5 Signs it's Time to Ditch Your SOAR Platform

When you’re part of a security team, complacency can be as dangerous as the threats you battle. A SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response) platform should help you to  streamline and strengthen your security. But when it doesn’t deliver the capabilities you thought it would, or fails to evolve as quickly as the threats it’s designed to combat, it becomes a weak link with potentially critical consequences.

That’s why it’s so important to regularly evaluate your SOAR platform. Signs of underperformance or misalignment with your security strategy aren’t just red flags; they're sirens calling for immediate action. But what should you look for? What are the issues or gaps that go beyond just being nice-to-have, and fall into becoming genuine risks?

Here are five unmistakable indicators that it’s time to upgrade your security operations by ditching your current SOAR platform.

1. Your security team is always playing catch-up

A proactive stance in cybersecurity is non-negotiable. If your team always seems to be reacting to threats after they've occurred, it's a clear indication that your SOAR platform isn't pulling its weight. Automation should empower your team to anticipate and respond to potential threats as soon as they materialize, not leave them dealing with the aftermath.

In an environment where threats evolve daily, having a tool that can't help you automate tasks to stop new kinds of attacks means you're always a step behind. When your security measures are predictable, breach strategies are easy to form. Your security automation platform should be make it easy to build new automations quickly, as well as adjust workflows as needed. What does that look like in real life? With a security automation copilot like Blink, automated workflows can be generated in seconds.

A truly effective platform enables your team to shift from time-consuming, manual processes to automated, strategic, proactive operations. This not only speeds up response times but also allows for more focus on refining security protocols and engaging in proactive threat hunting. If your team is bogged down with alerts and can’t prioritize or strategize effectively, it's a glaring sign that your SOAR solution is lacking.

Key Point: A platform that limits your team to a reactive role is a platform that's holding you back.

2. You struggle with scalability in your automation

The best SOAR platforms will grow with you as your needs evolve. If expanding your automation capabilities feels like wading through mud, then your platform lacks scalability. Complex coding requirements and time-consuming processes to build new automations are major red flags.

True scalability is about enhancing your team's ability to respond with precision and speed. As your organization grows, so does the sophistication of the threats you face. When the creation of new automations requires extensive coding or when the system's architecture can't support the rapid deployment of new solutions, you're not just facing a technical shortfall; you're at a strategic disadvantage.

Your SOAR platform should offer a level of customization that fits your team's unique needs and integrates seamlessly with your existing tech stack. It should serve as a powerful lever for automating and scaling your security operations rapidly and easily. 

If your platform is causing more headaches than it's solving due to its inflexibility or incompatibility, or becoming a bottleneck that’s stifling innovation and agility, it's a clear sign that it's not the right fit for your organization.

Key Point: Your SOAR platform should make automation easier, not harder.

3. Inadequate integration capabilities are creating silos

Your SOAR platform must play well with others. Limited integration capabilities create unnecessary barriers and will weaken your security posture. If integrating your SOAR with your existing tech stack is a challenge, you're not leveraging the full potential of your security investments.

You also need to look closely at the breadth and depth of those integrations. Your security environment is a complex network of tools and applications, from endpoint protection to SIEM systems. Your SOAR platform should be the central nervous system that connects and automates these tools, not an isolated entity that sits on the fringes.

A SOAR platform with limited integrations forces your team to context switch between tools, taking away opportunities for strategic work and slowing down response times. You need a cohesive, unified automation strategy that leverages the strengths of each component in your security stack. If your platform can't integrate with the latest tools, adapt to new technologies, or automate across systems, your security position is on shaky ground.

Key Point: A platform that can't seamlessly integrate is more of a blockade than a bridge.

4. You have high maintenance costs that you can’t get down

While the actual monetary cost of a SOAR platform is important, you also need to understand the ongoing costs of maintenance, developer support, and professional services. Often, these are the unseen iceberg below the surface and can quickly add up. 

What does that iceberg usually look like? A platform that needs constant developer intervention for routine tasks. Or one that relies heavily on external professional services for basic functionality. Or one that continually demands time and effort from your security team to manage and troubleshoot issues. Or – as is so often the case – all of the above.

The opportunity cost of sticking with a high-maintenance platform is huge. The resources being spent on managing the platform should be invested in strategic, proactive security initiatives instead.

If you find the ROI of your SOAR platform diminishing – if the costs of keeping the platform running are spiraling – it's time to look elsewhere.

Key Point: A cost-effective SOAR solution is one that doesn’t bleed your internal resources dry.

5. You battle with a less than stellar user experience

If your team has to struggle their way through a cumbersome interface, or if strong support and regular releases are lacking, your SOAR platform is falling short of its purpose.

The user experience of a SOAR platform is critical to its adoption and effectiveness. A platform that’s intuitive and easy to use (like a security automation copilot) will reduce the learning curve, enabling your team to put its full capabilities to work more quickly. A complex, unintuitive interface will slow down adoption and lead to underutilization (and, ultimately, diminished security posture). Updates and new features are also part of the user experience. A platform that’s slow to introduce improvements or adapt to new threats can leave your team playing catch-up.

Having access to timely, knowledgeable support is also non-negotiable. Whether it's troubleshooting an issue or getting advice on best practices, the support provided by your SOAR platform can make a significant difference in how effectively your team responds to threats.

Slow rollouts of new features or updates, poor support, or promises on capability that aren’t delivered on, all combine to leave your team at a serious disadvantage.

Key Point: The best platforms combine powerful capabilities with a user-friendly interface and stellar support. Your SOAR platform should be an enabler, not an obstacle.

Time to make a change? Here’s how.

The ideal SOAR solution will empower your team, streamline your operations, and seamlessly integrate with your tech ecosystem, all while being cost-effective and user-friendly. If any of these five warning signs exist in your current setup, it’s time to make a change in your security operations. The risks of complacency and moving slowly are just too high.

But it’s important you do this in the most intentional, well-informed way possible. The best next step is to download our Security Automation Buyer’s Guide. It will take you, step by step, through the process of identifying what you’re missing, what you need, and how to find it.

Take action: download your free guide now.