How SIEM Tools Help in Advanced Threat Detection

Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) is a security management approach that gives enterprises insights into activities within and outside the IT environment. The software combines SEM (Security Event Management) and SIM (Security Information Management).

First, SIEM provides real-time analytics of all security alerts from network hardware and applications within a business. Basically, the software aggregates data from the enterprise infrastructure, detects deviations from the predetermined norms, and takes pertinent action.

How Does SIEM Work?

SIEM software collects event data and logs from applications, systems, and organization's devices. The software then brings the data into an aggregated platform to detect any potential security issues. Upon detecting an issue, the SIEM system will initiate an alert that instructs different security controls to halt the activity's progress.

Besides, the software gathers information from intrusion prevention systems (IPS), firewall logs, antivirus software, and other subsidiary locations. The gathered data is arranged hierarchically to detect any security threat, which is further classified in terms of levels depending on the set of predetermined rules.

For instance, if a user tries to log into an account 20 times in 20 minutes, the software flags those attempts as a low priority, assuming that the user probably does not remember their login information. However, if a user has over 100 unsuccessful login attempts in less than five minutes, the system flags it as highly suspicious and views it as a cybercriminal attack.

Why Adapt SIEM in Your Organization?

SIEM software, which made its first market penetration in 2005, has evolved substantially into a more proactive and intelligent business solution. The solution is enabling IT teams to fight security threats more diligently.

For your organization to achieve full control and visibility over the business's network in real-time, SIEM adoption is paramount. Other benefits of intelligent software include:

1. Business Compliance

Regardless of its size and operations, an enterprise must comply with PCI DSS, HIPAA, GDPR, and SOX complex standards. SIEM aligns seamlessly with numerous requirements set by compliance standards.

Implementing the software and configuring it with your existing infrastructure, shows that your enterprise has the needed security controls to handle security threats. Consequently, your IT teams can detect and manage data breaches faster.

2. Preventing Internal Threats

Employees have access to the company's most sensitive information, such as credit cards and client data. Your employees can decide to use your business data to embezzle funds and resources. Illicit activities and blackmail are prevalent within the internal environment.

On the other side, employees can be manipulated by fraudsters who want to access the company's data. Thus, it is crucial to monitor the employee's behavior to prevent any internal security breach.

SIEM software will enable you to constantly track your employees' actions and detect any irregularities based on the predefined norms. You can also monitor activities on restricted accounts, and alert when users perform actions they are not permitted to execute.

3. Preventing External Threats

Cyber criminals target cloud-based, on-premises, and network assets to gain access to the business's data. You must be proactive to safeguard the hygiene of your IT infrastructure and sensitive information to minimize external data breaches.

Although SIEM software is not a silver bullet against cyberattacks, it greatly minimizes security threat incidents. SIEM solutions offer comprehensive monitoring of all your business systems and help analyze anomalies. Your IT team can detect data breaches instantly and any threat of a cyber attack.

4. IoT Security

The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to integrated systems with the capability of collecting and transferring data via a wireless network. Connected devices can communicate, acquire data from one another without the need for human intervention.

Gartner, a leading research and advisory company, predicted in 2019 that the IoT market would grow by up to 5.8 billion by the end of 2020.

Due to the massive growth of networked devices, the attack surface is now broader than ever, potentially creating multiple blind spots. SIEM software helps in the minimizing of IoT data breaches and DOS attacks.

Since most IoT systems contain data repositories and API, connecting SIEM software is very straightforward. After integrating the software, you will be able to monitor all your connected devices and quickly identify any compromised systems or those more vulnerable to unauthorized third-party attacks.

Factors to Consider When Selecting a SIEM solution

Due to the dynamic business models and heightened cyberattacks levels, adopting the right security solution is intrinsic. SIEM not only detects cyberattacks but also immediately reacts to prevent any leakage of data. However, the solution must have some crucial factors such as:

• Artificial Intelligence: the solution should have the capability to learn through deep and machine learning.

• Threat Intelligence: if the system supports threat intelligence; it can provide insights concerning the network behavior and detect any malicious intent.

• Forensic Capabilities: the system should capture all security information. The forensic capabilities will enable you to establish exactly what has occurred within the networks and offer a diligent way to protect your sensitive information.

• Manage Logs: the tool should gather logs from all sources, arrange them in a consolidated location, and sort them depending on your IT team's requirements.

• Reporting: the tool should generate reports about the log monitoring procedures and any security monitoring. Consequently, the system should be in a position to produce comprehensive compliance reports.

SIEM Tools

The SIEM tools use machine-generated data to obtain crucial operational information about vulnerabilities, security threats, and data breaches. Some of the prevalent tools include:

• Splunk

• LogRhythm

• IBM QRadar

• Exabeam

• RSA

Need Help Choosing the Right SIEM Software for Your Business?

Magnataur will help you in the seamless integration of robust software that helps faster detection of security breaches. Take leverage of the security of your business architecture by letting us help you adopt intelligent solutions. Contact us and consult our tech experts, who will offer comprehensive insights about your business security.