Security Information and Event Management

In today's technological age, cyber security threats have become unavoidable. I've been working in technology for over a decade, but the threats we face today are far greater than they were ten years ago. Every day, some new forms of cybercrime occur, such as data theft, unauthorized access, data manipulation, etc.

Let me introduce you to an amazing technology that aids professionals like us and big companies in protecting confidential data and eliminating cyber threats. This system has also helped me streamline the data channels and gain a better understanding of the various security operations happening within the company.  It is the Security information and event management or SIEM solution. 

In this tutorial, I’ll cover “what is SIEM?”, why it is important in cyber security, the steps involved in the SIEM process, the SIEM architecture, and how it helps to deal with cyber threats.

What is SIEM?

Security information and event management is an approach that integrates security event management (SEM) and security information management (SIM) to work as a single unit and respond to security threats in the current era of cybercrimes. 

The fundamental principle of every SIEM mechanism is to gather and compile appropriate information across various sources and detect deviations so that suitable measures can be taken on time. In my experience, a security information and event management framework can record and capture additional data and send forth a warning so that the relevant security precautions can be taken. It can prevent the continuation of a particular activity if a potential vulnerability becomes apparent.

SIEM platforms use multiple collection agents that operate in a hierarchical manner to accumulate security-related incidents from personal computers, networks, and other devices. Security-related incidents are transmitted through a data collector to a centralized command control panel, where security specialists sort out the disarray, establish links, and classify the security occurrences based on their significance and relevance.

If you are a beginner in the tech industry, it might sound a little complicated, but it is actually not. SIEM in cyber security is a very organized process. This approach helped me save sensitive data from getting exploited by scammers several times. 

How does SIEM work?

I have prepared this step-by-step guide to ease your understanding of how security identification and event management systems work.

The following are the SIEM process steps as per which the system operates:

1. Data collection and aggregation: This security information and event management solution collects and aggregates incident data from various devices, networks, applications, and servers to inform end users of potential security threats. 

2. Monitors and analyzes data: Security professionals constantly monitor and evaluate the data at hand in real-time so that they can get hold of any threats, security, trends, or anomalies, if any.

3. Notifies and alerts the devices: After a thorough investigation, if there is a sign of any potential threat or security breach, this system immediately issues a warning notification to the devices, networks, servers, and applications.

4. Eliminating vulnerabilities: The system automatically generates possible solutions to tackle the threat at hand. It also provides suggestive measures that can be utilized to eliminate vulnerabilities and loopholes in the company's security system.

5. Reports on compliance: An SIEM solution also prepares relevant compliance reports that state the risks and possible solutions that can be undertaken to terminate such security threats.

Here’s an SIEM architecture diagram to help you understand the steps of the process concisely:

Advantages of SIEM

If you’re thinking, why do you need to implement an SIEM system when there are firewalls and antivirus applications, here’s the reason. There are certain additional advantages that security information and event management systems offer: 

• SIEM helps identify and analyze all sorts of potential security threats.
• Apart from identification, it also suggests the course of action to eliminate the potential threats.
• It has a centralized system of time detection and system protection.
• It is an advanced system of security applications that has specifically been designed to deal with cyber crimes.
• It allows cyber security specialists to regularly maintain compliance standards and keep an eye on auditing and reporting.
• SIEM provides greater transparency.
• This specialized system helps monitor and track the various devices, networks, servers, and applications associated with the company. 

Characteristics and capabilities of SIEM

Whenever you are thinking of employing SIEM technology, you should always keep certain things in mind. 

Here is a list of characteristics and capabilities of SIEM:

• Alerting: This technology has proven to be a game-changer for many like me. It effectively analyzes security incidents and assists in enhancing security alerts so that everyone who may be affected by such security threats is notified. This notification can be issued by any medium, such as a security dashboard, email, messages, etc.

• Data aggregation: This technology performs data collection activities and constantly monitors such data from various devices and networks across such units.

• Visualization and dashboard: This feature of SIEM is my favorite. SIEM is capable of creating various types of visualization so that general people can understand what the threat is and how they can respond to it. Such visualization can be in the form of data patterns, reviewing incident information, and detecting incidents that are not in accordance with the fundamentals provided and required for that specific event.

