Choosing the right security information and event management software can be overwhelming, but what are the open source SIEM tools? This article is a complete ranking of SIEM open source tools.
Today’s SIEM market is a nearly $3 billion industry and growing. Gartner predicts that spending on SIEM technology will grow to nearly $3.4 billion by 2021.
When considering a threat detection system, find the tools you need to protect your organization from various types of cyberattacks. Check how you should build your protection.
Take the time to consider the preparation required to successfully scale into the technology. The benefits of a well-established, real-time security system are well worth the investment, and here’s a complete collection of open source SIEM tools.
What is SIEM?
SIEM or Security information and event management is a set of tools that combine SEM (Security Event Management) and SIM (Security Information Management), both of which are essential and very closely related to each other.
SIM refers to how a company collects data. In most cases, the data is combined into a specific format, such as a log file. The format is then placed in a centralized location. Once you have the format and location of your data, you can quickly analyze it.
A SIM doesn’t refer to a complete enterprise security solution, although it’s often mistaken for one. SIMs are only relevant to data collection techniques that are used to discover problems within the system.
SEM provides real-time system monitoring and notifies network administrators of potential issues. It can also establish correlations between security events.
What is a SIEM software tool?
SIEM products run directly on the systems they monitor. The software sends log information to a central portal. This is usually a cloud server because they have more robust security monitoring than the on-premise hardware. They also provide a degree of separation for added protection.
The console provides clients with visual aids filtered by local parameters. Cybersecurity incidents can be identified, recreated, and audited through accounting logs.
How security information incident management works
SIEM works by identifying correlations between different log entries. More advanced platforms also include entity and user behavior analytics (UEBA). Other systems may also include SOAR. SOAR stands for “Security Orchestration and Automated Response.” UEBA and SOAR are very useful in specific situations.
Security information and event management also works by monitoring and recording data. Most security operations experts think of a SIEM tool as more than just a simple monitoring and logging solution.
SIEM security systems include:
- Actively develop a global intelligence-based threat list.
- Collect logs from vetted intelligence sources.
- SIEM solutions consolidate and analyze log files, including supplemental analytics data to enrich logs.
- Look for security dependencies in your logs and investigate them.
- If a SIEM rule is triggered, people are automatically notified.
Best practices for using a SIEM solution
Identify the critical assets you want to protect
The first thing an organization must do is identify critical assets through security risk management. Identification leads to prioritization. No company has the resources to protect everything equally. Prioritizing assets allows organizations to maximize their security within budget.
Prioritizing assets can also help you choose a SIEM solution
Understanding your company’s needs can also help you scale the SIEM platform you’re using. SIEM technology can help with low-level compliance efforts without the need for extensive customization.
Enterprise visibility is another goal entirely. This requires a higher level of deployment. This goal doesn’t require as much customization. Does your company know its goals? Take the time to develop a detailed strategy before investing.
Educate employees on SIEM software
The second step is to ensure that internal employees understand SIEM as a platform.
What system log files will be monitored by the SIEM technology solution? Does your company use a variety of logs? You may handle data differently in different departments and departments. Before SIEM security can help you, you must normalize these logs. Different logs don’t allow the system to reach its maximum potential or provide actionable reports. Why? Data inconsistencies.
Create a scaling policy
Some companies replicate logging policies as they scale. The demand for servers will eventually increase. In doing so, the company replicated the log rules. Over time, log files replicate themselves. This helps keep records if a company is acquired or merged with another company.
If servers are spread across different time zones and locations, it becomes more difficult to create a workable strategy. Ideally, you’ll standardize the time zone your organization will use. Ignoring this step may result in out-of-sync timestamps. Finally, configure the classification of potential events on the system.
Make sure your SIEM solution meets your needs
Every security information and event management comes with log collection requirements. For example, syslog logs are connected through an outsourced agent. Logs from Microsoft handle locally installed agents. Logs are then collected from the Remote Procedure Call or Windows Management toolset. Only then will they be made available to the device that collects the logs.
