What are SOC tiers?
As we will mention the terms SOC, SOC analyst, and others many times in the book, it is best to explain the main SOC tiers and their responsibilities. These tiers are positioned to help SOCs divide tasks among SOC analysts:
- Tier 1: This is the first tier and it is primarily responsible for triage incidents as they are happening. They will collect as much information as they can about the incident so that they can plan whether that incident should be investigated further. This is an entry-level role in SOCs for those with the least experience.
- Tier 2: The second tier kicks in when Tier 1 decides that a specific incident needs to be investigated further. One of the responsibilities is coordinating responses with different teams in the organization. As these incidents are more likely to be genuinely positive, this tier requires a more experienced SOC analyst.
- Tier 3: This tier is dedicated to experts in the field. Their primary responsibility is to...