Splunk Enterprise Security is the name of the SIEM that Splunk offers. It is a component of a Security Operation Suite and can be improved with additional services in the same vein. We investigate the Splunk SIEM solution while also looking into other options.
Splunk is a free network monitor that collects data from many types of information technology systems and stores it.
The company that makes the tool is worth $32 billion, despite the fact that it is a free download. How does Splunk, Inc. generate revenue for itself? The basic version of the Splunk system is the only one that may be used for free; the expanded version, which is more likely to be of interest to major businesses, is a paid system. Splunk Enterprise Security, often known as the Splunk Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), is one of those paid add-ons.
What exactly is a SIEM?
The software known as security information and event management (SIEM) is a kind of security monitoring software that may detect malicious activity on endpoints, servers, and networks. The security information and event management system’s role is to act as the second line of defence. It is a backup to the border access controls, and it is based on the assumption that some hackers are going to get through any gateway security, either by slipping through undetected or by cooperating with an authorised user. This is because it works on the assumption that some hackers are going to get through any gateway security.
Insider attacks and advanced persistent threats are the two categories of criminal behaviour that a SIEM system is designed to detect (APTs). An advanced persistent threat is a circumstance in which a hacker organisation has gained access to a network and is able to return at will and remain undiscovered for an extended length of time. This type of danger is known as a “persistent threat.”
Security Information and Event Management is what is meant by the acronym SIEM. It is a hybrid approach that combines components of two different kinds of intrusion detection systems (IDSs). These are known as Host-based Intrusion Detection Systems (HIDSs), and they examine log files to look for indications of unauthorised activity. On the other hand, Network-based Intrusion Detection Systems (NIDSs) examine passing network data to look for anomalies that could point to an intrusion.
In the nomenclature of security information and event management (SIEM), HIDS is referred to as Security Information Management (SIM), and NIDS is referred to as Security Event Management (SEM). SIM + SEM = SIEM.
A SIEM system should also include a threat intelligence feed, a set of detection rules that identify a string of events that sum up to be anomalous behaviour, an analytical tool for retrospective root cause analysis, and data protection standard auditing and reporting. All of these components should be present.
About the Company Splunk, Inc.
Splunk, Inc. was established in 2003 and currently calls San Francisco, California home for its corporate headquarters. 2009 was the year that the company recorded its first annual profit, and the following year it went public on the stock market. Splunk’s capability has been expanded over the course of the company’s history through a combination of organic development as well as strategic acquisition of complementary software and hardware.
Splunk, Inc. has primarily expanded into the realm of security products with specialised adaptations. Some of these include Splunk Insights, which can prevent ransomware from being downloaded, Splunk Enterprise Fraud Monitoring, and Splunk for Industrial IoT, which provides security monitoring for Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
Security and Operations Suite from Splunk
The Splunk Security Operations Suite is a collection of different security modules that includes Splunk Enterprise Security as one of its components. Splunk User Behavior Analytics and Splunk Phantom are two additional packages that are included with this purchase.
Competitors add something called User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA), which stands for User Behavior Analytics, into their primary SIEM system. Other SIEM makers refer to this as User Behavior Analytics. This service creates a baseline for what the system should regard to be regular behaviour and uses it to make decisions. UEBA uses machine learning to change the thresholds of what the system rule base would deem to be aberrant activity. This is done in order to prevent false positives. Because SIEMs that employ out-of-the-box rules have a tendency to misidentify lawful behaviour as being aberrant and generate an excessive number of warnings, this is a feature that is valuable.
A security system that labels every action as suspicious is completely useless, which is why the incorporation of UEBA has become the de facto norm across industries. As a result, anyone who is thinking about deploying Splunk Enterprise Security should also make use of this module, as it comes with a very high recommendation to do so.
SOAR is for Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response, which is exactly what Splunk Phantom is. This idea comes from intrusion prevention systems (IPSs), and it’s used to connect access rights management systems and firewalls to the security information and event management system (SIEM). Because of this, the action to mitigate the risk can now be triggered automatically. Common automated responses include restricting access to particular IP addresses or temporarily deactivating a user account of a person who has been acting in an unusual manner.
An introduction to Splunk Enterprise Security
The Splunk Security Operation Suite revolves around its flagship product, Splunk Enterprise Security. Splunk User Behavior Analytics and Splunk Phantom can be used in conjunction with it, or it can be utilised by itself.
Splunk’s primary function is to monitor the activity taking place on a computer system, compile that information into a form that can be searched, and then store it. This process lies at the centre of each and every SIEM system. Typically, a SIEM will gather and compile all of the log messages that are produced by the software, operating systems, and firmware that are installed on each and every piece of hardware that constitutes the entire IT system. The results of real-time traffic analysis are added to the collected log data by a SIEM.
