SOAR

What is SOAR?

SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation and Response) is a category of security tools that automate and streamline incident response processes. A SOAR platform combines three functions: orchestration (integrating different security tools via APIs), automation (executing repetitive tasks without human intervention) and response (incident management and documentation).

At the heart of a SOAR system are playbooks - defined response processes for specific event types. A sample playbook for a suspected phishing email might automatically check sender and link reputation, submit the attachment to a sandbox, search mailboxes for similar messages, block the sender and notify the analyst of the results. An entire process that would take 30-60 minutes manually executes in seconds.

SOAR integrates with dozens of tools - SIEM, EDR, firewalls, ticketing systems, threat intelligence platforms, vulnerability scanners - creating a central management point for security operations. Leading SOAR platforms include Palo Alto XSOAR, Splunk SOAR (formerly Phantom) and IBM QRadar SOAR.

Why does it matter?

Automation is the answer to the growing volume of security alerts and the shortage of specialists. SOAR enables SOC teams to focus on complex incidents requiring human analysis while delegating routine tasks to automated playbooks. For organisations with a mature SOC, SOAR can significantly reduce mean time to respond to incidents and ensure process repeatability.

Related topics

• SIEM
• SOC
• Incident Response