SIEM is the shortcut for implementing threat detection best practices
The recent release of “Best Practices for Event Logging and Threat Detection” by CISA and its international partners is a testament to the growing importance of effective event logging in today’s cybersecurity landscape. With the increasing sophistication and proliferation of cyber attacks, organizations must constantly adapt their security strategies to address these advanced threats. CISA’s best practices underscore how a modern SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) solution, especially one equipped with UEBA (User and Entity Behavior Analytics) capabilities, is critical for organizations trying to adopt the best practices in this domain.
A modern SIEM with UEBA can help organizations streamline their event logging policies. It automates the collection and standardization of logs across diverse environments, from cloud to on-premise systems, ensuring that relevant events are captured consistently. This aligns with CISA’s recommendation for a consistent, enterprise-wide logging policy, which enhances visibility and early detection of threats. We've seen a rise in detection and response technologies, from Cloud Detection and Response (CDR) to Extended Detection and Response (XDR) being positioned as alternatives to SIEM. However, when it comes to consistently capturing and utilizing events across diverse environments, SIEM remains the preferred solution for large organizations facing these complex challenges.
The ability of modern SIEMs to centralize event logs from various sources, such as critical IT systems, cloud services, and operational technologies, is essential for correlating events and uncovering hidden patterns. The centralization process improves detection of complex threats like "living off the land" (LOTL) techniques, where malicious actors use native tools to evade detection. By using behavior analytics techniques, modern SIEMs analyze user behavior in real-time, helping detect anomalies that suggest compromised credentials or insider threats, thus addressing CISA's guidance on timely threat detection and mitigation.
Quality logs are necessary for effective incident response, and modern SIEMs excel in collecting and retaining the right type of logs, based on risk profiles and the organization's needs. CISA highlights the importance of storing event logs long enough to identify and investigate potential breaches. SIEM solutions must be able to retain logs for long periods, making them readily accessible for immediate analysis. Efficient storage capabilities enhance the organization’s resilience against threats that may persist undetected for extended periods.
Modern SIEMs offer built-in capabilities to secure logs both in transit and at rest using encryption and access controls, which are in line with CISA’s recommendations to safeguard event logs from unauthorized access or tampering. While many detection and response technologies manipulate the ingested data for short term use, there is still a need to ensure the integrity and authenticity of logs, which are critical for both threat detection and compliance.
With UEBA capabilities, a modern SIEM can enhance detection strategies by continuously analyzing behavioral patterns across users and entities, flagging anomalies that may indicate LOTL activities or other advanced threats. UEBA applies machine learning algorithms to detect deviations from baseline behaviors, allowing faster identification of insider threats, compromised accounts, or lateral movement within the environment, as recommended by CISA. With the sprawl of cloud environments, from IaaS to SaaS, it is critical to apply these modern detection strategies beyond endpoint data, with special attention to identities and user accounts.
Speed is another crucial factor in detecting and responding to cyber incidents. Modern SIEMs can ingest logs in near real-time, ensuring timely alerts for unusual activity. By providing enriched data analysis and real-time behavioral insights, UEBA-equipped SIEMs enable security teams to respond faster, spending less time in investigations and triage, reducing dwell times and minimizing the impact of cyber incidents.
As threats grow more sophisticated and the attack surface continues to expand, organizations need reliable technology to detect and defend against threats. The SIEM is a mature technology solution that has been evolving continuously for more than 20 years. Recently, Gartner positioned SIEM in the "Plateau of Productivity" of its Hype Cycle, indicating it has overcome the typical challenges faced by emerging technologies and reached a stage where its value is widely recognized, with established best practices for implementation and use. A modern SIEM with UEBA provides organizations with a comprehensive and efficient approach to comply with CISA’s event logging best practices. It enhances visibility, safeguards critical data, and improves the detection of sophisticated threats, making it a valuable asset in strengthening an organization's security posture.
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Augusto Barros is Cyber Evangelist at Securonix.