How do SOC as a Service and MSSP differ? A comparison to choose the right service

2 hours ago

9 min read

When searching for cybersecurity monitoring services, businesses may come across two terms: SOC as a Service (SOCaaS) and Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP). Both relate to outsourced security operations, capable of supporting 24/7 monitoring, threat detection, and incident response. However, they are not completely synonymous.

A quick distinction between the two concepts: SOC as a Service is a model that delivers security operations center capabilities as a service, whereas an MSSP is a provider that can handle various managed security operations, including SOCaaS.

The difference lies not only in the name but also in the scope of work, deliverables, costs, and responsibilities when an incident occurs. Understanding these factors helps businesses choose the right service, avoiding overlapping solution capabilities or creating security gaps.

What are SOC as a Service and MSSP?

What is SOC as a Service (SOCaaS)?

SOC as a Service (SOCaaS) is an outsourced model for Security Operations Center (SOC) capabilities, allowing businesses to utilize a team of experts, processes, and technologies to monitor, detect, analyze, and support response to cybersecurity threats.

According to Microsoft Security, SOCaaS provides security monitoring, detection, and response capabilities through a third party, typically under a subscription model.

Depending on the contract scope, SOCaaS services may include:

Collecting and analyzing security events from endpoints, servers, networks, clouds, and identity systems.
24/7 cybersecurity monitoring, including outside business hours.
Verifying alerts and categorizing severity levels.
Investigating signs of compromise and identifying potentially affected assets.
Escalating incidents and recommending remediation measures.
Supporting or directly executing certain response actions when authorized.
Providing reports and recommendations to improve detection capabilities.

SOCaaS frequently utilizes technologies such as Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), Extended Detection and Response (XDR), Security Orchestration, Automation and Response (SOAR), and Threat Intelligence.

The important point is that businesses do not necessarily have to build their entire SOC team and infrastructure themselves. However, businesses still need to maintain risk management responsibilities, provide system information, and approve actions that exceed authorized scopes.

To understand the operational foundation, businesses can refer to the article What is a SOC? A comprehensive cybersecurity operations center.

What is an MSSP?

A Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) is a provider of managed security services. An MSSP helps businesses operate, manage, and monitor one or more layers of security technology according to the contract scope.

Services that an MSSP can provide include:

Managing firewalls, IPS/IDS, and network security devices.
Managing endpoint security solutions.
Monitoring security events and managing SIEM platforms.
Managing configurations, policies, and operations of security tools.
Managing vulnerabilities and coordinating remediation.
Providing SOCaaS, MDR, or other specialized security services.

Not every MSSP provides all the above capabilities. One provider might specialize in firewall management, while another has a 24/7 SOC team and incident response capabilities.

Therefore, SOCaaS describes the service capability, while an MSSP describes the type of provider. An MSSP can absolutely be the entity deploying SOCaaS for a business.

For organizations wanting to learn more broadly about outsourced infrastructure and security management, the article Managed Security Services (MSSP): Comprehensive infrastructure and cybersecurity management trends provides context on the managed services model and how providers coordinate with internal teams.

How do SOCaaS and MSSP differ?

Although SOCaaS and MSSP might appear together in a commercial proposal, the operational scope and the outcomes the business receives are not necessarily the same.

The table below describes common differences.

Criteria	SOC as a Service (SOCaaS)	Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP)
Nature	Model delivering SOC capabilities as a service	Provider of managed security services
Primary objective	Detecting, analyzing, and supporting threat response	Managing and operating security items according to the contract
Typical scope	Security monitoring, alert triage, threat detection, incident investigation	Managed firewall, endpoint security, SIEM, SOCaaS, MDR, and other services
24/7 monitoring	Usually a core capability	Yes or no, depending on the service and SLA
Technology	Often utilizes SIEM, XDR, SOAR, and Threat Intelligence	Depends on each managed security service
Deliverables	Verified alerts, investigation information, incident reports, remediation recommendations	Tool operation reports, configurations, incidents, and package-based deliverables
Response authority	According to agreed playbooks, authorizations, and SLAs	Depends on the contract and accompanying SOC/MDR services
Cost calculation method	Usually based on assets, data sources, event volume, and SOC scope	Based on managed services, tools, assets, and support levels
Suitable when	The business needs to supplement continuous monitoring, detection, and investigation capabilities	The business needs to outsource multiple security management operations

Note: The table reflects common deployment models, not mandatory classification rules for all providers.

