5 things to look for in a SIEM tool

The increasing number of cyberattacks can be tackled only by implementing a specialized, holistic solution that performs data analysis and identifies anomalies using rules and behavioral-analytics techniques. The solution must also be capable of containing attacks using automated workflows, tracking security incidents and helping to resolve them promptly, and securing data and resources in the cloud. Further, it should also aid in monitoring user activities and conducting security and compliance audits. Security information and event management (SIEM) solutions do exactly what's stated above and more. Without a doubt, SIEM is a must-have tool for your cybersecurity arsenal. But how will you choose the right SIEM solution?

How to identify the right SIEM tool

Evaluating a SIEM tool is a tricky process considering the complexity of this type of tool's architecture and also the multi-platform nature of a typical enterprise network. Evaluating different tools and picking the one that best suits you is a herculean task. We've jotted down the basic capabilities and criteria you must look for in a SIEM solution. These capabilities not only make your deployment and training easier but also provide you a better defense against cyber threats.

Let's now look at the various features and characteristics you should look for while choosing a product.

Flexible data ingestion

Logs are generated in different formats by different sources. Since there is no single standard for logging, the SIEM tool must be capable of capturing and normalizing logs from various sources. You must also be able to add new logs for different sources in the future, and the solution should be able to integrate the logs.

The solution should also be flexible for your scaling needs. It should have the option to expand the storage for both parsed and raw logs.

Further, it should have a flexible architecture to ingest and process both processed and unstructured data, such as threat intelligence feeds and contextual information, to spot threats accurately.

Real-time, intuitive analytics components

The SIEM solution you choose should have dashboards and intuitive graphical widgets that show real-time security insights from your network. The interface should be user-friendly and at the same time provide exactly the data you need to speed up your investigation or decision-making. For instance, when an anomalous activity is detected and the risk score of the associated user rises steeply, it should be reflected in the dashboard in real time to make it easy for the administrator to take immediate action to mitigate the impact.

Plug-and-play add-ons

Every enterprise's cybersecurity needs are unique. For instance, some organizations may not have adopted cloud technology, while others may have embraced it completely. The security needs for them will vary since the architecture of cloud and on-premises solutions are different. Other organizations may consider data security their first priority as they predominantly deal with the storage and processing of sensitive data. A SIEM solution should cater to all these needs by providing flexible plug-and-play add-on options that perform specific functionalities required for the organization.

AI- or ML-based analytics

Threat detection and investigation based on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) helps enterprises defend against sophisticated attacks.

AI and ML can be used in various functions of SIEM, including attack detection, automated workflow execution, and proactive investigation. A solution with AI and ML capabilities can learn from the host environment and perform functions such as log trend analysis, threat hunting, and forecasting. Depending on your enterprise’s budget and needs, you can choose the right solution.

The solution should also have user and entity behavior analytics (UEBA) capability.

UEBA helps analyze user behavioral patterns and identify anomalies. It is one of the best ways to protect your network from both internal and external threats. The solution must be capable of monitoring user behavior and flagging deviations from the baseline. It should also provide the administrator with insightful information such as risk scores and anomaly trends.

Deployment and training time period

Deploying a fully functional SIEM solution requires cooperation from various departments within the organization and is a time-consuming activity. Further, to understand the different functionalities of the solution and how to use them, a fair amount of training is required. The easier the solution’s deployment process, the faster you can check out its capabilities and customize the tool to match your organization’s security requirements.

To summarize, security management is one of the biggest challenges businesses face, and a SIEM tool plays a key role in helping organizations manage security incidents efficiently. However, choosing the right SIEM solution is vital to ensure you can seamlessly handle the security incidents in your network.