Many scenarios that teams encounter in a security operations center (SOC) eventually resurface, like waves returning to shore. They may look unique, but the underlying patterns are the same. SOC playbooks, which are stepby-step instructions tied to incident categories, are labor-saving tools that help you address these scenarios. A playbook gives analysts a clear path forward under time and pressure constraints. It shouldn’t be confused, however, with an incident response (IR) plan, which is the blueprint that defines an organization’s high-level structure, roles and policies. While the IR plan guides strategy, such as which regulators must be notified after a breach, it lacks the granular, practical direction an analyst requires during an event.