What Is Security Incident and Event Management (SIEM)?

In the world of IT, security is like a game of whack-a-mole. You think you see it coming; then it hits you. You are trying to get ahead of the game by installing new security software, but you need help to keep up with the sheer number of attacks, and even if you could, one slip-up can cost your company millions. It makes you want to throw your computer across the room! Luckily, there is an easier way to Security incident and event management (SIEM). SIEM is a process that provides a comprehensive and centralized view of an IT infrastructure's security scenario. Identify, monitor, record, and analyze security events or incidents within real-time IT environments like yours! SIEM helps organizations gain visibility into their digital risk landscape to make informed decisions about how best to protect themselves from cyber threats.SIEM can detect attacks against databases, e-mail servers, web applications and other network devices. It can also detect insider threats such as fraud or data theft by employees with sensitive information access. A SIEM system is like a Swiss Army knife. It has all sorts of tools to help you do your job. Moreover, while it is only sometimes the most exciting tool, it is one of the most important. You probably know that a SIEM is implemented via software, systems, appliances, or combinations. However, did you know that a SIEM system has six main attributes? The first three are data collection and correlation, event management, and analysis and reporting. These are self-explanatory. They are how your SIEM gets its data! The following two are user access control and event correlation rules. It means that your SIEM can determine who has access to what information and ensure that those people only see what they should see and only when they should see it. (This is especially important when dealing with sensitive data.) Moreover, finally, there is also incident management, the process by which your organization handles incidents after they have occurred.