Executives are responsible for determining the security needs for each priority asset. This is critical to generating measurable and actionable results from your SIEM.
Record only critical assets (initially)
After the full logging environment is configured, you can roll out minor features. Manage it step-by-step, which helps avoid mistakes. It also helps block full commitments before SIEM testing.
Top SIEM tools and software solutions to consider
What are the SIEM open source tools? Each of the SIEM products listed below has different features. Make sure to review each system based on your individual needs.
OSSEC
SIEM Open Source Tools Collection: Open source SIEMs are very popular. OSSEC is most commonly used as a host-based system for intrusion prevention and detection. This system is often abbreviated as IDS. OSSEC is available for Solaris, Mac OS, Linux, and Windows servers, as well as Mac OS. It works well due to its structure. OSSEC consists of two components:1. Host Agent and 2. Main application.
OSSEC allows direct monitoring of rootkit detection, file integrity, and log files. It can also connect to mail, FTP, web, firewalls, and DNS-based IDS platforms. You can also synchronize log analytics from major business network services.
Snort
Snort is a web-based IDS. It’s farther away from the host, allowing it to scan and monitor more traffic. As one of the top SIEM tools, Snort can analyze your web traffic in real-time. Its display is very powerful: you can dump packets in real time, perform analysis, or display packets.
If your network link has a throughput of 100 Gbps or higher, Snort may be your company’s product. The configuration has a high relative learning curve, but the system is worth the wait. Make sure your employees have a firm grasp of how to use Snort. It has powerful analytics and filtering features as well as high-performance output plugins. You can use this SIEM tool in a variety of ways.
ELK
SIEM Open Source Tools Rankings: ELK is probably the most popular solution on the market. The ELK heap is a product from SIEM portfolio vendors Elasticsearch, Logstash, and Kibana.
Elasticsearch provides the engine for storing data. It is considered to be the top solution in the market.
Logstash can receive your log data from anywhere. It can also enhance, process, and filter your log data if needed.
Finally, Kibana provides you with the visuals. In the IT space, there is no controversy about the features of Kibana. It is considered to be the top open-source analytical visualization system produced by the industry to date.
This stack forms the foundation of many commercial security information and event management platforms. Each program is specialized to make the entire stack more stable. It’s an excellent option for high performance and a relatively simple learning curve.
Prelude
Are you using a variety of open source tools? Prelude is the platform that brings it all together. It fills certain holes that Snort and OSSEC did not prioritize.
Prelude enables you to store logs from multiple sources in one place. It uses IDMEF technology (Intrusion Detection Message Exchange Format) to do this. You gain the ability to analyze, filter, correlate, alert, and visualize data. The commercial version is more robust than the open-source version. If you need top-notch performance, go commercialize.
OSSIM SIEM solution
ELK is one of the top SIEM solutions. OSSIM is not far behind. OSSIM is the open-source sister to Alien Vault’s unified security management package. It has an automated testing framework reminiscent of Prelude. It is considered to be a great tool.
As a commercial product, OSSIM is even more powerful. SIEM is an open-source version for microdeployments. If you need performance at scale, get a commercial product.
SolarWinds SIEM Log Manager
You can try the Event Log Analyzer and Management Integrator for free. SolarWinds SIEM systems allow you to view logs across multiple Windows systems. You can filter logs and patterns. Security Event Manager enables you to evaluate and store historical log data.
SolarWinds is one of the most competitive entry-level SIEM security tools on the market. It offers all the core features you’d expect, including extensive log management and other features.
Because of the detailed incident response, it’s a great tool for those looking to leverage Windows event logs, and for those who want to actively manage their network infrastructure for future threats.
A nice feature is the detailed and intuitive dashboard design. Thanks to the attractive and easy-to-use display, users can quickly identify any anomalies.
The company offers 24/7 support as a welcome bonus, so you can contact them for advice if you have questions.
