Why Do Companies Hesitate to Start the Full Use of the SIEM System?

Every year the number of cybersecurity incidents increases and reaches tens or even hundreds of thousands a day. It is practically impossible for information security specialists to process such a quantity or identify incidents manually. In addition, there are situations when, at first glance, harmless events in the aggregate carry a great threat to the company. Therefore, more and more companies are realizing the need to protect their IT infrastructure with advanced tools. So how to minimize the success of cyber attacks thanks to modern technology? The answer is simple - automate the process of analyzing incidents using SIEM service providers.

Is a SIEM System an Attack Prevention Solution?

SIEM is a specialized analytical system designed to manage information security events in an organization. It collects files with records of information security events that come from various resources such as DLP, IDS, antiviruses, routers, and others. Deviations from the norm form incidents. After collecting and analyzing data, the system prepares reports and generates a list of already known events to identify potential dangers in a repeated attack. Also, the solution can audit for compliance with standards.

One of the advantages of a SIEM system is the evidence base it collects. Information can help in internal investigations in case of data leakage due to the fault of an employee, as well as in litigation.

Therefore, a solution to prevent attacks is not quite the correct definition of a SIEM system. Its functionality is designed to greatly facilitate the work of monitoring and incident response centers and analysts. Thanks to this product, most attacks will be known to the company at the first stage, and the information security department will be able to respond to them in time.

What Business Uses SIEM Systems?

The largest consumer of SIEM systems is the banking sector. In such organizations, a continuous stream of personal sensitive data is the norm. It is important to be able to trace an incident when it occurs and to identify the source of the problem (attacker or employee error). In addition, banks regularly conduct compliance audits, in which the SIEM system is an indispensable assistant.

The second category of consumers is large companies, in whose infrastructure a huge number of events are generated every day. In such organizations, heads of IT and information security departments most often want to keep abreast for rapid response and incident prevention in the future.

The last category includes all organizations that are faced with the problem of late detection of information security incidents and their consequences for the entire IT infrastructure.

Benefits of using SIEM for a company:

1. Reducing the risk of unwanted penetration by intruders into the company's IT infrastructure.

2. Timely notification of threats to business processes.

3. Assistance in investigating technical information security incidents and collecting evidence for the court.

4. Reducing incident response times with pre-built response and automation scenarios.

What You Need to Know When Implementing SIEM Systems

Projects for the implementation of SIEM systems are distinguished by their complexity and high technical requirements, so companies often face failures when trying to put the solution into operation on their own.

Let's take a look at the top few typical mistakes that companies may encounter when implementing such projects.

Lack of Planning Before Project Implementation

Planning is an important part of any project. The success rate with proper pre-planning is much higher. In addition, if you consciously approach this process, the company can save its resources.

At the planning stage, the organization determines the feasibility of implementing a SIEM system for monitoring information security events and determines the tasks that the solution should close.

The client can form requirements for a future product and thus reduce the list of suitable systems. Usually, at this stage, a project team is already formed that performs all these actions for the most likely success of the implementation of the SIEM system.

Incorrect Assessment of the Scale, Complexity, And Specifics of the Business

The scale and complexity of the project influence the choice of a SIEM solution. Without a preliminary assessment of these components, the customer may encounter a number of problems that will arise in the following stages of the project: with further planning, deployment of the system, and its scaling.

In addition, when choosing a SIEM system, you need to rely on the specifics of your business. Earlier in the article, we outlined the target audience of the solution.

Before setting the implementation task, ask yourself the question: will the SIEM system really close the security issues of my company? If your answer is no, then you should reiterate the problems your company is facing. Perhaps a completely different solution will suit your goals at this stage.

Lack of Company Resources

The success of a SIEM project depends not only on qualified SIEM service providers but also on the customer company. The SIEM system will not work on its own. Your organization's staff must be competent enough to continuously interact with SIEM. The duties of such specialists will include a wide range of tasks: analysis of incidents, setting rules, and adapting the system. If the qualifications of employees to work with the SIEM system are not enough, then the company can improve the skills of employees through training from vendors.

Incorrect Interpretation of the Terms of Reference

When a company has enough experts who understand the need to implement a SIEM system, they can formulate requirements for the product. In such cases, specialists draw up a fairly accurate technical task.

Desire to Close All Problems With One Solution

One of the reasons for unsuccessful projects is the customer's attempt to have a solution to all problems in one product. Often, when conducting an audit, it turns out that a company needs a whole range of solutions to cover needs.

When working on a SIEM project, you need to carefully understand the functionality of the solution and not try to prescribe requirements in the terms of reference that may apply to a different type of product. As mentioned earlier, a SIEM system has functions for collecting and analyzing information.

Final Thoughts

Buying and implementing a SIEM system is not an easy process. Difficulties can arise at any stage: from the choice of a solution to its implementation and subsequent operation. If the customer does not take the issue seriously enough, the result of the project may even harm the company itself. If you are looking for reliable SIEM service providers in 2023, we recommend that you contact UnderDefense. This is an experienced provider that offers partial and full management of SIEM services.