In a world with more security threats than ever, maintaining a proactive and comprehensive approach to cybersecurity is no longer about protecting your employees from simple phishing attacks. You must be prepared to stop complex professional attacks on your infrastructure.
With that in mind, organizations worldwide are investing in more holistic security monitoring measures that prevent cybersecurity threats and monitor and catalog data from their environment for posterity.
Is your organization’s security posture as robust as possible? Proactive protection should be any organization's first priority, but the ability to learn from threats and adapt to future ones is what will set your organization apart in the future. Holistic security solutions, such as Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), offer broad coverage with better insights for a preventative and reactive cybersecurity strategy.
What Is SIEM?
When it comes to all-in-one organizational security software solutions, SIEM is a popular choice.
SIEM platforms help organizations detect and respond to cybersecurity threats by collecting and analyzing security-related data from multiple sources (such as network devices, servers, endpoints, applications, and security solutions). SIEM tools use real-time event correlation, data analytics, and machine learning algorithms to identify suspicious activity patterns that indicate potential security breaches. If suspicious behavior occurs, the SIEM generates an alert to notify security teams so they can investigate and respond.
SIEM solutions can also provide centralized logging, reporting, and compliance management capabilities to help organizations meet regulatory requirements and improve their cybersecurity posture.
You may be asking, “How is SIEM different from any other security solution?” The strength of SIEM is in its depth and breadth. Few (if any) other security solutions have the capability to execute threat detection, conduct incident response, and maintain and grow a dynamic database of events in the way SIEM can.
The 4 Biggest Strengths of SIEM
SIEM is a unique solution because it’s so comprehensive. However, there are several benefits that help it stand head and shoulders above the others, making SIEM a powerhouse security solution.
Centralized data
This feature allows you to compare industry-wide cyber threats to your unique profile and can help you determine if you may be vulnerable to upcoming threats that your team may not have predicted.
The ability to reflect upon threat data is invaluable because it empowers your team or MSSP (Managed Security Services Provider) to retroactively assess incidents and also gives them an opportunity to examine emerging trends. So much of effective cybersecurity is proactivity. And with a wealth of easily accessible data, extrapolation and application are more intuitive for preemptive solutions that help you stay a step ahead of cybercriminals.
Real-time logging
Any organization that regularly deals with cyber threats knows that time is always of the essence.
The real-time data logging standard in SIEM software gives you immediate access to reams of valuable organizational data so you (or your MSSP) can act swiftly to improve your security posture or quickly respond to active threats.
Reporting capabilities
SIEM software segments data from a diverse range of sources, and combines that data into intuitive and actionable insights. The robust reporting capabilities make it easier to provide a clear and accurate security picture for your stakeholders and end-users.
Compliance support
It is not uncommon for SIEM tools to have built-in components that help organizations facilitate compliance with HIPAA, PHI, and other common regulations. This support includes custom reporting features that pull the applicable data and format the results. The right tools help your organization effectively report and monitor your compliance.
Who Needs SIEM?
While SIEM is an exceptional tool for small or mid-market organizations, its original application was to provide structure for enterprise security environments.
Enterprise organizations have historically struggled to maintain and monitor robust databases of applicable information. Mountains of data make for an especially challenging analysis and reporting structure. SIEM helps those organizations make sense of the dynamic threats they may be experiencing, and consolidate related data.
Despite working with more manageable data sets, small and midmarket organizations can also benefit from SIEM software’s comprehensive monitoring.
When we view cyber security measures as a colander, organizations with less robust security solutions are effectively using a colander with broader holes to intercept threats. While it is effective most of the time, some attacks and vulnerabilities will slip through the cracks. SIEM shrinks the “hole” size in this security colander, protecting against less obvious threats, and catching trends that would otherwise pass through.
Accessing SIEM
While SIEM is widely accessible, it’s similar to a finely tuned race car. You may be able to drive it, but it will take a wealth of specialized experience to unlock its true potential. That’s exactly why the companies that make the most of their SIEM investment pair it with help of an MSSP.
MSSPs not only have a unique understanding of how to maximize the potential of SIEM, but are constantly monitoring industry-wide security trends that could impact your posture.
Many MSSPs, like Coretek, already offer SIEM management as part of their services. Does your MSSP offer SIEM? If not, we can help you get started. Coretek offers a powerful SIEM combined with exceptional MSSP services for a more holistic security environment.