LogFusion SIEM software
LogFusion is a simple program. It has a simple user portal and a flat learning curve. If you want to handle remote logging, log dumps, and remote event channels from a single screen, this is the platform for you.
Netwrix Event Log Manager
If you don’t need all the features of Auditor, then Netwrix Event Log Manager might be right for you. You can get event consolidation from across the network in one place. You can create email alerts in real-time. You also have limited archiving capabilities and some alert criteria filtering for additional measurements.
McAfee Enterprise Security Manager SIEM
What are the SIEM open source tools? McAfee Enterprise Security Manager is one of the best options for analytics. It allows you to use an Active Directory system to collect a variety of logs across a variety of devices.
When it comes to normalization, McAfee’s correlation engine compiles disparate data sources efficiently and effectively. This ensures that security incidents are easier to detect when attention is needed.
With this package, users have access to McAfee Enterprise Technical Support and McAfee Business Technical Support. If they wish, users can choose to have a support account manager visit their site twice a year, which is recommended to get the most out of the service.
This option is best suited for medium to large companies looking for a complete security incident management solution.
RSA Network Witness
RSA NetWitness provides a complete network analysis solution. For larger organizations, this is one of the most extensive tools available.
But if you’re looking for something simple, this isn’t it. The tool is not very easy to use
And it can be a time-consuming setup. While comprehensive user documentation can help you with setup, these guides won’t help you with everything.
LogRhythm Security Intelligence Platform
LogRhythm can help in a variety of ways, from behavioral analytics to log correlation and even artificial intelligence. The system is compatible with a wide range of devices and log types.
When you review configuration settings, most of the activity is managed through the Deployment Manager. For example, you can use the Windows Host Wizard to explore Windows logs. It’s a powerful tool that can help you narrow down what’s happening on the web.
The interface does have a learning curve, but the instruction manual is comprehensive and really helpful. The manual provides hyperlinks to features so that you can find links that are helpful to you.
Splunk Enterprise Security
A collection of open source SIEM tools: Splunk is one of the world’s most popular SIEM management solutions.
What sets Splunk Magic Quadrant apart from others is that it has analytics at the heart of its SIEM. Network and machine data can be monitored in real-time as the system looks for any vulnerabilities and weaknesses. You can define display alerts.
The user interface is very simple when it comes to dealing with threats, and the Asset Investigator does an excellent job of flagging malicious behavior.
SolarWinds’ Papertrail SIEM log management
SIEM Open Source Tools Leaderboard: Papertrail is a cloud-based log management tool for any operating system.
Papertrail has SIEM capabilities because the tool’s interface includes record filtering and sorting features, which in turn allow you to perform data analysis.
Data transmission, storage, and access are all protected by encryption. Only authorized users have access to corporate data stored on the server, and setting up unlimited user accounts is simple.
Provides performance and anomaly alerts, which can be set through the dashboard and based on detection and compromise signatures stored in the Papertrail threat database.
Papertrail will also store your log data for analysis.
Log storage
What are the SIEM open source tools? Logstash is one of three software solutions that work together to create a complete SIEM system. Each app can be used with other tools as the user sees fit. Each product can be thought of as a SIEM software, but together they form a SIEM system.
It is not mandatory to use them together. All modules are open-source and free for users.
Logstash collects log data from the network and writes them to a file. You can specify what types of records it should manage in Logstash’s settings, so you can ignore specific sources if you want.
The system has its own recording format, and the Logstash file interface can reinterpret the data into other forms for transmission.
SIEM Open Source Tools Leaderboard
Summary of the SIEM open source tool collection
Cybersecurity tools and threat detection are necessary to protect data and prevent downtime. Vulnerable systems are always a target for hackers, which is why security information and event management products have become an important aspect of identifying and responding to cyberattacks.
This top SIEM product provides real-time analysis of security alerts and, importantly, the identification of cyberattacks.
