In this episode of Detection at Scale, Jack speaks to Roger Allen, Senior Director, Global Head of Detection and Response at Sprinklr, to explore the complexities of running a modern SOC. Roger shares his expertise on prioritizing alerts with contextual understanding, the importance of crafting a robust data strategy, and preventing team burnout. 

From integrating adversary testing to ensuring team alignment with organizational goals, Roger also offers actionable insights and practical advice for enhancing cybersecurity defenses.

Topics discussed:

• The importance of understanding adversaries' TTPs (Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures) and leveraging them to improve detection and response capabilities.

• Discussing the critical role of adversary simulation and testing in writing effective detection rules and enhancing overall security posture.

• Strategies for prioritizing alerts based on contextual understanding and the sequence of events, moving beyond mere alert volume.

• The necessity of a well-defined data strategy, including standardizing logging formats and implementing data enrichment techniques to improve incident response.

• Addressing team burnout by ensuring balanced workloads, regular reviews, and meaningful conversations to align team goals with organizational objectives.

• The role of integration and unit testing in validating security rules and ensuring their effectiveness from multiple perspectives.

• How security teams can bridge the gap between understanding the tech stack and the business objectives, ensuring security measures align with business priorities.

• The importance of bringing in relevant data for incident response and the collaboration needed between different security functions to optimize data usage.