Security information and event management (SIEM) is defined as a security solution that helps improve security awareness and identify security threats and risks. It collects information from various security devices, monitors and analyzes this information, and presents the results in a manner that is relevant to the enterprise using it. This article explains SIEM in detail and shares practical best practices for 2022.
Table of Contents
What Is Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)?
Security information and event management (SIEM) is a security solution that helps improve security awareness and identify security threats and risks. It collects information from various security devices, monitors and analyzes this information, and then presents the results in a manner that is relevant to the enterprise using it.Â
Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)
SIEM is a combination of security information management (SIM) and security event management (SEM). It alerts organizations about potential attacks, information security incidents, or even compliance issues. SIEM solutions offer real-time monitoring and analysis of events by strengthening threat detection and security incident management through pulling live data and historical security event data.
SIEM’s core functioning includes a range of tracking, logging, collection, and management of security data for compliance or auditing purposes, including operational capabilities such as reporting, data aggregation, security monitoring, and user activity monitoring.
How does SIEM work?
Organizations can utilize SIEM software to monitor, audit, and re-engage with all of the logs that their systems generate, be it applications, devices, or home computers. This will alert them about any security issues before they occur instead of relying on responsive action.
SIEM software helps collect the data generated by various applications, network devices, and security systems such as host systems, networks, firewalls, and antivirus events, to name a few. It then brings all the information together into a single central place.Â
For example, when SIEM identifies a threat, it generates an alert and notifies and flags the attack to appropriate stakeholders. SIEM’s custom dashboards also help reduce the time spent looking into false positives.Â
Why is SIEM important?
It would be an understatement to say that the number of cyberattacks has been massively increasing in recent times, breaching the walls of organizations across the world, invading their privacy, and leaving them defenseless. Security information and event management software are a must-have for any security-conscious business.Â
A perfectly configured SIEM system will react quickly if an abnormal event occurs. It not only monitors activities in a network environment but also analyzes events, alerts users, and takes automated action to detect and respond to cyber security threats and vulnerabilities before they wreak havoc.
SIEM programming works by gathering log and event data created by various applications, security gadgets, and host frameworks and uniting it into a unified platform. SIEM implementations provide unified alerts, advanced full-packet logging capabilities, and intelligent correlation to enhance security operations.
See More: What Is a Firewall? Definition, Key Components, and Best Practices
Understanding the Architecture of Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)
SIEM mainly refers to threat detection, prevention, and management. The goal of a SIEM platform is to provide real-time situational awareness. It enables an organization to detect and respond to attacks in a timely manner.Â
Its architecture plays a crucial role to keep SIEM up and running smoothly. Basically, before SIEM is put into place, enough attention should be paid to its setup and technological aspects.
Let’s understand the core components of the SIEM architecture and gain valuable insights into the functionalities of this system.
Understanding the SIEM Architecture
1. Log managementÂ
SIEM collects data intelligently to provide a broad range of user-friendly information such as employee performance, company financial status, client patterns, and others. This component is responsible for data collection, data management, and looking into previous data retention. As shown in the figure above, SIEM collects both event data as well as contextual data, including data from installed services, devices, network protocols, storage protocols, and streaming protocols.
2. Log normalizationÂ
The figure above also makes it clear that SIEM obtains event and contextual data as an input, for which normalization is critical. What’s important here is that the process of converting event data into the necessary security insights can be done by simply filtering and removing irrelevant or unwanted data from what is collected. Here, the main purpose is to get rid of useless and redundant data and retain only relevant data for future analysis.
3. Sources of logs
To have a clear concept of how logs are being embedded inside the SIEM organization, one must look into the process of collecting, combining, and analyzing internal logs. These logs can be extracted from different systems such as networking applications, security systems, or cloud-based systems. Basically, this component focuses on the sources of data and where it is being transported.Â
4. Hosting & reporting of SIEMÂ
Different models are available for hosting SIEM, such as self-host, cloud-host, and hybrid-host. SIEM identifies and reports irregular or malicious activities on the basis of the available logs.Â
5. Real-time monitoringÂ
Data breaches are one of the biggest concerns of businesses today. SIEM provides a real-time monitoring solution that not only helps detect malicious attacks but also pinpoints their origins, predicts threats, and takes required actions to prevent potential data leaks.
See More: What Is a Phishing Email Attack? Definition, Identification, and Prevention Best Practices
Operational Process of Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)
One of the integral parts of the security information and event management architecture is the operational process that goes behind making an effective cyber threat mitigation strategy. However, all this information can be overwhelming and there should be a way to streamline it.Â
SIEM Operational Process Flow
The right operational guidelines can allow SIEM to be a proactive part of a full enterprise security information management architecture. SIEM tools take massive amounts of data collected from diverse sources and combine them into actionable intelligence that helps keep businesses protected. The smooth integration between the SIEM architecture and operational processes is instrumental in improving the performance of the system.
