Security Information and Event Management, known as SIEM, is a security system that gathers data from a wide variety of sources to monitor, identify, record and analyze security incidents within a real-time IT environment.
SIEM supplies the user with a comprehensive and centralized view of the security scenario of an IT infrastructure.
In other words, a SIEM paints the ultimate “big picture” of your cybersecurity situation, an early warning system that provides everything you need to troubleshoot and secure your IT environment. It’s a search-and-analyze tool that gives you the power to destroy threats.
A SIEM monitors logs and then reports suspicious events gathered from the extraordinary amount of data — far more than a human could analyze — generated by most businesses and organizations.
“It is of key importance that as many of your log sources as possible are supported. That’s because making your own connectors doesn’t scale well,” explained Oliver Rochford, a former research director at Gartner.
Real-Time Analysis of Security Threats
That’s exactly what a SIEM does, by filtering all that data and alerting you to the most critical issues. It’s an essential early-detection tool for organizations of all sizes — including small and medium-sized businesses — to respond quickly and effectively to targeted attacks, advanced threats and data breaches.
A SIEM gathers security data from system logs from a wide range of hardware and software sources, such as antivirus software, firewalls, Virtual Private Network connectors, Unified Threat Management systems and other intrusion detection systems.
A SIEM gathers and analyzes the data through a series of steps:
- Collection: The system will gather and store the log data to allow for decision-making.
- Correlation: Once the data is collected, the SIEM will “normalize” it and sort the raw data into packets of useful information.
- Notification: The system will follow correlation rules to look for security breaches, generating alerts as quickly as possible about potential incidents.
- Presentation: The system will aggregate data from multiple sources into an easily comprehensible format, such as a security dashboard display.
- Compliance: The system can collect data necessary for compliance with company, organizational or governmental policies.
Search, Report, Alert, Repeat
A full-feature log search and analysis tool — such as Splunk Light — allows for collecting, indexing, monitoring, reporting and alerting of your machine data from virtually any technology and critical information asset. It will search, report and alert on all your data in real time from one place, providing you with a light, scalable and integrated package.
With a SIEM operated by a Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP), your business can maintain a hardened and compliant security posture by monitoring and managing all aspects of your security systems. Your network and assets will be continuously protected 24x7x365 with feeds from intelligence on current and emerging threats.
With the IT threat landscape constantly evolving, it’s imperative for companies to make sure they have the skilled security talent with the IT expertise to handle any situation. By outsourcing the monitoring and management of your security systems and devices, you bring that talent onboard while freeing up your onsite IT department to handle duties central to your business mission.
When you’re ready to talk about your security needs, call us for a free two-hour consultation — no strings attached. Our expert engineers can design safeguards that are an integral part of your IT network right from the start. Together, we can develop a managed security services plan that meets your needs and fits your budget.
Since 1995, Manassas Park, VA-based V2 Systems has employed local systems administrators, network engineers, security consultants, help desk technicians and partnering companies to meet a wide range of clients’ IT needs, from research, to implementation, to maintenance. Managed Security keeps our clients safe, while our IT support keeps them up and running. Reach out to our experts today. Concentrate on your VISION…We’ll handle the TECHNOLOGY!
