If you are facing a guy with a gun, you need to know that your body armor will stop any bullet every time. A managed SIEM service is the equivalent of military-grade body armor, protecting your business from any threat.
A managed security information and event management service (SIEM, pronounced ‘Sim’) is the ultimate in business protection. Hackers are fatal for a company, just like gunmen are for kids. Your business will never recover completely and the only way to survive is to stop hacking attacks before they begin.
What is a Managed SIEM Service?
The best managed SIEM services are delivered using an SaaS format because that is the best way for a provider to respond to a constantly changing threat environment. You pay a monthly or annual fee that is based on the number of nodes (computers, servers, etc.) on your protected network.
Your supplier will monitor your system 24/7/365 and should spot unusual usage patterns and hacking attempts before the bad guys can cause any damage.
Unusual usage patterns might be as simple as an employee trying to access unauthorized data or trying to escalate their privileges: Sometimes it will be harmless. However, such behavior patterns can also be the first signs of a malcontent team member attempting to steal proprietary information or even to sabotage your operations.
Without a managed SIEM provider you would only ever catch bad actors after they have done their worst. With a SIEM SaaS contract, every login attempt is monitored, every keystroke is checked and every unusual usage pattern is notified to SIEM experts who check for severity of consequences and false positives.
Your Cyber Security Threat Profile
What Cyber Security Threats Are You Exposed To? You will need to talk to a managed SIEM service provider for a detailed analysis and to obtain an accurate quotation to protect your business. However, some threats are common to most companies:
- Disgruntled employees
- Virtual attacks on your web servers
- Crypto-jacking
- Social engineering
- IoT vulnerabilities
1 – Disgruntled Employees
An employee is unhappy and maybe looking for another position with a competitor. The motivation for stealing or destroying your data could be as simple as revenge, or profit. No competing business is going to consider hiring someone who might be minded to damage their operation a few years down the line, but that might not be obvious to someone who is unhappy in your company.
SIEM Providers have seen it all before. They know the behavior patterns and signs, allowing them to prevent any damage before it happens.
2 – Virtual Attacks on Your Web Servers
Your SIEM provider will block repeated login attempts, which may be the precursor to cross-site scripting (XSS) and SQL injections. You can expect your SIEM service to check and fix any vulnerabilities in your server software or applications.
Hackers continue to use simple misconfigurations to access your data, and to use your trusted status with clients and partners to attack their machines in turn.
3 – Crypto Jacking
Mining cryptocurrencies requires massive computing power, which costs hackers money. However, if a hacker can use your computers there is no financial overhead. Cryptojacking is the theft of your computer resources. You might not even know it is happening because virus scanners will not find the malware that allows a crypto jacker to use your CPU time.
The only sign your electricity and CPU resources are being stolen might be computers that run more slowly than they used to. A managed SIEM service will help you get rid of crypto-jacking software as soon as it is installed on a machine.
4 – Social Engineering
Phishing attempts are everyday occurrences in most companies because they work. Disguised URLs and links in emails persuade uneducated employees to click them. Education and training are key to preventing unauthorized downloads. Your SIEM service will give your staff examples of what to look out for so they are less likely to be tricked.
5 – IoT Vulnerabilities
The rush to release internet-connected coffee-makers, fish tanks, and air conditioning has led to many manufacturers ignoring security issues. ANY device that is connected to your network can act as an open gate to your data, allowing bad actors into the network you thought was secure.
Your SIEM provider will install security updates where they have been released and notify you of any continued and unpatched vulnerabilities your internet-connected devices have.
Overview
Half-measures are a waste of energy and money. Partial protection against cyber-threats is no protection at all, any more than faulty or low-spec body armor would protect you in a shooting.
A managed SIEM service is the only way to prevent hacker attacks before they have a chance to get going. Proactive responses to hackers require constant real-time monitoring of your internal network, IoT devices, and your web servers.
