Legacy SOAR vs. next-gen SOAR: Understanding the differences

This article is based on the Tines report, "The Essential SOAR Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Right Platform for Your Security Team."

Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) platforms have long been a cornerstone of cybersecurity operations. However, as threats evolve and security teams face growing pressure to do more with limited resources, traditional SOAR solutions are proving inadequate.

Legacy SOAR platforms often suffer from complex implementation, rigid workflows, and limited automation capabilities.

In contrast, next-generation SOAR (next-gen SOAR) platforms redefine security automation by incorporating AI, seamless integrations, and user-friendly automation tools.

Shortcomings of legacy SOAR

Traditional SOAR solutions were designed primarily to connect existing security tools, but they have limitations that hinder modern security teams:

High complexity: Implementing and maintaining legacy SOAR platforms requires extensive engineering resources, making them difficult to scale.

Manual workflow creation: Many legacy SOAR tools demand significant coding knowledge, making workflow automation inaccessible to non-technical security personnel.

Limited integrations: Legacy platforms often rely on rigid, pre-built integrations, which can make it difficult to adapt to new security tools and environments.

Slow time to value: Deploying a traditional SOAR solution can take weeks or even months before organizations see a return on investment.

Static workflows: These systems often depend on predefined workflows that do not adapt dynamically to real-time security events.

Rise of next-gen SOAR

Next-gen SOAR solutions address these limitations by offering a more flexible, intuitive, and efficient approach to security automation. Key advantages include:

AI-powered automation: By integrating AI and machine learning, next-gen SOAR platforms can analyze threats, recommend actions, and automate response workflows with greater intelligence.

No-code/low-code accessibility: Unlike legacy systems that require coding expertise, next-gen platforms provide user-friendly interfaces that allow security teams to build and modify workflows without engineering support.

Seamless integrations: API-driven architectures enable easy connections with a vast range of security tools, ensuring adaptability to evolving cybersecurity needs.

Cloud-native scalability: Many next-gen SOAR solutions are designed to function in cloud environments, offering enhanced flexibility and performance.

Real-time response and adaptation: Instead of static, predefined workflows, these platforms dynamically adjust based on the evolving security landscape.

Case study: One company's transition to next-gen SOAR

One Tines customer, a cybersecurity service provider, had initially relied on a legacy SOAR platform but encountered multiple challenges, including performance issues, limited integrations, and inadequate support. The rigid structure of their previous SOAR solution drained resources and delayed automation initiatives.

After switching to Tines, a next-gen SOAR provider, the company experienced transformative improvements:

95% reduction in phishing analysis time

98% reduction in threat-hunting time

Significantly improved workflow efficiency

Elimination of previous performance bottlenecks

By adopting a more agile and flexible SOAR solution, the company was able to optimize security operations and enhance customer service without increasing operational costs.

Why organizations are moving to next-gen SOAR

As cybersecurity threats grow more sophisticated, security teams need SOAR solutions that enable rapid, intelligent, and scalable responses. Organizations considering a SOAR platform should prioritize:

Rapid deployment and ease of use

Scalable and flexible integration capabilities

AI-enhanced automation for faster decision-making

Transparent pricing and predictable costs

The shift from legacy to next-gen SOAR is not just a trend—it is a necessity for security teams looking to stay ahead of evolving threats while improving operational efficiency.

In an era where speed and adaptability define cybersecurity success, embracing a next-generation SOAR platform is the key to building a resilient security operation.