Overview
Managed Security Services (MSS) is a model in which organizations hand over their cybersecurity operations, partially or entirely, to an expert external Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP). Building your own Security Operations Center (SOC) requires a high upfront investment (SIEM, EDR, monitoring tools), the persistently difficult hiring of security specialists and 24/7 operational continuity, which makes it a hard-to-reach goal for many organizations. MSS makes this capability accessible through a subscription model.
Indexline's MSS portfolio covers 24/7 SOC monitoring, SIEM management, threat hunting, incident response, vulnerability management, penetration testing and compliance reporting. These services are offered on a project basis or as an ongoing subscription and can be tailored to each organization's needs. Reaching the security capacity of a large enterprise with a small team is the core value proposition of MSS.
Modern MSS goes beyond reactive monitoring. Threat hunting means proactive querying and hypothesis testing to detect active attackers before they gain a foothold in the network. Hypotheses based on the MITRE ATT&CK framework enable security analysts to search for hidden threats in the network by targeting known tactics and techniques. This proactive layer is the critical difference that sets security operations apart from the traditional SOC approach limited to alert triage.
The speed and quality of incident response are the most critical factors determining the damage of a security breach. Indexline's incident response team executes the breach detection, scoping, containment, root cause analysis and recovery phases using defined playbooks. After each incident, a "lessons learned" report is prepared, continuously improving the security posture.
How It Works
Connectivity and Integration: Security events from the customer environment are forwarded to the SIEM. EDR, firewalls, network devices and cloud environments are integrated.
Baseline Creation: The environment is learned during the first 30 days. A normal behavior profile is created and critical assets are identified.
Use Case Development: Threat scenarios and correlation rules specific to the customer environment are developed.
24/7 Monitoring: SOC analysts continuously monitor alerts, perform triage and filter out false positives.
Threat Hunting: Monthly proactive threat hunting campaigns are conducted. High-risk behaviors are investigated.
Incident Response: For critical incidents, the incident response team steps in. Containment, eradication and recovery are coordinated.
Reporting: A weekly alert summary, a monthly security posture report and a quarterly threat analysis are delivered.
Key Features
24/7 SOC Monitoring
A three-shift SOC team monitors alerts around the clock. Critical incidents are taken into investigation within 15 minutes on average.
Threat Hunting
Monthly proactive threat hunting campaigns based on MITRE ATT&CK. Silent intrusions are detected at an early stage.
SIEM Management
Indexline takes over SIEM platform management, rule development, fine-tuning and optimization.
Vulnerability Management
Periodic vulnerability scanning, risk scoring and remediation tracking are put in place. CVSS-based prioritization is applied.
Incident Response Coordination
In the event of a security breach, the Indexline IR team steps in immediately. Containment and recovery processes are coordinated.
Compliance Reporting
Security evidence required for ISO 27001, PCI-DSS and KVKK (Turkish Personal Data Protection Law) is collected and reported. Audit readiness is supported.
Threat Intelligence Feeds
Industry-specific and global threat intelligence sources are integrated. Active threat actors targeting the organization are tracked.
Security Metrics Reports
Security metrics such as MTTD, MTTR, alert volume and threat trends are shared through monthly management reports.
Benefits & Advantages
Enterprise-grade security operations capacity is achieved at 3-5% of the cost of building your own SOC team.
24/7 monitoring eliminates the risk of breaches going undetected outside business hours.
The need to hire and retain security specialists disappears; the skills problem is solved.
Proactive threat hunting detects attackers before they cause damage.
Regular security reports provide transparency and compliance evidence for the board of directors.
Incident response capability keeps the organization prepared; the cost of a breach is minimized.
Industry Use Cases
SME / Mid-Market
A 50-person company could not build its own SOC; with MSS, enterprise-grade security operations were delivered cost-effectively.
Finance
A bank supplemented its in-house SOC team with MSS; night-shift and threat hunting capacity were added while keeping cost increases to a minimum.
Healthcare
A hospital chain detected a ransomware attack in its preparation stage through 24/7 security monitoring; a major breach was prevented.
Public Sector
A municipality met its KVKK and cybersecurity obligations with MSS; compliance was achieved within budget constraints.
E-Commerce
A threat hunting campaign was launched ahead of the peak season; an active threat actor's attempt to access the infrastructure was detected and blocked.
Manufacturing
OT/IT security monitoring was unified under MSS; industrial control systems were also brought under 24/7 security coverage.
The Indexline Approach
MSS success depends on the quality of trust and communication between the customer and the MSSP. Weekly status meetings, monthly security reviews and annual strategy sessions turn this relationship into a continuously evolving partnership.
The value of MSS should be measured with meaningful security metrics. Not alert volume but alert quality, improvements in MTTD and MTTR, the number of threats detected and the business impact of prevented incidents are the success criteria of an MSS program.
MSS does not replace your own security team; it strengthens it. The organization should be able to define internal security focal points, take ownership of incident response decisions and manage information sharing with the MSSP. This partnership model produces the most efficient results.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between MSS and an in-house SOC?
Building an in-house SOC requires an initial investment of TRY 5-10 million, hiring 8-15 specialists and technology licenses. MSS delivers this capability through a monthly subscription. MSS starts faster, scales flexibly and removes the challenge of finding talent. However, full control and customization are greater with an in-house SOC.
Which technologies does MSS work with?
We work integrated with your existing SIEM (Splunk, Sentinel, QRadar), EDR (CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, Defender), firewall and network security infrastructure. If your current technology is insufficient, we select the right tools together.
Do we retain authority during incident response?
Response authority boundaries are defined jointly in advance. A RACI matrix sets out which critical actions (account lockout, server isolation) require approval and which are performed automatically. Customized playbooks are prepared for each customer.
How long is an MSS contract?
We recommend a minimum 12-month contract; baseline creation and use case development cover the first quarter of this period. Longer-term contracts allow more comprehensive integration and more favorable pricing.
How is data privacy protected?
Security logs within the scope of MSS are processed on Indexline infrastructure located in Turkey. An NDA, a data processing agreement (DPA) and explicit consent texts under KVKK are part of the contract package. Data is processed solely for security operations purposes.
Is MSS suitable for a small company?
Yes, the value of MSS is often greater for small and mid-sized organizations than for large enterprises. Budget and skills constraints on security investment make these organizations more vulnerable. The scalable package model offers suitable entry points for small organizations as well.
How often is threat hunting performed?
Our standard MSS package includes one threat hunting campaign per month. Each campaign targets a specific MITRE ATT&CK tactic category and involves 3-5 days of intensive analysis. Findings are shared in a report; critical findings are communicated as urgent alerts.
What do we need to prepare to start MSS?
Your basic preparation requirements are the network topology and asset inventory, a list of log sources, existing security tools and license information, a list of critical systems and data, and a communication matrix. The onboarding process guides you in compiling this information.