Do I Need a Security Operations Centre (SOC)?
Most UK SMEs do not need to build their own SOC, but many would benefit from the capabilities a SOC provides — threat monitoring, alert triage, and incident response. A managed SOC service delivers these capabilities without the cost of an in-house team.
Direct Answer
A Security Operations Centre provides 24/7 threat monitoring and incident response that most UK SMEs cannot staff internally. Businesses with 50+ users, regulated data (financial, healthcare, legal), or government contracts should use a managed SOC service. AMVIA's Sheffield-based SOC covers businesses from £15 per user per month.
Signs Your Business Would Benefit from a Managed SOC
These situations suggest your current security monitoring is insufficient and a managed SOC may be appropriate.
Regulated Industry
Financial services, healthcare, legal, and professional services firms face regulatory expectations around security monitoring. A managed SOC helps demonstrate due diligence.
Sensitive Customer Data
Organisations handling personal data, financial records, or commercially sensitive information have greater exposure if a breach occurs and benefit most from early detection.
Previous Security Incidents
Businesses that have experienced a phishing breach, ransomware, or data loss event should consider continuous monitoring to detect recurrence and reduce dwell time.
Supply Chain Obligations
Enterprise customers and government contracts increasingly require suppliers to demonstrate active security monitoring as part of onboarding due diligence.
No In-House Security Capability
If your IT team manages infrastructure but has no dedicated security function, a managed SOC provides specialist expertise without the overhead of additional headcount.
Cyber Insurance Requirements
Some cyber insurers require evidence of 24/7 monitoring and incident response capability. A managed SOC can help satisfy these requirements.
In-House SOC vs Managed SOC for SMEs
A practical comparison of what each approach delivers and what it costs.
| Feature | In-House SOCBuilt internally | Managed SOCOutsourced to a providerRecommended |
|---|---|---|
| 24/7 threat monitoring | Costly to staff | |
| Upfront investment required | High (tooling + staff) | Low (monthly fee) |
| Access to specialist analysts | Requires recruitment | |
| Incident response capability | ||
| Suitable for organisations under 500 staff | ||
| Setup time | 6–18 months | Weeks |
| Typical monthly cost (50 users) | £30,000+/mo (staff) | £1,500–£5,000/mo |
In-house SOC cost estimates include analyst salaries, tooling (SIEM, EDR, SOAR), and management overhead. Managed SOC pricing varies significantly by scope.
Frequently Asked Questions
The top threats are phishing (85% of breaches), ransomware (doubled year-on-year), business email compromise (increased 33% in 2025), and supply chain attacks (35.5% of all breaches now originate from third parties). AI-powered attacks are accelerating all of these threat categories.
Only 14% of UK businesses formally review cyber risks from their immediate suppliers. 35.5% of all global data breaches in 2024 originated from third-party compromises. Supply chain attacks add an average of £241,620 to the total cost of a breach and take 267 days to detect and contain.
The first hour after detection is considered the golden hour that determines outcome severity. Organisations that detect breaches internally save an average of $900,000 in costs. Only 22% of UK businesses have a formal cybersecurity incident management plan in place.
BEC is a type of fraud where attackers impersonate executives or suppliers to trick employees into transferring funds or sharing sensitive data. BEC attacks increased 33% in 2025. The average loss per BEC incident is $137,000. Even organisations with fewer than 1,000 employees face a 70% weekly probability of a BEC attempt.
MFA requires two or more verification methods to access an account. Microsoft reports that over 99.9% of compromised accounts did not have MFA enabled. Only 40% of UK businesses have two-factor authentication enabled (DSIT 2025). MFA can prevent more than 99.9% of account compromise attempts.
Find Out If a Managed SOC Is Right for Your Business
AMVIA's security team can assess your current monitoring posture and recommend the right level of SOC coverage. Speak to us on 0333 733 8050.
Related Guides
Cybersecurity Guide for UK SMEs
A practical overview of all the security controls UK SMEs should consider.
MDR vs EDR
How managed detection and response compares to standalone endpoint detection tools.
How Much Does Managed Cybersecurity Cost?
Per-user pricing for managed SOC, MDR, and endpoint security services.