Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)

Introduction

• SIEM combines security information management (SIM) and security event management (SEM)

• aggregating and analyzing event data from various sources like applications, endpoints, firewalls, and networks.

• assists in quick identification of cyber threats through real-time threat monitoring and alerting capabilities.

source: Security Information and Event Management [1.]

Core Functions

source: Security Information and Event Management [6.]

Data Correlation and Analysis

• Reactive Nature: Traditional SIEM systems focused on reactive logging and event management.

• Proactive Shift: Recent trends show a shift towards more proactive measures, integrating new threat data for better issue identification.

• AI Integration: Adoption of AI tools in SIEM systems helps narrow alert windows and automate security responses, moving from reactive to proactive responses.

source: Security Information and Event Management [3.]

Event Log Management

• Essential Component: Involves collection, normalization, and analysis of log data for network visibility and detecting security incidents.

• Evolution and Challenges: Modern SIEM solutions are evolving to address dynamic cybersecurity challenges, with an emphasis on cloud-based solutions for flexibility.

• Combining with SOAR: Integration with SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response) tools extends the usability of SIEM tools, though they remain fundamentally reactive.

source: Security Information and Event Management [4.]

source: Security Information and Event Management [3.]

Monitoring and Alerting

• Real-Time Monitoring: SIEM is crucial for real-time monitoring and alerting in cloud and on-premise infrastructures.

• Automation and AI: Increasing use of AI and automation in SIEM and SOAR tools to save time and improve efficiency in threat response.

• Cloud Migration: There is a growing trend to move SIEM and SOAR solutions to the cloud to support scalable resources and enhance automation capabilities.

source: Security Information and Event Management [4.], Security Information and Event Management [3.]

Key Capabilities

• Threat Analytics

  • SIEM systems are evolving to address complex security threats, although they primarily focus on logging and event management

• Cloud Security

  • The advancement of cloud-based SIEM solutions since 2020 reflects the need for fast, flexible, and customizable security solutions

• Integrated Compliance

  • assists in regulatory compliance by continuously collecting and reporting network data in real-time

• User Behavior Analytics (UBA)

  • The integration of new threat data in SIEM systems aids in detecting potential phishing efforts and identifying compromise points, aligning with the user behavior analytics approach.

• Alerting

• Incident Response

  • Combining SIEM with SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response) extends the usability of these tools. However, even this combination is reactive rather than proactive, indicating a need for solutions that fill these gaps, such as extended detection and response (XDR).

source: Security Information and Event Management [3.], Security Information and Event Management [5.]

Benefits

• Rapid Detection and Response

  • shortens the time required to detect and identify threats

• Forensic Analysis

  • forensic investigation by providing detailed logs and historical data

• Diverse Applications

  • SIEM can be used for operations support, troubleshooting, and other activities revolving around data or historical logs

source: Security Information and Event Management [5.]

Challenges in Implementing SIEM

• Requirement of integration with other solutions

• Extensive oversight and control needed from security experts

• Initial and ongoing costs

• Difficulty in differentiating between regular activities and incidents.

source: Security Information and Event Management [5.]

Solution Comparison

SIEM Solution	Best For	Key Features	Deployment Options	Pricing
Splunk Enterprise Security	IT Observability	Risk classification, threat intelligence, flexible deployment	Various	Starting at $150/month for 1GB data/day
IBM Security QRadar SIEM	Global Reach, Large Enterprises	AI and UBA integration, compliance resources, extensive integrations	On-premises/Cloud	Community: Free; Software: ~$320/month; SaaS: ~$2,340/month
Securonix Unified Defense SIEM	Future-Looking Vision	Cloud-native platform, integrated SOAR, long-term search capabilities	Cloud, On-premises, Hybrid	Contact for pricing; SaaS available
Exabeam Fusion	Log Storage and Searchability	UEBA for insider threats, smart timelines, full indexing for log ingestion	SaaS cloud offering	Contact for pricing; SaaS available
LogRhythm SIEM Platform	On-Premises SIEM	Advanced analytics, prebuilt playbooks, threat detection	On-premises	Starts under $30,000
ManageEngine Log360	Small Businesses	Automated security scanning, compliance auditing, threat intelligence feed	Windows Server environments	Contact for pricing
Datadog Security Monitoring	Customization	Real-time security monitoring, log management, 600+ integrations	Cloud-native	14-day free trial
Logpoint SIEM	-	AI-driven anomaly detection, UEBA, integrated SOAR	Linux, AWS, SaaS	-
SolarWinds Security Event Manager	Log Aggregation	Wide range of log management features	-	-

source: Security Information and Event Management [2.]

References

Security Information and Event Management

1. https://www.selecthub.com/siem/siem/

2. https://www.esecurityplanet.com/products/siem-tools/#:~:text=,Premises

3. https://securityintelligence.com/articles/soar-and-siem-in-2023-key-trends-and-new-changes/

4. https://www.manageengine.com/log-management/siem/siem-functions.html

5. https://www.itsasap.com/blog/pros-cons-siem

6. img: https://securityintelligence.com/wp-content/webp-express/webp-images/doc-root/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/[e-mail]