SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) tools are an integral part of IT setups supporting critical business operations in today’s digital economy. The term SIEM is a combination of the following two practices in network and security management:
- SEM (Security Event Management) – log analysis and event correlation (often in real-time) to counter security threats and incidents
- SIM (Security Information Management) – log collection, management, and reporting for internal audits or compliance purposes
It’s important to note SIEM tools and practices have evolved significantly over the last decade to improve proactiveness in incident response. Today many of the advanced SIEM tools employ machine learning algorithms or predictive statistical analysis to analyze more data in a quick time. These tools simplify IT administration by not only offering granular visibility into enterprise environments but also actionable intelligence in place of an endless stream of logs and alerts. In this article, we’ll list top SIEM tools in the market.
Top SIEM Tools
- SolarWinds Security Event Manager
- Splunk Enterprise Security
- SolarWinds Threat Monitor
- ArcSight Enterprise Security Manager
- ManageEngine EventLog Analyzer
- Sumo Logic Cloud SIEM
1. SolarWinds Security Event Manager
SolarWinds® Security Event Manager (SEM) is a simple, lightweight, and affordable SIEM solution, and is highly popular among IT security professionals. Its intuitive UI and pre-built connectors allow you to get started quickly and start receiving actionable intelligence without spending hours in its configuration. The SIEM tool offers centralized log collection and normalization, along with automated threat detection features. It has an in-built file integrity monitoring (FIM) capability, which allows you to keep track of important system and registry files, folders, and directories. SolarWinds SEM is also a highly effective SIEM tool for compliance reporting and offers out-of-the-box reports for PCI DSS, HIPAA, SOX, FISM, and many more. You can get started with a free trial of SolarWinds SEM, which gives you full functionality for a 30-day period.
2. Splunk Enterprise Security
Splunk Enterprise Security is an advanced SIEM solution, which is known for its real-time security monitoring and data analytics capabilities. The solution relies on machine learning algorithms to detect anomalies with reduced false-positives by analyzing data coming from a myriad of network devices, endpoints, servers, and applications. It allows organizations to strengthen their security with advanced threat detection and expedites forensics and incident management practices. The solution also enhances threat intelligence by adding context to data coming from different security devices. For this purpose, it offers 200-plus integrations and 1,000-plus APIs.
3. SolarWinds Threat Monitor
SolarWinds Threat Monitor is a SIEM solution built for managed service providers offering SOC services to enterprises. It’s a cloud-based solution ideal for the monitoring of distributed resources in hybrid cloud environments. The solution gathers threat intelligence from multiple third-party sources to remain updated with the latest threat vectors and malware. In addition to advanced event correlation capabilities, the solution also helps MSPs detect intrusion attempts or suspicious activities within a network. MSP teams can set up intelligent alarms to stay on top of their managed networks. Further, it also offers custom branding to MSPs. Learn more about the solution here.
4. ArcSight Enterprise Security Manager
ArcSight Enterprise Security Manager (ESM) is a powerful SIEM solution from Microfocus. The company claims ESM can collect and correlate up to 100,000 events per second. Its “smart connectors” simplify setup and allow you to collect event data from 500 different devices, including endpoints, IPS/WAF, servers, cloud, and more. The solution is built on open architecture, which helps leverage its rich security data across your existing security setup. You can also integrate ArcSight ESM with ArcSight Investigate, which offers advanced data analytics and visualization. While the solution offers all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a SIEM solution supporting an enterprise SOC, its implementation and management can be complex. Mature IT teams willing to invest a little time and effort in learning about its workflows and settings may opt for this solution for their enterprise.
5. ManageEngine EventLog Analyzer
ManageEngine EventLog Analyzer is a comprehensive SIEM tool covering all aspects of log management and analysis, auditing of user access and activities, application and file integrity monitoring, and compliance reporting. It correlates logs in real-time using predefined and custom rules, which help in thwarting a range of cyberattacks and avoiding compliance lapses. Its threat-intelligence engine automatically updates itself daily, so your systems remain secure against emerging attacks and vulnerabilities. The solution also offers integrated compliance management and a lifetime free subscription supporting up to 5 log sources.
6. Sumo Logic Cloud SIEM
As the name suggests, Sumo Logic Cloud SIEM is a cloud-based service designed primarily to meet security and compliance in modern cloud-native applications and hybrid and multi-cloud environments. The solution helps you correlate log data and metrics from different cloud deployment models (SaaS, IaaS, and PaaS) and get a unified view of your resources spread across different cloud vendors. The solution claims dramatic improvements in threat detection and incident response times with its machine learning algorithms. Learn more here.
How to Select the Best SIEM Tool for Your Organization
So, which of the tools mentioned above is best for your organization? In addition to considering your organization’s budget, you need to factor in a myriad of technical parameters for assessing your organization’s infrastructure readiness for implementation. No two organizations have the same set of requirements. Even for same-sized organizations, the log management and compliance reporting needs may differ depending on their geography and industry vertical. Further, some organizations may choose a SIEM tool entirely for meeting their compliance needs, while others would like these tools to supplement their security.
Based on these parameters, you can decide whether you need a tool with stunning visual dashboards and advanced real-time analytics or would want to work with more economical options offering reports to meet audit requirements. In the end, you would like to strike the right balance and shortlist products delivering better ease of management, quicker results, easier integration with your existing setup, and a lower total cost of ownership.