What is SIEM? Best SIEM depending on the features-price ratio.

What is SIEM?

Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) is a cybersecurity software that combines Security Information Management (SIM) and Security Event Management (SEM) methods. Generally, a SIM analyses log and event data in real-time. In turn, it provides threat monitoring, event correlation, and incident response by Threat Modelling. However, SEM collects, analyses, and reports on log data from various sources across the network to improve log management.

Why do you need to use a SIEM? SIEM tool advantage. 

1. Updates and centralizes the organizations’ cybersecurity scenery in an only platform.
2. Discovers irregular user behavior patterns that could indicate threats from hackers or internal security risks. In turn, the recent SIEM launches a quick response.
3. Uses HIDS to monitor the network 24/7 and identifies any suspicious activities through network traffic analysis.
4. Detects and prevents security breaches and possible cyber threats.
5. When a SIEM tool detects any security incident sends real-time alerts.
6. Avoids data breaches early by identifying threat indicators.
7. Helps organizations with IT regulations compliance.
8. Allows forensic analysis and speeds up post-incident recovery.

What are the most crucial SIEM features?

Each SIEM tool prioritizes certain features and functionalities. That’s why you must understand SIEM basics to choose the tool that meets your needs. Whether you decide to go for a free, paid, or open-source SIEM program, you should always lookout for the following features.

Unlimited log collection

As we well know, modern SIEM solutions collect data from every available source and process it for correlation and analysis. Generally, the most common data sources are the cloud, networks, logs, and more. However, your SIEM must hold up data management from a single point of control.

Visualization

Visualization is a crucial feature to consider when organizations are looking for a SIEM. Usually, the modern SIEM tools deliver extensive dashboard management that allows visualizing the data through graphs, charts, and other graphics. Therefore, ensure to acquire a SIEM that makes it easier to understand the data to analyze.

Threat intelligence

When a SIEM includes threat intelligence, the product is more competent. The threat intelligence allows providing more information about IP addresses, domains, websites, or logical entities currently associated with malicious behavior. Also, it would be better if the SIEM supports using any threat intelligence feeds instead of a particular feed.

Compliance reporting

The compliance reports help identify and report system configuration deviations or unauthorized access to data. Besides, it is used for assessing the risk/impact of violations or detecting potential violations. Therefore, the SIEM to chose must include built-in reports depending on your compliance needs and ability. Also, it should allow creating new reports or built-in tailor reports according to your organization’s requirements and characteristics.

Forensics capabilities

An advanced SIEM can capture additional information about security events to identify attacks, gather evidence, and investigate incidents. The cyber forensic investigation allows discovering who infringed security protocols and policies to take disciplinary or prosecution measures.

Compatibility

The SIEM should have compatibility with different types of devices to monitor all the data in an organization. They also need to be compatible with other security products such as endpoint protection to avoid a vulnerability from any direction.

SIEM tool disadvantages

1. Usually, SIEM is expensive to implement and maintain.
2. Difficult to install and manage, but with the proper support become easy.
3. Collects too much data, and they could be challenging to process for any IT department.
4. Needs constant updating.
5. The SIEM tool requires attentive staff to operations with continuous tuning.

Example of the most common SIEM tools in 2021

According to the previous analysis, you need to check a group of crucial features before hiring a SIEM. Generally, you can find traditional “Security Information and Event Management” in the industry that does not respond to current demands. Therefore, the current section mentions the SIEM tools relevant in 2021, including all the crucial features and others. Also, you will be able to compare them under features like enterprises, operation systems, deployments, free trial, and prices.

UTMStack

UTMStack is a free Next-Gen SIEM and compliance platform that delivers cyber security services to small and medium-sized businesses. Therefore, with UTMStcak, you can hire SOC as a service, dark web monitoring, vulnerability assessment, penetration testing, and more. Also, it’s an excellent solution for all companies that try to reduce cybersecurity costs and simplify their management and compliance.

Features of UTMStack

1. Flattens the learning curve.
2. Assists companies in compliance with HIPAA, GDPR, ISO, SOC, and GLBA regulations.
3. Offers tools like UTM, vulnerability management, asset management, dark web monitor, identity management, incident response, and more.
4. Centralizes and combines all cybersecurity tools into a correlation and classification engine backed by AI technology.

Splunk SIEM

Splunk is a popular SIEM for small, medium, and large organizations alike. The solution analyzes and manages data from the internet, sensors, application logs, and IT infrastructure. Also, it’s capable of indexing large quantities of information from IT infrastructures.

Features of Splunk

1. Can work with any machine data, even if it is from the cloud or on-premises.
2. Real-time monitoring.
3. Automated actions and workflows for quick and accurate responses.
4. Splunk uses event sequence.
5. Delivers complete reports on performance KP.

McAfee

McAfee is a platform that offers threats information and responds to incidents in real-time. In turn, it integrates with a variety of third-party products to provide deeper threat intelligence in organizations.

Features of McAfee

1. Advanced analytics and rich context to detect and prioritize threats.
2. Dynamic presentation of data.
3. Monitors and analyzes data from a broad heterogeneous security infrastructure.
4. Has open interfaces for two-way integration.

LogRhythm

LogRhythm is cybersecurity management and compliance platform that protects companies from cyber-attacks. Also, it integrates solutions for endpoint monitoring, vulnerability assessment, forensics analysis, incident response, encryption key management, and more.

Features of LogRhythm

1. It’s a free Next-Gen SIEM for all types of organizations.
2. Processes unstructured data and provides a consistent, normalized view.
3. Supports a wide range of devices and log types.

Securonix

Securonix is using by enterprises to monitor their IT infrastructure for security and operational risks. Generally, its data is encrypted, so it is not vulnerable to external hacking. Also, the solution can identify threats and their severity on the companies networks.

Features of Securonix

1. Always-on approach to monitoring the IT environment.
2. Cloud services.
3. It is easy to use through an intuitive user interface.
4. Advanced analytics capabilities with machine learning algorithms to monitor traffic at scale.

Conclusion

SIEM is a complete software to protect organizations against attacks because it includes multiples tools in only one platform. Besides, the software makes the difference respecting other antivirus software because it works in real-time. Also, using it, organizations can make compliant with cybersecurity requirements and create any compliance reports. Therefore, when it comes to incidents response, vulnerabilities management, network monitoring, asset management, identity management, and more, SIEMs are the solution. However, depending on organizations’ needs, you can choose tools more expensive or not. Usually, they are expensive with a free trial, but UTMStack proves to be an excellent rentable SIEM for SMBs. In turn, Securonix is not free and can apply additional taxes or fees. In addition, all solutions compared here have a deployment on-premise, except Securonix that has it only in the cloud.