In a world run on data, the ability to collect and store detailed information is king. Log files are a critical part of any network infrastructure. The name gives the game away. These files log – monitor, record, store – the events that occur across a network: on server operating systems, software or between different users.
They’re extremely useful and, as our networks grow larger and become more intricate, undeniably necessary, not least in ensuring network transparency and regulatory compliance with detailed audit trails. The challenge of maintaining network security against cyberattacks has never been greater. Attackers’ innovation must be matched: as they make a move, so too must network managers rally their skillsets and fortify their defences. This includes evolving the ways through which we collect, store and intelligently analyse data from multiple sources, which begins with more comprehensive Security Information and Event Monitoring (SIEM).
SIEMs
This is why more and more network managers are implementing SIEM software. A SIEM is integral to any big data strategy. It’s how network managers record, keep track of and analyse ever-mounting quantities of data. If log files are king, then a SIEM is the system of law that keeps them in place, putting them to use and maximising their value.
The increasing sophistication and innovation of SIEM software is vital to maintaining network security. It’s why we’re extremely happy to announce our partnership with Securonix: a next-generation SIEM with pre-built analytics and patented machine learning technology.
Securonix versus other SIEMs
Those enlisted to manage and safeguard networks are increasingly starved for time. The pressures on networks – both in security threats and the quantity of data processed – are mounting by the day, but the same is not necessarily true for the resources available. But more traffic does not necessarily demand more resources; only better tools.
That’s what Securonix is here for. To understand its benefits, it’s necessary to look at why it deserves the ‘next-generation’ monogram. Alternative SIEMs, such as Splunk, Logrythm and others, are able to collect and log vast amounts of data, but nothing more: the network manager is left to make sense of it and build additional analytics and reporting functionality internally. This is not only time consuming, but unsustainable over the long-term as requirements change. The key to network security is better collecting, detecting and response to data – to know what and when, and who and how. The more we’re required to manually respond to threats and moderate our tools for new attack vectors and larger sets of data, the less effective we can be.
Significantly, Securonix stores data in an open data model, as opposed to the majority of SIEM vendors that store it in a proprietary format. This means that there’s always a choice; there’s no tie-in and, if a new solution emerges, the data gathered and stored by Securonix can be transferred.
Securonix can collect log file data from a wide range of sources, including network, cloud, DLP and proxy. The Securonix platform simultaneously manages, stores and intelligently analyses this data – which is crucial in combatting the evolving capabilities of adaptive network attackers.
Securonix, machine learning and AI
Much of Securonix’s powerful capabilities depend upon its patented machine learning algorithms and artificial intelligence-based security incident response. No other SIEM is able to match Securonix’s level of automation. Once integrated, it can be depended upon to collect more detailed data, detect a diverse and evolving range of threats, and execute automatic responses. This provides real-time enrichment to data that significantly improves problem resolution and network performance.
Ultimately, what we’re talking about with Securonix is advanced analytics and, specifically, User Entity and Behaviour Analytics (UEBA). It’s the ability to collect more information in greater detail and analyse it more effectively to derive maximum insight. As networks turn to cloud storage to manage their needs, the ability to efficiently collect and analyse data, reduce false positives, and intelligently respond to unknown threats becomes more acute.
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Securonix gathers better data from more sources in a platform that combines advanced machine learning, incident response and UEBA capabilities. It can serve as a standalone or complementary solution; Securonix works with legacy SIEM tools such as Splunk, Logrythmn, IBM, McAfee, RSA and ArcSight, so customers can retain their investments while evolving their network security.
We’re in the era of big data. Groups on both sides of the network-security landscape are getting better at accessing and harnessing this data. For network managers, Securonix represents an easy-to-deploy solution able to scale with network size, network infrastructure and the amount of data transmitted.
To discuss Securonix and what it can do for your network, or to arrange a demo, please contact us today.
