SOC-CMM can help with regulatory compliance. Find out the relationship between certification, SOC governance and compliance with standards!
Published on 03/20/2025
Written by Anna Perigo
Read in 12 minutes
With the enactment of regulations focused on information security, many companies must structure and prove the maturity of their security processes. In this context, the role of Security Operations Centers (SOCs) goes beyond simple detection and incident response. To meet these standards, SOCs need to ensure governance, standardization, and efficiency.
Cybersecurity is one of the main pillars for operational continuity and the success of organizations. It is in this scenario that SOC-CMM (Security Operations Center Capability Maturity Model) emerges as a strategic tool.
SOC-CMM is more than just a maturity assessment model. From it, processes, policies, and controls are structured that directly connect with compliance requirements. This includes standards such as the Network and Information Security (NIS2) Directive, the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), and global frameworks like ISO 27001.
Throughout this article, we will explore how SOC-CMM strengthens SOC governance and facilitates regulatory compliance. See below how the model adds value for organizations seeking operational excellence and compliance in a challenging regulatory environment!
The main advantage of SOC-CMM is that it is not limited to being a maturity assessment tool: it is a compliance facilitator. The model integrates processes and controls that align SOCs with regulations in a practical way.
SOC-CMM is designed to ensure that SOCs have their operations optimized and adaptable to the dynamic risks of the cyber environment. Therefore, the model provides a structured approach to governance, a critical element for some regulations.
SOC governance within SOC-CMM is addressed in depth in the Business domain. The model requires the documentation of the governance process, the clear definition of responsibilities, and the application of metrics and internal audits. These controls not only ensure transparency in SOC operations but also facilitate adaptation to new regulatory requirements.
Although SOC-CMM is often seen as an assessment tool, its true strength lies in SOC empowerment. It enables centers to operate efficiently within a compliance framework. The model facilitates adaptation to regulatory changes, promoting a culture of continuous improvement and senior management accountability. Compliance is not just a matter of avoiding fines but of strengthening the security posture and building market confidence.
NIS2 establishes a set of rigorous requirements to ensure the cybersecurity of essential and important entities in the European Union. Among the requirements, the management of cyber risks, continuous monitoring, and notification of incidents within specific deadlines stand out.
SOC-CMM plays a fundamental role in facilitating compliance with these standards, providing a clear and effective structure for each of these aspects. Learn more below!
NIS2 requires organizations to adopt robust cyber risk management and perform continuous threat monitoring. SOC-CMM, in turn, incorporates these requirements in a structured way, within the Process domain.
In this domain, the model offers clear guidelines on the implementation of monitoring and incident management processes. Furthermore, there are standards on the use of tools to ensure that risks are identified and mitigated in a timely manner.
In SOC-CMM, there is the application of performance metrics and the use of internal audits. These factors ensure that the SOC is not only compliant with NIS2 requirements but also has the operational efficiency necessary to respond quickly to incidents.
NIS2 requires organizations to notify serious incidents within 24 hours and provide a complete report within 72 hours. SOC-CMM structures incident response with clear controls and processes, as established in the Services domain. This includes everything from incident identification to communication with stakeholders and authorities, ensuring that the SOC is prepared to meet the deadlines set by the directive.
In addition, SOC-CMM promotes continuous auditing and effectiveness evaluation of these processes. This ensures that compliance controls are not only implemented but also maintained over time.
DORA requires European financial institutions to adopt rigorous measures to ensure operational resilience, with a specific focus on cybersecurity and incident management. To meet these requirements, SOC-CMM Risk-driven offers a robust and adaptable framework, ideal for SOCs that need to align their operations with the demands of the regulation.
DORA requires an incident management process that goes beyond detection and addresses structured response and recovery. SOC-CMM provides clear guidelines for incident management, with prioritization and response controls that ensure SOCs can act in an agile and efficient manner. With its continuous audits, it facilitates that incident response is always efficient and aligned with the needs of the regulation.
SOC-CMM Risk-Driven places risk management at the center of its operations. This approach allows the SOC to quickly adapt to the threat landscape, using risk information to prioritize activities and detect incidents more accurately. Automation, a key point of the model, increases efficiency, making SOC operations more agile and capable of dealing with the increased complexity required by DORA.
Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) plays a fundamental role in SOC-CMM, especially at the Risk-Driven level. In it, the model integrates CTI data to improve threat detection and adjust incident response. This allows SOCs to anticipate attacks and adjust their operations in real-time, a central requirement of DORA, which requires financial institutions to have the ability to identify and mitigate cyber risks continuously and effectively.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was established to guarantee the protection of personal data within the European Union, but its impact goes beyond European borders. Organizations around the world that process data from European citizens must comply with its requirements. Among the law’s obligations are transparency about how this data is used and security measures to prevent violations.
The integration of SOC-CMM with GDPR, as with NIS2 and DORA, is crucial for regulatory compliance. Furthermore, it improves operational efficiency and risk management. With a focus on governance and security processes, the model offers a robust structure for SOCs to categorically respond to incidents, especially those involving personal data.