Let’s understand the steps involved in the operational process of SIEM:Â
1. Data collection
SIEM tools collect logs, several types of data, and events from sources within an organization’s IT system. After collecting the data from these devices, SIEM is responsible for standardizing and saving it in a format that allows easy analysis and reviews.
SIEM can collect data through two methods:
- Automated data collection: This involves an agent installed on the device and direct connections to get log files from storage (syslog format) or event streaming protocol, and store it all into one easily accessible location so that the organization can get complete visibility on the threats that it faces.
- Asset characterization: While categorizing an organization’s information technology infrastructure, it is crucial to segregate or break down a network into smaller groups of assets that have some underlying similarity or function. Some examples of IT asset categories are devices, networks, and applications. This helps in monitoring network activity and identifying high-risk assets.Â
Typical sources of SIEM dataÂ
| Applications | Security Events | Network Logs | Devices |
| Web applications | Firewall traffic | Wireless access points | Mobile devices |
| SaaS applications | Endpoint security (antivirus and antimalware tools) | Virtual networks | Personal laptops or desktops |
| Intranet applications | Web application filters | Routers, Switches | Shared workstations between people |
2. Data management
Once data collection is done, the process of data management begins. Data, when stored in a proper manner, can thoroughly improve security information and event management functioning.Â
- Storage: SIEM tools have the capacity to collect an enormous amount of data. This data can either be stored on-premise, on the cloud, or in both. Most importantly, storage locations need to have tight security to avoid data loss of any kind.
- Tiered: The data placement should be based on its relevance and importance. For example, hot data used for live security monitoring should be placed under high-performance storage. On the other hand, cold data that may not be used immediately should be placed under low-cost storage mediums.Â
- Categorization: Categorization helps improve the performance and competence of SIEM tools. It can be done by optimizing and indexing data to enable analysis, reviews, and exploration, using threat intelligence to categorize threat risks, working with detection algorithms to reduce the chances of false positives, and establishing policies for standardized data workflows.
3. Data retention
Security information and event management tools carry a large amount of data that require some extent of sorting and filtering to reduce unnecessary data occupying storage space in an organization. This, in turn, also helps retain critical data.
Furthermore, compliance requirements by PCI, DSS, HIPAA, and SOX make it a mandate to retain critical logs between 1 to 7 years. Being wise about data retention can also help analyze user behavior trends and not-so-typical security patterns for the future.Â
SIEM uses the following methods to minimize log volumes:
- Syslog servers: Syslog is a flexible log standard that allows an organization to retain a large amount of data while retaining it all in a standardized format. Syslog compresses large quantities of data and lets you search these logs easily using sophisticated query tools.
- Log deletion timeline: SIEM automatically removes log data that has been stored for longer than the retention policy requires. Log files can typically be accessed directly from storage in Syslog format.
- Log filtering: An organization’s SIEM software can filter logs that aren’t always needed to meet compliance requirements or for forensic analysis purposes. SIEM administrators can filter logs based on source, type, time, or other defined rules. Also, using log filtering can significantly reduce the amount of data being processed.
- Summarization: Logs can be summarized to reduce the amount of data being stored per event but still keep the important bits intact, such as the count of events, unique IPs, etc.
4. SIEM integrationsÂ
When integrating security information and event management processes with other cybersecurity tools, the synergy gives the entire company higher protection. This is because using a SIEM-managed platform that integrates with a variety of different software tools while it detects, prevents, and contains security threats as and when they arise.Â
The best thing about this solution is that it doesn’t choose which software a team uses, as long as its data can be safely established on the SIEM platform. Examples of a few options for SIEM integration include identity and access management software, patch management tools, cloud security tools, and third-party risk management tools.
Top 10 Best Practices of Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) in 2022
SIEM software helps organizations keep an eye out for potential threats to their systems while carrying out automatic monitoring tasks to ensure compliance with industry regulations. With security breaches being a serious issue, it is important that businesses utilize accessible cybersecurity software as they simply help make the situation more manageable.
Listed below are the best practices used by leading security experts while incorporating SIEM solutions into their enterprise framework.
SIEM Best Practices for 2022
1. Start by determining the scope
Before incorporating SIEM software into your enterprise’s security architecture, it is essential to understand the specific objectives for its implementation. First, determine which systems, users, networks, and applications are in scope for monitoring and find out the parts of data that are highly sensitive. This can be done by building policy-based rules in the software and then comparing them to external compliance requirements to determine the type of dashboard and reporting your organization would need.
This practice will help you decide whether to choose an on-premise solution, a cloud-based implementation, or one hosted through virtualization technology. Moreover, having a proper scope also ensures that all critical aspects are being monitored without collecting large amounts of unnecessary data.Â
2. Do a pilot run
Whether you’re ready for a big move or not, it’s wise to start with a small step. The same is applicable with SIEM as well. It is crucial to subject your SIEM software to a pilot run, so you don’t end up using faulty tools that mess up your systems and slow down processes in the long run. To avoid the chances of a hit and miss, start by implementing the SIEM solution in one area of the business first and then expand its usage zone after assessing whether it is going to produce the desired results or not.