The most important difference is the scope of responsibility

Suppose a business already has a firewall, EDR, and a log storage system, but the IT team only works during business hours.

The main problem at this point may not be a lack of tools, but a lack of personnel to monitor alerts, identify signs of attack, and escalate incidents outside of hours.

In that situation, SOCaaS is a worth-evaluating option because it focuses directly on the monitoring and detection gaps.

Conversely, if the business also needs to manage firewall configurations, endpoint policies, update security systems, and handle daily operational requests, a service package provided by an MSSP might be more suitable.

However, if the MSSP has a 24/7 SOC, the business does not default to needing to rent additional SOCaaS from another provider. It is necessary to check which capabilities are already included to avoid overlapping costs.

A related term is Managed Detection and Response (MDR), which often emphasizes the capability to detect, investigate, and respond to threats. The scope of MDR can overlap with SOCaaS, but the level of proactive remediation depends on each contract.

SOC vs MDR: A detailed guide for beginners

What do businesses get from SOCaaS and MSSP?

A point of common misunderstanding during the service selection process is that businesses often compare technology names or the number of features instead of identifying deliverables – verifiable output results.

Two providers may both advertise 24/7 security monitoring but can offer very different delivery scopes.

Deliverables of SOCaaS

For SOCaaS, businesses should expect the deliverables to be clearly defined in the contract, such as:

Verified security alerts: Instead of just forwarding all alerts from the tool, the SOC team analyzes and categorizes events by priority level.
Incident investigation information: Includes the time of detection, related assets, abnormal signs, evidence, and an initial impact assessment.
Notification and escalation: Incidents are sent to the correct point of contact, via the agreed communication channel, and within the agreed timeframe.
Recommendations or response actions: The SOC team may propose isolating an endpoint, blocking connections, or disabling an account. Directly executing these actions requires approved authorization.
Periodic reports: Summarizing monitoring status, alert trends, notable incidents, and proposals for improving detection rules.

Not all SOCaaS packages include in-depth forensic investigations, comprehensive ransomware handling, or system recovery after an incident. These capabilities need to be confirmed separately.

Deliverables of MSSP

With an MSSP, the output depends on each managed service.

For example, a Managed Firewall package might deliver policy change reports, device status, and processed configuration requests. Meanwhile, an endpoint security management package might focus on agent status, defense policies, and issues that need remediation.

If the MSSP simultaneously provides SOCaaS, the business can receive both tool operational outputs and security monitoring results.

Points to confirm: Who is responsible for detection, who has the authority to intervene, and who is responsible for restoring operations after an incident?

These three tasks may belong to three different groups. If the contract does not clearly delineate them, the business runs the risk of detecting an incident but being slow to respond due to a lack of decision-makers.

In the document Recommended contract clauses for security operations centre procurement (ITSM.00.500), the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security emphasizes clearly defining service requirements, deliverables, response times, and SLA management mechanisms when purchasing SOC services.

How are SOCaaS and MSSP costs calculated?

It cannot be concluded that SOCaaS is always cheaper than MSSP or vice versa. These are not two service packages with equivalent scopes for direct price comparison.

Actual costs depend on infrastructure scale, required protection levels, technologies used, and the responsibilities the business assigns to the provider.

Factors affecting SOCaaS costs

SOCaaS pricing is typically impacted by:

Number of assets: Endpoints, servers, accounts, cloud systems, and network devices within the monitoring scope.
Number of log sources: The complexity of integrating data from various platforms.
Event volume: The amount of security data that needs to be collected, processed, and analyzed.
Retention time: Requirements for storing logs for investigation or auditing purposes.
Monitoring level: 24/7 scope, number of use cases, and threat hunting requirements.
SLA and response: Escalation timeframes, investigation scope, and intervention authority.

In addition to the subscription fee, businesses need to clarify initial integration costs, licenses, data source expansions, and supplementary investigation services.

Factors affecting MSSP costs

With an MSSP, the budget may include management fees for each device or technology group, security operation fees, technical support, and specialized services.

For instance, a business hiring an MSSP to manage firewalls and endpoints might be quoted based on the number of devices, number of users, scope of configuration changes, and SLA levels.