Regarding data processing, GDPR requires organizations to adopt adequate technical and organizational measures for protection. SOC-CMM facilitates this by integrating security metrics and internal audits.
Regarding incident response, GDPR sets strict deadlines for notifying security incidents. In case of data breaches, companies must inform the authorities within 72 hours of detection.
As we mentioned earlier, SOC-CMM establishes controls to ensure that the SOC has well-defined procedures for incident response. This includes timely notification of breaches, as required by the regulation.
One of the GDPR requirements is the Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA). The standard requires organizations to perform this analysis before carrying out operations that may affect personal data.
And how does SOC-CMM help in this process? From its clear model for identifying, assessing, and mitigating cyber risks, especially in relation to personal data.
Compliance with GDPR requires organizations to maintain detailed records of all personal data processing activities. And SOC-CMM reinforces the need for transparency and documentation!
The model requires SOCs to document their security processes, including internal audits and incident records. This helps ensure that GDPR compliance is proven clearly and structurally.
The integration of SOC-CMM with GDPR allows SOCs, in addition to meeting the requirements of the regulation, to establish a solid foundation for the protection of personal data.
The General Data Protection Law (LGPD) is the Brazilian legislation that establishes rules on the collection, use, storage, and sharing of personal data. Although it was inspired by GDPR, the law has specificities adapted to the Brazilian reality, requiring companies, regardless of their size, to adopt rigorous personal data protection measures.
The integration of SOC-CMM with LGPD is similar to that of GDPR: it goes beyond meeting compliance requirements. It provides a basis for strengthening organizations’ security posture, ensuring efficient data management and incident protection.
A risk assessment associated with the processing of personal data is also required by the LGPD. And, as we discussed earlier, SOC-CMM helps structure processes to mitigate the possibilities of cyber breaches and ensure compliance.
The model facilitates the implementation of internal controls, such as regular audits and continuous monitoring, right? Well, these are essential to maintain compliance with the LGPD.
Furthermore, the structured strategy for documenting security processes and incident records of SOC-CMM is fundamental for Brazilian law. This is because it is a requirement of the LGPD to ensure that actions taken can be audited and transparent.
Both the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0 and ISO 27001 are frameworks widely adopted for cybersecurity management and risk management. NIST CSF 2.0 focuses on providing a structured approach to operational resilience and cyber risk management.
ISO 27001, on the other hand, establishes an information security management system, with a focus on protecting sensitive data and implementing information security controls. Although they have different focuses, both frameworks complement each other and can be applied simultaneously to create a robust and resilient security posture.
SOC-CMM Risk-Driven directly complements NIST CSF 2.0, providing an operational maturity model for SOCs. While NIST focuses on cyber risk management broadly, SOC-CMM offers a practical and structured strategy to continuously improve the operational efficiency of SOCs.
On the other hand, ISO 27001 is an international reference for information security management and complements SOC-CMM by providing the necessary structure to comprehensively implement security controls. SOC-CMM details how to manage and improve SOC processes, ensuring that operational security meets ISO 27001 requirements.
The combination of SOC-CMM, NIST CSF 2.0, and ISO 27001 offers a comprehensive and robust approach to ensure cybersecurity and regulatory compliance. By integrating these frameworks, organizations can ensure that their SOC processes meet the required security standards. And more: that they operate efficiently, agilely, and adaptably to continuous changes and threats in the cyber environment.
Implementing SOC-CMM offers practical benefits for organizations seeking to improve their security posture and meet regulatory requirements. The model helps in complying with national and international standards and frameworks. Furthermore, it enhances the operational efficiency of SOCs, promoting a more agile operation capable of responding quickly to incidents.
The main advantage of adopting SOC-CMM is the reduction of gaps in security processes, which is essential to meet regulatory requirements. The model offers a clear structure for cyber risk management, which allows SOCs to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities.
By adopting SOC-CMM, SOCs improve operational efficiency through the automation of critical processes and the implementation of performance metrics. This results in faster responses to incidents, in addition to providing continuous monitoring that ensures the constant protection of data and systems.
SOC-CMM also ensures greater transparency in SOC operations, with the implementation of internal audits and process documentation, which facilitates the traceability of activities. Furthermore, the model ensures that the organization is always ready for external audits, making compliance not just an objective but a part of the operational routine.
SOC-CMM promotes a culture of continuous improvement in the SOC. This means that processes are not static. On the contrary, they are regularly evaluated and improved. This ensures that the organization can adapt efficiently to changes in regulations and to the dynamic landscape of cyber threats.
By implementing SOC-CMM and demonstrating compliance with demanding regulations, companies increase their credibility in the market. SOC-CMM certification is globally recognized, showing stakeholders and customers that the organization is committed to cybersecurity and regulatory compliance.
Did you know that iT.eam is the first company in the world certified in SOC-CMM? We achieved certification at its highest level: Risk-driven.
Furthermore, we are the first technology company in Brazil to achieve ISO 27001 and ISO 27701 certifications. From Security Operations Center and international standards, we understand. Discover the leadership in cybersecurity of iT.eam’s Next Generation SOC!
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