Log Management
A log server and a log file management system are both included in the standard version of Splunk, which can be either the free version or the more robust Splunk Enterprise. Splunk has the capability of being configured to collect log messages from any and all available sources and store them centrally in a format that can be accessed easily. Compliance with data security requirements is one of the primary considerations that go into a company’s decision to acquire a SIEM. These regulations, such as HIPAA and GDPR, stipulate that any and all activities involving sensitive data must be logged, and that the logs themselves must be made accessible for auditing purposes. Therefore, the standard version of Splunk is sufficient to fulfil that requirement.
Log management capabilities that enable meaningful searches on data are included with the standard installation of Splunk. Splunk Enterprise Security’s SIM functionalities are dependent on this underlying service in order to operate properly.
Monitoring of the traffic on the network
The functions of standard Splunk collect data from networks and store it so that it may be analysed later. A SIEM must have the capacity to correlate events that are taking place not just on the network but also on endpoints and servers located throughout the system. Splunk is excellent at bringing together a variety of data sources for the purpose of research.
Intelligence about potential dangers
Splunk Enterprise Security revolves primarily around the collection and analysis of threat info. All of the features for gathering and analysing data are included as part of the basic Splunk package; the SIEM tool is the supplemental component that adds to these capabilities.
Users of Splunk are given the ability to search through, sort, and aggregate system data in order to analyse the data. Splunk Enterprise Security offers pre-written search strings that are based on threat intelligence. These search phrases can be used immediately.
When competing SIEM systems refer to “threat intelligence,” what they really mean is a continuously updated feed of new attack vectors that can be inputted directly into the SIEM tool to add new detection criteria. This feature is not automatically included in Splunk Enterprise Security since Splunk does not have a research lab to furnish it with the necessary data. Splunk, on the other hand, suggests seven different sources of threat intelligence. These sources all give their information in a format that Splunk is able to read, and the user can choose whether or not to include them in the Splunk Enterprise security settings.
The choices are as follows:
• New Dangers in the Making
• Request a ride from TAXII.com.
• I-Blocklist
• Websites that host malware
• abuse.ch
• Phishtank
• SANS
Users have the option to investigate other threat intelligence sources so long as the format of the data delivery is compatible with Splunk.
Examination of risks and exposures
The vulnerability scanning feature of Splunk Enterprise Security is a by-product of the threat intelligence-driven data searches that are performed by default. Splunk may be customised with a wide variety of plugins and add-ons that can be obtained through the user community forum that is known as Splunkbase. There are premium tools in the Splunkbase library in addition to the majority of free applications that may be downloaded from the platform.
This source makes available a variety of different applications for the scanning of vulnerabilities. On the other hand, it is significantly more typical for customers to install a separate vulnerability scanner and then feed data from that scanner into Splunk.
Configuration choices available with Splunk SIEM
All of the components of the Splunk Security Operation Suite can be installed on computers running Windows, Linux, macOS, FreeBSD, Solaris 11, and AIX. The service is also offered in the cloud, which provides users with additional processing power, storage space, and access to the Splunk Enterprise Security software.
Dashboard
The Splunk dashboard may be viewed through a web browser regardless of whether it is hosted on-premises or in the cloud. The following web browsers are compatible with this site:
• Chrome from Google
• Mozilla Firefox
• Internet Explorer 11 (not in Compatibility mode)
• Safari
The dashboard displays information pertaining to Splunk Enterprise, with the Enterprise Security system being categorised as an add-on. The user makes their choice using a dropdown menu that is located to the left of the Splunk Enterprise icon in the top left corner of the screen.
The service offers more than one hundred different standard screens. There is room for personalization on the console. A search string is used to provide data for each element that is displayed on each screen. This string can be changed in order to produce individualised results. Many of the screens, such as the Risk Analysis screen that is displayed below, have visually appealing graphs and charts. All of these can be customised by modifying the queries that give data to the screens’ respective graphs and charts.
The layout of the display on the screens for viewing incident data already includes search filters and column selection options, so these screens do not need to be altered in order to be used for analysing and manipulating the data they display. The image of an incident report that can be found below illustrates this point.
Attack mitigation
Although automated attack response is not included with Splunk Enterprise Security, it is available with the larger Security Operation Suite through Splunk Phantom. Splunk Enterprise Security is not the only product that offers automated attack response. Customers who wish to incorporate automated response workflows into their SIEM solution should consider adding Splunk Phantom to their Splunk Enterprise Security deployment.