If SOCaaS is added, the costs for monitoring, alert analysis, and incident investigation can be calculated as a separate item or bundled into a single service package.

Businesses should request quotes based on the same scope: assets, monitoring hours, tools, deliverables, and response responsibilities. A package with a lower cost but excluding investigation or after-hours handling may not necessarily meet the needs.

To further evaluate the budget and investment components, you can refer to the article Outsourcing SOC and how to optimize security budgets.

When should a business choose SOCaaS or MSSP?

The appropriate decision should start from actual operational gaps, rather than selecting solely based on service names.

Business situation	Option to evaluate
Already invested in firewalls, EDR, but lack 24/7 monitoring personnel	SOCaaS
IT team lacks resources to manage multiple security tools	MSSP with a suitable operational scope
Already have an internal SOC but need after-hours support or supplementary expertise	Co-managed SOC or SOCaaS
Need to manage firewalls, endpoints, and monitor incidents within a unified model	MSSP with SOCaaS capabilities
Want to outsource detection, investigation, and response actions	Evaluate SOCaaS/MDR based on remediation authority and SLAs

Case 1: The business already has tools but lacks monitoring capabilities

The business has invested in security platforms, but alerts constantly appear, the IT team lacks the time to verify them, and there is no one on duty after hours.

The priority need is to increase detection, investigation, and incident escalation capabilities. SOCaaS can supplement these capabilities without requiring the business to replace all existing tools.

Case 2: The business needs to outsource multiple security layers

An SME might simultaneously lack personnel to manage firewalls, endpoints, cloud security, and network security systems.

At this point, merely supplementing monitoring activities does not resolve all issues regarding configuration, updates, and tool operations.

The business should evaluate an MSSP capable of managing the necessary security layers while simultaneously confirming whether that service includes a 24/7 SOC.

Case 3: The business needs a hybrid model

For organizations with an internal IT or Security team, fully outsourcing is not the only option.

The business can retain administrative and change approval rights, while the provider assumes 24/7 monitoring, alert verification, and investigation support.

This model helps maintain system control while supplementing specialized capabilities when internal resources are limited.

SOC 24/7 Outsourcing Case Study | Managed Security | IPSIP Vietnam

8 questions to ask a SOCaaS or MSSP provider

Before signing a contract, businesses should ask the provider to clarify the following eight issues:

1. Which systems are within the monitoring scope?

Specifically identify endpoints, servers, firewalls, clouds, emails, identities, and log sources. It should not be assumed that “system-wide monitoring” means every asset is covered.

2. What activities does 24/7 monitoring include?

Does the provider have experts on duty and continuously analyzing, or are there only automated tools issuing alerts after hours? Request a description of the actual operational process.

3. Who has the authority to respond when an incident is detected?

It is necessary to distinguish between the authority to notify, propose, and directly handle. Actions such as isolating servers or disabling accounts must have a clear authorization mechanism.

4. How are SLAs measured?

The contract should define timeframes for acknowledgment, notification, escalation, and the conditions applied based on severity. Response time does not mean full remediation time.

5. What reports will the business receive?

Request incident report templates and periodic reports to evaluate the quality of information, evidence, and decision support capabilities.

6. Under whose control are the data and tools?

It is necessary to clarify data ownership, log storage locations, access rights, security requirements, and transfer capabilities when changing providers.

7. What costs are not included in the quote?

Check for integration fees, licenses, storage, log source additions, asset expansions, in-depth investigations, and support outside the standard scope.

8. What is the process for terminating or transitioning providers?

Businesses need to know how to hand over data, configurations, detection rules, and operational documentation, as well as the timeframe for data deletion after the contract ends.

These questions align with the SOC solution purchasing guidelines from the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, which emphasizes contract scope, data protection, deliverables, and service quality monitoring mechanisms.

Choosing the right service scope is more important than the name

SOC as a Service and MSSP are not mutually exclusive models. SOCaaS focuses on providing cybersecurity operations capabilities, while an MSSP can provide a variety of managed security services, including SOCaaS.

If the business already has tools but lacks the capability to detect, analyze, and respond to continuous alerts, SOCaaS is an option worth considering. If multiple security management operations need to be outsourced, an MSSP with a suitable scope can better meet the needs.

Most importantly, businesses need to clearly identify which systems are monitored, what deliverables are handed over, who is responsible when an incident occurs, and what the actual costs include.

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