Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)

What is SIEM (Security Information and Event Management)?

SIEM, short for Security Information and Event Management, is a system that centralizes the collection, storage, and management of logs generated by various devices and software, analyzes them in real-time to detect security threats, and issues alerts during abnormal events. The term SIEM also refers to the software used for this purpose.

Key features of SIEM include:

• Collection and Storage of Event Logs:
  SIEM systems collect and store security-related event logs from various sources such as firewalls, WAFs, antivirus software, proxy servers, operating systems, and applications. However, collecting too many logs can increase operational workload and complicate processes like normalization. Therefore, it’s crucial to prioritize and select log sources carefully.
• Normalization of Log Data:
  Collected data must be unified in format and interpretation while eliminating redundancies. This process is called normalization.
• Correlation Analysis Across Log Data:
  Certain security threats cannot be detected through a single log entry alone. SIEM systems analyze multiple log entries together to identify patterns and threats that individual logs cannot show. For instance, password list attacks have far fewer login attempts compared to brute-force attacks, making them indistinguishable from typical user input errors. By aggregating logs based on the source IP address and detecting multiple login attempts using different IDs from the same IP, SIEM can identify password list attacks.
• Alerts and Reporting:
  If SIEM identifies events indicative of security threats, it sends alerts to administrators. Additionally, it generates reports that visually present these events, enabling improved management and optimization of security defenses.

F5’s BIG-IP records extensive security-related data and can integrate with various SIEM tools, further enhancing security measures through comprehensive data analysis and threat detection.