Open-Source Security Operations Center (SOC)

9Incident Response Automation and Orchestration

Introduction

Incident response automation and orchestration refer to streamlining and automating security operations center (SOC) workflows to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of detecting, investigating, and responding to security incidents. As threats become more advanced and the volume of alerts continues to increase, SOCs struggle with alert fatigue, repetitive tasks, and a lack of skilled staff. Automating repetitive workflows and orchestrating connections between security tools enables faster, more consistent incident response.

Essentials of Automation and Orchestration

Automation involves using scripts, playbooks, and integrations to standardize and execute repetitive workflows and processes to reduce human intervention. Orchestration refers to connecting various security tools, data sources, and systems to streamline processes by passing contextual data between them (York, 2023).

Key essentials for effective security automation and orchestration include the following:

• Process identification: Determine which repetitive, manual processes are good candidates for automation based on effort required, frequency, and importance. Good examples include initial alert triage, notification, creating tickets, and gathering basic threat intel.
• Tool integration: Connect security tools like security information and event managements (SIEMs), endpoint detection and response (EDR), firewalls, and ticketing systems via APIs to ...