• Retention: One of the major characteristics of security information and event management is that it can store huge amounts of data, including old and new ones, to improve the process of analysis, monitoring, and reporting. This is very important, particularly in cases of forensic reporting, which can happen after a considerable time has passed since the incident actually took place.

• Compliance: SIEM automates the process of collecting important information and generating output accordingly. It helps us preserve the sensitive information we have on our devices or circulate on our networks. It uses various governance standards, such as HITECH, SOX, HIPAA, etc.

• Incident response: If your system is attacked with a threat, you need some sort of management and knowledge to respond to that event. SIEM provides you with the basic synchronization and management that you would require so that you can protect sensitive information and communicate effectively with the unit. This will allow you to respond to the incident in the most effective manner.

• Threat identification: With this technology, you can run any number of queries from various sources to respond quickly to any probable security threat. It allows you to analyze, filter, and conclude the information so that you can easily understand the vulnerabilities and loopholes of the data. You can identify the threat and take preventive measures to protect against the breach of security.

Best practices to implement SIEM

If you are implementing a security information and event management system, then use it in a way that yields the best results. I’ve been very particular over these years and always try to maintain the best practices while implementing the SIEM system.

• Set clear and sensible objectives: While implementing this system, you should always keep in mind all the variables associated with it, such as security targets, regulations, the potential threat to the company, adherence, and conformity. These factors should be considered while choosing and executing an effective SIEM solution.

• Adopt the rules for data correlation: Implementing the rules of data correlation is the best way to identify potential threats and errors. Apply the data correlation regulations to all networks, systems, and servers to identify any infected device and resolve it immediately.

• Evaluate the requirements for compliance: If you determine the conformity standards and requirements beforehand, it will be easier for you to select the right SIEM solution. You can pick the most suitable solution for your company, which will indeed assist you in performing audits and providing reports in line with the compliance framework.

• Enumerate your electronic assets and files: By listing all of your digital assets and files, you can easily monitor your network activity and manage log data. If you list all of them in your digital inventory, the digital assets will remain saved in your computer network. You can easily protect your information if you know where it is stored and what security measures you have adopted.

• Maintain a track of emergency response strategies and plans: Always try to maintain a proper track of incident response plans and procedures. This will help you and your team quickly respond to security incidents and identify any potential threat. It will also help you eliminate the threat before it can harm your networks and devices.

In summary 

It has become very important that we become more aware and develop systems that can effectively locate, analyze, and respond to various security threats. Security information and event management systems allow us to stay ahead of cybercrime so that we can apprehend what kind of threats we may face and prepare security measures accordingly.

Want to learn more about SIEM and cyber security? Check out upGrad, which offers a wide range of exciting and interactive courses that are designed to help you thrive in your professional life.

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. What is a security information and event management system?

Security information and event management is a system that helps companies identify potential security threats, analyze them, and understand their nature. It also allows companies to respond to such incidents by suggesting corrective measures and prevention techniques.

2. What is a SIEM example?

A common SIEM example is when an attacker tries to encrypt information, the SIEM system detects a type of warning and immediately restricts the affected devices. It also circulates notifications of such attacks to other devices and networks.

3. What is a security information and event management system utilized for?

Generally, security information and event management systems are employed by huge MNCs and organizations dealing with sensitive information. This acts as a solution for companies that aids them in eliminating cyber threats that can hamper their systems and steal confidential data in order to misuse it.

4. What are the functions of SIEM?

SIEM systems perform various security functions, such as data collection, aggregation, monitoring, and reporting, protecting networks and servers, and raising alarms.

5. Which is the best SIEM tool?

Tools like Splunk, ManageEngine, LogRhythm, and AccSight are famous and effective SIEM tools.

6. How many types of SIEM are there?

SIEM has two primary categories — on-premises SIEM and cloud-based SIEM. These applications operate essentially in an identical manner, notwithstanding variations regarding the way they are implemented.

7. Is a SIEM a firewall?

SIEM functions similar to that of a firewall, but both are not the same. SIEM is a cyber threat detection and prevention application, it also performs data collection activities, whereas a firewall is a preventive software only. 

8. Who uses SIEM tools?

Generally, big companies have access to sensitive information, and larger operations use security information and event management systems. As these companies are at high risk of cyber attacks, the SIEM approach provides greater protection for the data.