Security Operations & Management

Security Automation & Orchestration

  • May 9, 2025
  • 0

Sherlocked Security – Security Automation & Orchestration

Streamline Security Operations with Intelligent, Automated Response and Coordination

1. Statement of Work (SOW)

Service Name: Security Automation & Orchestration
Client Type: Enterprises, MSSPs, SOCs, Financial Institutions, Healthcare Providers
Service Model: Project-Based Implementation + Retained Support
Compliance Alignment: NIST 800-61, ISO/IEC 27001, CIS CSC v8, MITRE D3FEND

Security Automation & Orchestration Covers:

  • Design and deployment of automated response workflows across the SOC stack
  • Integration of SIEM, EDR, firewall, identity systems, and case management platforms
  • Playbook-based automation for common incident types (e.g., phishing, malware, account abuse)
  • Reduction of Mean Time to Detect (MTTD) and Mean Time to Respond (MTTR)
  • Consistent, repeatable incident response with audit trails
  • Support for SOAR platforms and custom integrations with APIs and scripts

2. Our Approach

[Use Case Scoping] → [Playbook Design] → [System Integration] → [Workflow Automation] → [Testing & QA] → [Deployment] → [Optimization & Training]

3. Methodology

  • Use Case Development

    • Identify high-value incident types that benefit from automation (e.g., endpoint containment, IOC enrichment).

  • Playbook Creation

    • Design logic-driven workflows with branching logic for alerts, ticketing, and remediation.

  • Tool Integration

    • Connect SIEM, EDR, firewalls, email gateways, identity providers, and ticketing systems (e.g., JIRA, ServiceNow).

  • Automation Deployment

    • Implement and deploy automated playbooks using industry-leading SOAR tools or custom scripts.

  • Validation & Testing

    • Simulate incidents to test effectiveness, logic paths, and escalation criteria.

  • Runbook Documentation

    • Develop runbooks to guide analysts when manual intervention is required or automation fails.

  • Metrics & Tuning

    • Measure KPIs (alert volume, response times, false positives) and tune workflows accordingly.

4. Deliverables to the Client

  1. SOAR Playbooks: Documented and implemented automation workflows for key incident types
  2. Integration Blueprints: Technical design for system-to-system integration
  3. Runbooks: Analyst instructions for manual or hybrid response cases
  4. Validation Report: Summary of test scenarios, outcomes, and logic behavior
  5. Tuning Recommendations: Suggestions for improving automation scope and performance
  6. Executive Summary: Business-level summary showing efficiency gains and risk reductions

5. What We Need from You (Client Requirements)

  • System Access: Admin/API access to SIEM, EDR, email, firewall, identity, and case management platforms
  • Use Case List: Incident types that are high-volume or need faster response
  • Incident Response Plan: Existing IR processes or escalation criteria
  • Security Tool Documentation: Architecture and APIs for key platforms
  • Stakeholder Participation: SOC leads, IR team, and IT operations for playbook alignment

6. Tools & Technology Stack

  • SOAR Platforms:

    • Palo Alto Cortex XSOAR, Splunk SOAR, IBM Resilient, Swimlane, Tines

  • Orchestration & Scripting:

    • Python, PowerShell, Bash, Node.js, REST API integrations

  • Ticketing & Case Management:

    • ServiceNow, Jira, TheHive, PagerDuty

  • Threat Intelligence Enrichment:

    • VirusTotal, AbuseIPDB, MISP, Recorded Future

  • SIEM/EDR/Firewall Integration:

    • CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, Defender for Endpoint, QRadar, Fortinet, Palo Alto

7. Engagement Lifecycle

  1. Kickoff & Use Case Prioritization
  2. Playbook & Integration Design
  3. Platform Setup & API Authentication
  4. Workflow Automation Implementation
  5. QA Testing with Simulated Events
  6. Deployment & Monitoring
  7. Analyst Enablement & Training
  8. Ongoing Optimization & Metrics Review

8. Why Sherlocked Security?

Feature Sherlocked Advantage
Full-Spectrum Integration From SIEM to EDR to ticketing systems, we orchestrate your entire stack
Battle-Tested Playbooks Proven logic for phishing, malware, lateral movement, and account abuse
Custom Scripting & APIs Extend SOAR capabilities beyond native integrations
Reduced Analyst Fatigue Minimize alert fatigue through triage, enrichment, and containment steps
Audit-Ready Automation All steps logged and traceable for compliance and incident review

9. Real-World Case Studies

Phishing Response Automation in Financial Institution

Client: Global investment firm
Challenge: SOC overwhelmed by daily phishing alerts
Solution: Implemented SOAR playbooks for automatic email analysis, IOC enrichment, and response
Outcome: Reduced analyst time by 80% per phishing case, with 95% accuracy on auto-remediation

Endpoint Containment via SOAR in Manufacturing

Client: Industrial manufacturer with 30K endpoints
Challenge: Slow response to malware alerts
Solution: Integrated EDR with SOAR to auto-isolate infected hosts, notify users, and create tickets
Outcome: Reduced containment time from 4 hours to under 5 minutes

10. SOP – Standard Operating Procedure

  1. Define High-Priority Use Cases for Automation
  2. Design and Document Playbook Logic
  3. Perform Integration with Key Tools (SIEM, EDR, ITSM)
  4. Develop Automation Scripts/Connectors if Needed
  5. Test Playbooks in Sandbox with Simulated Alerts
  6. Deploy and Monitor Production Workflows
  7. Train Analysts and Provide Runbook Documentation
  8. Review Metrics and Adjust Logic as Needed

11. Readiness Checklist for Security Automation

1. Pre-Implementation

  • [ ] Define high-volume incidents suitable for automation
  • [ ] Identify response workflows and key decision points
  • [ ] Ensure API access and documentation for core tools
  • [ ] Inventory of existing detection and response tools
  • [ ] Clarify escalation thresholds and IR roles

2. During Engagement

  • [ ] Test and validate each automation workflow
  • [ ] Document fallback/manual paths for failures
  • [ ] Configure audit logging and alert thresholds
  • [ ] Conduct stakeholder review for critical playbooks
  • [ ] Collect metrics for performance monitoring

3. Post-Deployment

  • [ ] Validate reduction in response time and analyst workload
  • [ ] Monitor for false positives/negatives and adjust logic
  • [ ] Provide quarterly reviews and optimization cycles
  • [ ] Plan roadmap for expanding use cases
  • [ ] Integrate automation metrics into SOC KPIs
Threat Hunting Programs
Continuous Vendor Monitoring