Open Source (OS) Security Operations Center (SOC) Documents (Docs)

Introduction

Welcome to OSSOCDOCS, an open-source initiative dedicated to providing comprehensive documentation for Security Operations Centers (SOCs). This project is the culmination of nearly a decade of experience in building, managing, and refining SOCs, including Fusion Centers—which integrate operational security with advanced Blue Team (defensive) cybersecurity services.

Through my experience working with over two dozen organizations, I have found that teamwork and documentation are the two fundamental pillars of a successful SOC. While there is abundant literature on team building, there is a noticeable lack of publicly available resources on SOC documentation. This project seeks to address that gap by offering a structured and practical framework for SOC documentation.

Why Documentation Matters in SOCs

Effective documentation transforms a SOC from an ad hoc, reactive team into a transparent, measurable, repeatable, and reliable operation capable of 24/7 threat monitoring and response. Proper documentation:

• Ensures consistency in handling incidents and investigations.
• Improves onboarding and training for SOC analysts.
• Establishes clear governance, policies, and operational procedures.
• Enhances collaboration between SOC teams, leadership, and external stakeholders.

The SOC Documentation Pyramid

SOC documentation follows a structured pyramid approach, where each layer builds upon the one below it:

1. Runbooks (SOPs – Standard Operating Procedures)
   • The foundation of SOC documentation.
   • Step-by-step, button-click-by-button-click instructions for specific security operations.
   • Examples: Investigating a URL for malicious activity, responding to a specific alert, executing containment actions.
2. Process Documentation
   • Higher-level workflows that describe a series of actions needed to complete a SOC function.
   • Each step within a process is typically linked to a corresponding SOP.
   • Examples: Threat intelligence analysis workflows, escalation processes, incident response procedures.
3. Policy and Governance Documentation
   • Defines the authorities, objectives, and boundaries of a SOC.
   • Establishes what a SOC and its analysts can and cannot do in specific situations.
   • Examples: Acceptable use policies for security tools, incident escalation policies, regulatory compliance guidelines.

Despite the critical role of documentation, most SOCs must create their documentation from scratch, often without standardization or shared best practices. Even many Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) that claim to provide documentation often offer only generic runbooks with little operational depth.

The Mission of OSSOCDOCS

The OSSOCDOCS project aims to bridge this gap by providing:

• A comprehensive library of SOC documentation, including SOPs, policies, processes, and best practices.
• Resources to help SOC managers establish, refine, and mature their operations.
• A technology-agnostic framework that can be easily adapted to any organization’s specific tools and infrastructure.

While vendor-specific SOPs for SIEMs, EDRs, email security platforms, DNS security, and web proxies are not included, the provided framework allows for easy adaptation to any technology stack.

Who Should Use OSSOCDOCS?

This project is designed for:

• SOC Managers & Leaders: Those building a new SOC or seeking to improve an existing one.
• Security Engineers & Analysts: Professionals looking for structured, repeatable processes for cybersecurity operations.
• CISOs & Security Executives: Decision-makers who need governance and policy guidance for their SOC teams.

Contributing & Feedback

This project is a living repository, and contributions from the community are welcome! If you have suggestions, additions, or improvements, please feel free to:

• Submit new documentation or refinements via pull requests.
• Provide feedback on existing content.
• Share best practices and real-world applications.

Given the vast scope of SOC operations, there may be gaps or missing elements, and I encourage collaboration to continuously evolve this resource.

Conclusion

OSSOCDOCS exists to standardize and improve SOC documentation, making it more accessible, structured, and practical for security professionals worldwide. With transparent, well-documented processes, SOC teams can operate efficiently, respond effectively, and continuously improve their security posture.

Let’s build a stronger, more resilient cybersecurity community—one document at a time.