SIEM
Definition
Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) is a field within the field of computer security, where software products and services combine security information management (SIM) and security event management (SEM). They provide real-time analysis of security alerts generated by applications and network hardware.
Why It Matters
Modern IT environments generate a massive amount of log data. A SIEM system aggregates all of this data, correlates it, and uses rules and analytics to detect suspicious activity that might indicate an attack. It is the central nervous system for a security operations center (SOC).
Contextual Example
A SIEM collects firewall logs, server login logs, and antivirus alerts. It might have a rule that creates a high-priority alert if it sees 10 failed login attempts for an admin account followed by a successful login from an unusual IP address.
Common Misunderstandings
- SIEM tools are essential for threat detection and incident response.
- Splunk and IBM QRadar are popular examples of SIEM platforms.