It’s Time to Give SOC Analysts the Recognition They Deserve at SOC Analyst Appreciation Day 2024

SOC analysts are too often overworked and underappreciated, leading to burnout and turnover. Beyond analysts’ mental health, high rates of burnout have consequences on organizations’ security: 83% of IT professionals say that burnout has led to breaches. 

To pay some long-overdue kudos to SOC analysts and encourage organizations to improve their job satisfaction and mental well-being, Devo is hosting the fourth annual SOC Analyst Appreciation Day™ (SAAD) on Wednesday, October 16. 

What’s On the Agenda For This Year’s Event?  

This year’s program includes presentations and discussions from some of the InfoSec community’s most prolific thought leaders. Sessions will cover everything from real-life incident response scenarios, global SOC collaboration, managing mental well-being, and more. 

Here’s an overview of this year’s line-up: 

Incident Response Deep Dive with John Hammond

• John Hammond, principal security researcher at Huntress and content creator, will examine the ConnectWise ScreenConnect exploitation from earlier this year. John will walk through the entire timeline, from discovery to remediation. 

SOC Around the World: Global SOC Perspectives

• Cybersecurity is a global industry, so what can we learn from our SOC peers around the world, and how is SOC work different (or similar) based on where you’re located? A panel of SOC leaders, moderated by Metisha Harper, security detection & response engineer for Postman, will discuss the universal SOC best practices and how a global team can come together to stop the bad guys. Panelists include:
  • Erica Sunseri-Smith, Director of Security Operations for CyberMaxx
  • Mitchell Mellard, Threat Intelligence Analyst for Talion
  • Weranga Kumaradasa, Head of SOCaaS for Ensign Infosecurity

Stopping Cyber Burnout: How to Manage Your Mental Health 

• Peter Coroneos, the founder and executive chairman of Cybermindz, will share information on how to take a neuroscience-based approach to tackle the root causes of fear, anxiety, and burnout in cyber. Cybermindz is a not-for-profit organization focused on delivering cyber-informed, mental resilience services that boost team morale, effectiveness, and retention.

Success Secrets from Security Leaders

• Professional development and career growth aren’t always easy to navigate, especially in a complex field like cyber. A panel of modern-day security leaders, moderated by Dave Bittner, podcast host at The CyberWire, will discuss how they rose through the ranks, their POVs on the skills that are most important for security professionals to possess, and more. Panelists include:
  • Josh Copeland, Director of Managed Security Services for Quadrant Information Security
  • Kathy Harp, IT Director for Avnet
  • Kyle Dickinson, Senior Security SA, TDIR for AWS
  • Simon Pope, Senior Director, Cyber Fusion Center for GEICO

Break Into and Excel in Cyber

• It’s time to take control of your cybersecurity career. Caitlin Sarian, also known as Cybersecurity Girl, will share how to break into cybersecurity, identify the area of cyber that’s best for you, the skills and certifications needed for each area, what a day-in-the-life looks like, and how to continue to excel and grow as a cybersecurity professional over the long term. 

In-House, Hybrid, Or Outsourced? Picking a SOC Model That’s Right for Your Organization

• Facing resource constraints, many organizations are considering outsourcing some or all of their SOC responsibilities to enable their in-house staff to focus on other critical activities. How do you know which SOC model is right for you? And how can you identify the right security services partner? Cris Hamilton, SOC executive leader for DeepSeas, and Kayla Williams, CISO of Devo, will discuss the pros and cons of each strategy and share a decision-making framework for outsourcing security operations.

Operationalizing Threat Research: From Intelligence to Action

• How do security research and threat intel go hand-in-hand? Security researchers at Recorded Future will share what a typical day in the role looks like, how they identify and classify threats, and how they leverage and share this information internally and externally. Panelists include:
  • Richard LaTulip, Field CISO
  • Will Cunha, Director, Enterprise Security 
  • Jim Wolfe, Principal Security Architect 

The AI Dilemma: Building Resilience or Inviting Security Vulnerabilities? 

• AI is poised to revolutionize how we approach security operations. But as it reshapes how we think about productivity and speed, security teams face a pivotal question: Can I trust AI within my security program, or will it expose new vulnerabilities? Ron Eddings, founder and executive producer at Hacker Valley Media, will share firsthand experiences building security automation within the SOC and areas where AI can assist in maximizing efficiency and resiliency. 

Celebrate Your SOC Analysts

The SAAD virtual event is a great opportunity to bring your SOC team togetherand show them how vital they are to your organization. 

• Show your appreciation.
  • Acknowledgement goes a long way. A simple ‘thank you,’ whether in-person or in a personal email, can make the difference between feeling taken for granted versus feeling appreciated. Take the time to recognize that keeping up with today’s threats is a monumental task, and that your SOC analysts’ work is making a difference for the organization.
• Send a SOC E-card.
  • There’s nothing like a good laugh to brighten your day. Give your SOC analysts something to chuckle about with our e-cards. 
• Throw a SOC party.
  • Tune in to SAAD together over a pizza, or send out some party favors to show your SOC team some love. Taking the time to celebrate their hard work is an important part of making analysts feel recognized and valued. 

Join Us for SOC Analyst Appreciation Day 2024!

Register today and join us on Wednesday, October 16 for a day of thought-provoking and insightful discussions, the announcement of the 2024 SOC Analyst Appreciation Award winners, and more. You don’t want to miss it!

Register for SAAD 2024