SIEM

23 reasons to implement a SIEM system

Krzysztof Anzorge
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Krzysztof Anzorge , Security expert , Nomios Poland

5 min. read
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We know 23 reasons why you should implement a SIEM system. Quite a lot, isn't it?

There are so many advantages. In this blog I will focus only on the ones that I think will help streamline the process of deciding whether to implement a SIEM system. Let's get started!

A brief reminder of what SIEM is responsible for

We have already written a few articles on SIEM systems on our blog, but before we move on to the benefits of this solution, I thought it would be worthwhile to return briefly to the matter of what SIEM systems really are.

SIEMs, which stands for Security Information and Event Management, are responsible for collecting and, in further steps, processing information and events in the area of IT security. SIEM systems support processes such as effectively detecting threats, managing security incidents, or checking compliance with regulations.

In the simplest terms, a SIEM system collects data from selected elements of the IT infrastructure. Thus, this type of solution maximises the detection of various types of threats, while minimising the reaction time and work time spent on switching between multiple systems. Of course, we are talking about the situation before using a SIEM solution. And now, to be more specific, why is it really worth it?

... because it is a convenient and time-saving solution

These are probably the most important advantages that spring to mind when it comes to a SIEM system. Above all, it is a solution that streamlines the process of reacting to the occurrence of security events, while at the same time maintaining the transparency of data collection. SIEM allows you to collect logs from all sources in a single system, which greatly facilitates the process of prioritising and analysing events.

Automation of processes is still a problem for many systems because they do not always have such an option, they still require a lot of "manual work" or switching between systems. A system such as SIEM automatically parses logs and identifies them, as a result, the categorisation or marking of events will not require additional work. A SIEM will do it all from now on. Speaking of log parsing, another huge advantage of implementing this type of solution is its standardisation.

A solution of this type brings a huge benefit in the form of an option to mark the criticality of addresses or hosts, which in turn greatly facilitates the hierarchy of detected events. In practice, this means that one type of event gets assigned a different importance and significance for different systems, e.g.: a separate one for the production systems, and another for the test systems.

It is worth mentioning that SIEM is not limited to one data source only. It makes it possible to search logs in other data sources as well, in case an anomaly is detected.

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Your security team will love SIEM as a management tool

Implementing a SIEM solution will not only save your team the time necessary for responses, but most importantly, it will enable effective management or monitoring of the incident identification progress identified by your team. A SIEM is not only a basic tool for performing tasks by the SOC (Security Operation Center), but it is also a system for comprehensive management of actions taken on incidents.

SIEM makes it easy to connect the dots and make correlations

As leaders and experts in the cybersecurity industry, we know how important it is to draw conclusions based on statistics and analyses. At Nomios, we strive to combine expert knowledge, delivered in the form of ready-made correlation rules or event signatures, with a SIEM system. This type of solution also allows us to create our own correlations corresponding to attack scenarios, which in turn translates into the effectiveness and efficiency of detection in case of an incident recurrence. The SIEM will search event history logs according to the new signatures and correlations, in order to verify whether an identified event has already occurred before.

Sometimes it is worth sharing what we collect, and a SIEM system makes it easier

Another benefit of implementing a SIEM solution is the availability of analytical tools, not only for your own use or for engineers, but most of all for those who can be directly affected by it: domain, network or database administrators.

A SIEM will not only facilitate the identification of systems causing excessive load on the infrastructure or other key systems (e.g. generating excessive DNS queries), but also enable more effective detection of potential configuration errors, such as missing rules for network traffic. Clever and convenient, isn't it?

Alerts and reports allow you to react in real-time

Real-time alerts respond immediately to the occurrence of specific events, with particular attention to those incidents that occur occasionally. Something that occurs sporadically can easily get missed somewhere, right? This is why a SIEM solution generates security event reports, statistics and trends on an ongoing basis, regardless of the source of the data.

Personalisation

The SIEM solution does not " get offended" and is happy to use expert knowledge in the form of ready-made analytical templates provided to it. These sets, in the form of ready-made dashboards, enable effective analysis in a specific context, such as MITRE ATT&CK® or compliance with RODO, KSC, ISO27000, etc.

What would personalisation be without your own input? A SIEM allows you to create your own dashboards, which greatly facilitates rapid analysis of new types of events.

There are many more reasons to consider using a system like SIEM. This solution not only saves time, but above all maximises the effectiveness of event detection, and effectively shortens the response time, while intelligently investing the saved time in data collection and organisation, which in turn has a huge impact on security.

Are you ready to take the next step?

Any organisation that takes cybersecurity seriously should consider implementing a SIEM system. However, this also means that you need to dedicate people who will consciously use this tool. If you cannot afford such a dedicated SIEM team, you can always consider using 'SIEM as a service' offered by our SOC team.

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