Monitoring Center

Information security services

Information security for businesses and organizations

Monitoring Center provides monitoring and incident response, information security audit, technical security assessment and professional training services.

To define the scope of work, we first discuss your requirements and their boundaries: which events, processes, systems or team skills need attention. We then propose a suitable engagement format.

Information security services

Choose the area that matches your requirements. The scope of work and the boundaries of the engagement are defined after discussing your specific situation.

  • SOC, monitoring and response

    For organizations that need to establish how information security events are handled and to agree on actions during incidents. Monitoring helps detect signs of attacks; response refers to actions taken on an identified incident.

    • Event analysis, initial review (triage) and incident investigation.
    • Response and coordination between participants under agreed procedures.
    • Analytics and service reporting within the selected scope of work.

    When discussing the service, it is important to define the monitoring perimeter, the investigation tasks and the boundaries of involvement in response. This helps separate what to expect from event monitoring and what to expect from incident actions.

    More about SOC and incident response

  • Information security audit

    This area helps assess how information security is organized: which risks are taken into account, how processes are structured and which organizational and technical measures are applied. Such an assessment is needed to identify areas of non-conformity and priorities for further work.

    • Assessment of risks, processes and applicable security measures.
    • Assessment of the information security management system (ISMS), GAP assessment and internal audit.
    • Depending on the scope of work: a report, recommendations, priorities and an improvement roadmap.

    The assessment scope and the criteria applied are agreed for each specific task. The materials provided depend on the selected scope of work.

  • Technical security

    For reviewing configurations, vulnerabilities and technical security measures. Different types of work answer different questions: where configuration weaknesses exist, which vulnerabilities need attention and what needs to be verified after changes.

    • Configuration review — checking the settings of operating systems, network equipment, database management systems (DBMS) and cloud infrastructure.
    • Configuration hardening — changing settings to strengthen protection.
    • Vulnerability assessment — identifying technical weaknesses within the agreed perimeter.
    • Penetration testing — testing whether vulnerabilities can be exploited within authorized boundaries.
    • Retesting — assessing the state after remediation, if included in the scope of work.

    When choosing the scope of work, it is important to distinguish between assessment, configuration changes and retesting. The list is agreed for each specific task.

  • Training and development

    Training for SOC, information security and IT specialists, as well as for an organization’s staff. Topics are chosen according to the participants’ work: incident analysis, risk assessment, applying technical measures or handling information securely.

    • SOC and response: triage, incident investigation, threat hunting, digital forensics and incident response (DFIR).
    • Security management and audit: risks, processes and internal audit.
    • Technical security: networks, operating systems, hardening, vulnerabilities and cloud infrastructure.
    • Cyber hygiene: phishing, passwords, data and security culture.

    The program format and level of difficulty are determined by the participants’ roles and the organization’s goals.

SOC and incident response

An information security event needs to be analyzed before it can become grounds for incident actions. An organization needs to understand which events are considered, how initial review and investigation are connected, and within what boundaries response is carried out.

How the concepts relate: from an event to incident actions

From event to investigation

Monitoring involves observing events and detecting signs of attacks. Analysis helps assess whether the detected signs may indicate an incident. Triage is the initial review and assessment of an event’s significance: it helps determine what requires further investigation. Investigation involves examining the signs and circumstances of an incident.

Response and coordination

Response covers actions on an incident within agreed procedures. When choosing a service, it is important to define the boundaries of the provider’s involvement and how it interacts with the organization. Having monitoring in place does not in itself determine which response actions are included.

Technology, analytics and reporting

Depending on the task, the work may include analysis of events in SIEM/XDR. The use of these technologies and the list of events considered depend on the agreed perimeter. Analytics and service reporting complement work on individual incidents; their content and format are discussed for the specific service.

When defining the scope of work, it helps to discuss separately:

  • which event sources are relevant to the task;
  • which analysis, investigation and response functions are needed;
  • what coordination and reporting the organization requires.

Expertise and methods

The assessment method is chosen according to the object and the question that needs an answer: system settings, measures in place, management processes or application security.

  • CIS Benchmarks

    Reference configurations for assessing the settings of operating systems, network equipment, DBMS and cloud infrastructure.

  • CIS Controls

    A reference for prioritizing organizational and technical measures: the subject of assessment is the security measures in place and their role in the organization’s objectives.

  • NIST CSF / SP 800-53

    Approaches to risk management and to assessing processes and controls. The choice of approach depends on the subject of assessment.

  • OWASP

    Practices for secure development and testing of web applications and APIs. The focus here is on the security of the application and its interfaces.

  • GAP assessment and ISMS assessment

    Reviewing the current state of processes and measures against selected criteria; identifying areas that require further work.

Specific criteria and the scope of the methods are defined by the task and the assessment perimeter.

How we get started

To define the scope of work, we clarify your requirements, their boundaries and a possible engagement format step by step.

  1. We discuss your requirements. We clarify what the organization wants to assess, understand or organize: incident handling, the state of processes and security measures, technical security or training. This helps choose the direction of the discussion and set priorities.

  2. We define the perimeter. We discuss which systems, processes or groups of participants are relevant to the task. We clarify the boundaries to separate the required scope of assessment or training from adjacent issues.

  3. We propose a work format. Based on the requirements and the perimeter, we discuss a possible scope of work and how we will interact. For technical assessment, audit, monitoring and training, it depends on the chosen area.

About the company

Monitoring Center LLP works in the field of information security.

Let’s discuss your requirements

A general description is enough for a first discussion. Tell us what your organization needs and which area you are considering. If possible, outline the approximate perimeter: for example, information security processes, system configurations or participant roles. This will help us start discussing the scope of work.

Discuss your requirementsms@monitoringcenter.kz