You can measure effectiveness by identifying the impactful key metrics for the outcome of any implementation. This data will not only help you determine whether the company’s investment into the technology was worth it but also highlight areas where there could be room for improvement in terms of returning more value.
3. Establish correlation rules
SIEM software presents a wide range of pre-configured correlation rules. Security teams can customize the software to match the specific needs of an organization and its customers if they choose to. This can be done by enabling everything by default and monitoring the behavior of the software to identify scopes of improvement and increase detection efficacy against false positives.Â
It’s worth treating SIEM as a partner to help trace suspicious events and protect the organization against any upcoming threats. The best way to approach correlation is getting onboard with the preconfigured rules and then tweaking them based on what needs to be correlated and what doesn’t.
For instance, if you want to be alerted about any incidents that could compromise the security of the company’s website, it’s a good idea to set up correlation rules for common SIEM alerts relating to security breaches such as SQL injection or cross-site scripting.
4. Determine compliance requirements
Security logging from a SIEM system can equip your business with the important information to demonstrate compliance with security standards. However, unless you know whether those regulations are ahead of time, you may inadvertently find yourself wasting money on a SIEM system that doesn’t even meet the minimum security requirements.Â
This is why it would be a good practice to create a separate document containing a list of all the IT regulations (HIPAA, GDPR, HITECH) that you need to comply with and then match these requirements to the potential SIEM solution that you are considering.
In this case, it’s best to tie up with vendors who offer inbuilt features that support precise compliance mandates. This will help you shortlist vendors and become aware of your auditing requirements, including the amount of log data needed and the time for log data retention to remain compliantÂ
5. Ensure continuous monitoringÂ
SIEM tools are an important part of network security. Having them in place can help quickly detect attacks or intrusions that might otherwise go unnoticed by monitoring software. However, a robust SIEM solution will require logging as much data as possible from the company’s applications and services so that it has enough information to successfully flag unusual activity whenever it occurs.Â
SIEM looks out for any anomalies such as unusual user behavior on systems, remote login attempts, and system failures. This approach offers an opportunity to take preventative measures ahead of time against potential vulnerabilities.
6. Draw up a comprehensive incident response plan
Benefits such as real-time monitoring, alerts for IT threat detection, and quick responses to security incidents are the golden eggs that come along with the implementation of SIEM software. However, to properly respond to these incidents, an organization implementing SIEM must adopt the right plans.
Be sure to have a strong game plan with the relevant people named, escalation processes detailed, and troubleshooting approaches laid out. These ensure that breaches are reduced and any possible issues/problems are minimized or at least resolved as fast as possible.
7. Ensure proper deploymentÂ
Software deployments can be difficult; one is never quite sure how it’ll go. Will everyone respond well? Will it break unexpectedly? You might think you’ve made the right choice in a SIEM tool, but if it isn’t successfully deployed, you may find yourself with more problems.Â
An organization must ensure that all the necessary infrastructure and equipment are in place and ready to go. In addition, it’s essential to look for warning signs such as alert fatigue or false alerts to understand whether or not there are any potential barriers to deployment.
8. Protect network boundaries
Several unsecured areas exist in and around a network that can lead to cyberattacks. Vulnerable areas exist at the edge of networks, and these need to be thoroughly monitored by the SIEM software.Â
These vulnerable areas include firewalls, routers, ports, and wireless access points. It’s best to routinely log network changes and other information so that issues are promptly accounted for as soon as they happen, and preventative measures can be taken.
9. Conduct test runsÂ
In an ideal world, all security alerts that SIEM generates would be fundamentally correct and detect attacks and events as they occur in real time. However, in reality, this is not always the case.Â
The chances of getting false positives are not unheard of. For example, SIEM might identify a vulnerability scanner as an aggressive attacker, flag various threat notifications, and send out a stream of alerts. Hence, it is advisable to conduct a test run for the SIEM integration process.
10. Carry out routine reviews & monitoringÂ
Last but not least, evaluate all the steps outlined above regularly to ensure that everything is properly maintained and configured. This includes checking the functionality of SIEM, determining whether or not the infrastructure can accommodate both present and future needs, and optimizing anything you find necessary based on performance testing results.Â
In addition, it’s very important to keep all other security tools—as well as SIEM itself—up to date as new vulnerabilities arise every now and then. Given that attackers are getting smarter than ever, it’s important to stay alert and take measures toward mitigating any new threats that may come your way.
See More: What Is a Security Vulnerability? Definition, Types, and Best Practices for Prevention
Takeaway
Security information and event management tools have provided a definitive security infrastructure to defend organizations and their networks. They have enabled organizations to become smarter in threat detection and prevention by helping security teams tackle the most pressing problems quickly while also remaining compliant with regulatory norms. SIEM is undoubtedly one of the most useful ways of enhancing data security and ensuring that your organization doesn’t fall prey to cyberattacks.
Did this article help you understand all the aspects of security information and event management? Let us know on LinkedInOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , or FacebookOpens a new window . We’d love to hear from you!