Threat Vector by Palo Alto Networks Designing Human-Centered Security Operations
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Aug 14, 2025 Liz Pinder, a Systems Engineer Specialist at Palo Alto Networks, and Patrick Bayle, a SecOps Consulting Manager with nearly two decades in cybersecurity, dive deep into the challenges faced by Security Operations Centers (SOCs). They discuss the detrimental effects of context switching on analyst productivity and mental health. The pair explores the critical role of automation in enhancing incident response and the need for collaboration through innovative validation practices. Their insights offer invaluable strategies for modernizing SOC workflows and alleviating cognitive overload.
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Context Switching Drives High MTTR
- Context switching in SOCs multiplies cognitive load and raises MTTR.
- Analysts lose deep "maker" time when toggling dozens of tools and alerts.
From Geochemistry To SOC Automation
- Liz Pinder moved from geochemistry and distilling into cybersecurity after a major ransomware event.
- She learned automation in a SOC and used scientific thinking to solve detection problems.
Tool Sprawl Causes Swivel-Chair Workflows
- Legacy SOCs accumulated point tools organically, causing costly "swivel-chair" workflows.
- Tool proliferation increases context switching and reduces analyst productivity.