How Log SIEM Centralizes Log Access and Management

What is Log SIEM and why do you even need it, if you do? Of course, many companies spend a lot of time and money buying their SIEM, but if they do not implement the system right, then all the work and the money that they will have spent will be for naught. SIEM is a method, or say  a technology of looking at the fundamentals of your data and network security from a bigger lens. We can say that SIEM looks at the network intrusion detection systems, service logs and the endpoint security systems to name but just a few of them, from a single pane. Therefore, SIEM, which is short for Security Information and Event Management, makes monitoring security easier, if you do not have to manage the aforementioned as standalone components of a network security and management, but as one unit.

Why is Log SIEM important?

Unless you look at hindsight, computer attacks do not look like attacks at all. For example, three failed logins are just that, failed logins. However, for a person who knows how to read logs, these are events worth investigating. A log SIEM gathers and stores all log files. These could be files from applications and operating systems that are on different hosts. When they are stored in one unit, then analyzing them becomes easier and sooner or later, actionable intelligence can be derived at fast. Access to the log files is centralized which is far much better than accessing the log files separately, each from their system. A log SIEM connects information from multiple systems into one manageable unit. When you can see all the logs collected by the gathering agents deployed on a network all from a single pane, then that makes your work very easy. While SIEM is not a form of security control on its own, it makes it easier for other security systems that you have in place to work.

Store log files in raw or in normalized formats

You can collect logs from all devices being used on your network and then store them as long as may be needed. The logs can be stored raw or they can be normalized to some rule and format. It does not matter how you store them because the most important thing is that you will not lose any of the log files. Centralization makes the management and prevention of anomalies much easier. The more logs that the log SIEM can process, the better it is. Logs should come from as many sources as possible. For example, these logs could be from security controls like firewalls, antivirus/antimalware and web filters. Logs could also come from your network infrastructure like routers, wireless access centers/points, databases, application servers and domain controllers. Is it possible to buy a standalone log SIEM from a vendor? Why would anyone need that while they can have an all integrated analytic system that has log management, database analysis, cloud security and many more, all in one system like AccelOps?