Reporting on compliance obligations
In the same way that the default Splunk Enterprise dashboard is modified by the Enterprise Security app, additional specialised apps can be installed to guarantee that security regulations are followed. You may access these customised screens by selecting the particular compliance standard from the dropdown list of installed apps that is located next to the Splunk Enterprise title in the top left corner of the dashboard.
Splunk is compliant with HIPAA, PCI DSS, GDPR, and ISO/IEC 27001, among other regulations.
The most effective alternatives to Splunk SIEM
Splunk promotes its Splunk Enterprise Security product as one that is ideal for use in major corporations. To get the system fully operational as a SIEM requires a significant amount of configuration work to be performed on it. For instance, threat intelligence does not get imported into the system in an automatic fashion; rather, an external source of this information needs to be evaluated before it can be included into the service.
Those who are familiar with the Splunk system will love investigating additional plugins and add-ons that will enable them to get the most out of the system because the Splunk SIEM is quite adaptable. People who aren’t as familiar with Splunk could worry that they haven’t done enough to fully get the system up and running if they were in this position. The requirement to investigate the various ways in which Splunk could be modified would be discouraging for most time-crunched system administrators.
Because there are so many different SIEM systems available today, network administrators who are searching for a simpler, plug-and-play solution for SIEM have a wide variety of choices at their disposal. Have a look at our post on the top SIEM tools if you want to learn more about SIEM and the best systems that are now competing on the market. Check out the post on the finest managed SIEM services if, as an alternative, you are considering contracting the task out to a group of SIEM specialists rather than doing it yourself.
The following is a list of our picks for the top alternatives to Splunk SIEM:
1. SolarWinds Security Event Manager (SSEM) (FREE TRIAL) A robust system for managing and analysing logs, which fulfils the “SIM” component of the SIEM acronym. The application provides a variety of automated response choices in addition to solid analysis assistance and powerful data visualisations. The installation platform for this virtual appliance is either Microsoft Hyper-V or VMWare vSphere. Start your free trial of thirty days today.
2. ManageEngine EventLog Analyzer (FREE TRIAL) A service for SIM cards that manages records and offers various tools for data analysis. Integrate the Log360 tool into your workflow to gain access to network analysis functionalities. Both Windows and Linux are supported for installation. Start your free trial of thirty days today.
3. Datadog Security Monitoring and Reporting This cloud-based comprehensive system monitoring service includes, as one of its configuration options, a security information and event management (SIEM) system. It is necessary to install the agent software locally on the premises.
McAfee Enterprise Security Manager is the fourth product. A complete security information and event management system that is supported by threat intelligence feeds from a prominent cybersecurity research lab. Includes analysis of both logs and traffic, in addition to providing the option for an automated reaction. The Active Directory management capabilities of this system are extremely impressive. It may be installed on macOS as well as Windows.
5. Fortinet FortiSIEM An advanced cloud-based SIEM system that is provided from the cloud and includes agent software for each monitored device so that it can continue to work even if the device’s internet connection becomes unavailable. It consists of UEBA in addition to automated defence responses
Rapid7 InsightIDR is the sixth place finisher. A comprehensive security solution that includes systems for automatic response as well as identification of potential dangers. Because this is a cloud-based service, the on-premises devices must also have the agent software installed in order to guarantee that the service will remain uninterrupted.
7. OSSEC A free and open-source HIDS that handles the log analysis component of SIEM on its own. In order to obtain a comprehensive SIEM solution, network traffic must first be imported using files obtained from various different monitors. Installs on macOS, Linux, and Unix in addition to Windows.
LogRhythm NextGen SIEM Platform is the number eight spot. An sophisticated security information and event management system (SIEM) that leverages AI approaches to limit the number of false positives. Both the inspection of traffic and the study of logs are covered by the tool. Both Windows and Linux are supported by the installation process.
9. Cybersecurity provided by AT&T Management of Unified Threats with AlienVault Unified Security AT&T has recently come on board as a major investor in the cybersecurity company AlienVault, which is already a well-known brand in the industry. It may be installed on macOS as well as Windows.
Splunk SIEM FAQs
Is Splunk the most effective SIEM option?
Splunk is a data management and analysis tool by itself, but the company that developed the tool has added on many other services, one of which is an excellent SIEM system. Splunk’s parent company has also put on many other new services.
Is Splunk a helpful tool for maintaining security?
Splunk is a versatile technology that may be used to develop your own data analysis systems, including a threat detection package. You can use Splunk to do this. On the other hand, because the Splunk Enterprise Security service features pre-written content, you won’t have to go to such great efforts. The Security Information and Event Management system is at the heart of Splunk Enterprise Security.
