate action when a breach of security is detected. This immediate action helps to contain the breach and protect the wider system from a range of threats.
- Support with Compliance – Improved data protection and regulatory compliance comes with continuous threat monitoring, so SOCaaS helps SMBs adhere to guidelines such as the personal information protection and electronic documents act (PIPEDA).
Who Needs SOC-as-a-Service?
If your business has growing remote teams or uses cloud infrastructure, you can significantly benefit from SOCaaS. Compared with in-office businesses, SMBs with remote teams often note an increased cybersecurity risk, as do small- and mid-sized businesses that use cloud infrastructure. SOCaaS can minimize sophisticated threats such as malware or ransomware in these contexts.
If you run an organization that handles sensitive client financial information or personal data, you also stand to benefit from SOCaaS. It helps such data remain protected against cybercriminals with rapid incident responses that contain data breaches and ensures your business adheres to PIPEDA regulations.
Small and mid-sized businesses that do not have sufficient internal cybersecurity resources may also struggle to handle threats. This kind of business can benefit from outsourced SOC-as-a-Service, which brings you advanced tools, a range of resources, and continuous monitoring advantages.
How Does SOC-as-a-Service Differ from Traditional MSSPs?
If you have encountered cyber threats or are concerned about the rising risks to your business, you might have considered making use of traditional managed security service providers (MSSPs) to receive managed IT services. Yet, there are many differences between MSSPs and SOCaaS, and understanding these differences can help you make a decision.
While MSSPs can alert you to issues, provide some analytics, and focus on detecting threats, SOCaaS is a more comprehensive service. It will offer a hands-on, practical response, in-depth analytics, and will focus on preventing security risks – as opposed to just detecting them. If you require a proactive security service that has greater analytics benefits, SOCaaS is ideal.
Choosing an SOC-as-a-Service Provider: What to Look For
When selecting an SOCaaS provider as a small- and mid-sized business based in Canada, keep in mind that your business will benefit from a service provider who has experience with Canadian SMBs.
It’s also worth considering service providers that offer 24/7 threat monitoring, checking their range of response capabilities, considering whether their advanced tools can integrate with your systems, and looking out for transparent pricing.
Protect Your Business from Cyber Attacks with SOC-as-a-Service
SOC-as-a-Service is an important asset to SMBs that are concerned about security risks. Since cyber threats are increasing significantly, there is a need for proactive protection, as opposed to just detection, and SOCaaS is the foundation that helps build reliable security measures.
If you run a small- or mid-sized business, don’t delay. Contact us to discover more about SOCaaS and partner with a trusted Canadian managed IT solutions or SOC-as-a-Service provider to protect your business.