This article originally appeared in International Security Journal

Ask any chief security officer how they protect their enterprise, and a security operations center (SOC) will often be one of the first things they mention. 

The SOC has long been viewed as a necessary fixture – the nerve center for threat monitoring and crisis response. But as our operating environments evolve, so should our strategies. For many organizations, especially those balancing complex risks and finite resources, it’s worth asking: Does the traditional SOC still make sense? 

Before anyone misunderstands – this is not about questioning the value of protecting people, data, and assets. It’s about being open to how we do it. Today, we have options. Options that offer the same, if not greater, levels of capability without the limitations of physical infrastructure.

The traditional SOC has its merits. Centralized operations, dedicated teams and real time situational awareness.  These have all served organizations well. I’ve worked in plenty of environments where a physical SOC was not only effective but necessary.

However, as someone who has spent a career assessing risk, I can tell you that static, brick-and-mortar solutions come with their own vulnerabilities – and, at times, may not be the best fit. Consider the challenges: 

• Cost – physical SOCs require significant capital – equipment, facilities, and staffing. For some organizations it’s simply not sustainable.  
• Resilience – a fixed location, by definition, is exposed to geographic and environmental risks.  
• Scalability – expanding capacity, adding capabilities or adapting to changing threats can be slow and expensive when you’re tied to a physical footprint. 

The case for a digital SOC 

A digital SOC addresses many of these limitations head-on. By leveraging cloud-native platforms and purpose-built technology, we can deliver the same – an often superior – level of security without being bound by four walls. Here’s where digital SOCs stand out: 

• Cost-effective without cutting corners – you don’t have to sacrifice quality for efficiency. Cloud-based platforms allow you to build scalable, full-featured security operations without investing heavily in physical infrastructure. 
• Operational continuity – a digital SOC is resilient by design. It is immune to localized disruptions. Your team can monitor and respond from wherever they are and if you structure it correctly, there is no single point of failure. 
• Integrated capabilities – today’s platforms do more than detect threats. They integrate crisis management, travel risk, communications and intelligence into a cohesive system. What once required multiple systems – and often multiple teams – can now be streamlined. 
• Speed and precision through AI – AI has real utility here. Not the buzzword variety, but targeted capabilities that help detect, analyze and respond to threats faster. AI doesn’t replace your team – it makes them better. It brings scale, speed and precision that would be impossible to replicate manually.  
• Future-ready – as threats evolve, so should your strategy. A digital SOC gives you the flexibility to adapt quickly, scale as needed and adjust your approach without waiting for the next capital investment cycle.   

A balanced view

Like any solution, digital SOCs aren’t perfect. Integration, team alignment and vendor selection all require careful attention. And some organizations – particularly those with highly sensitive operations – may still require a physical presence. This is not a one-size-fits-all proposition.

But what is clear, is that clinging to the traditional SOC model out of habit is no longer a viable strategy. security has always been about resilience, adaptability, and smart resource management. Digital SOCs allow us to embody those principles more effectively.

Rethinking the mission

At the end of the day, your SOC – physical, digital, or hybrid – is a means to an end. Its job is to ensure your people, assets, and operations are protected. How you do that should reflect the realities of the treat landscape you face today, not the one we faced 15 years ago.  

Security leaders need to be open to re-examining long-held assumptions. Not every organization needs to build a command center. But every organization does need the ability to know what’s happening, respond decisively, and keep improving. That’s what matters.