To keep up with the digital threat landscape, organisations need robust security technologies & processes. Two technologies that have become essential for modern Security Operations Centres [SOCs] are Security Information & Event Management [SIEM] & Security Orchestration, Automation & Response [SOAR]. While related in purpose, SIEM & SOAR serve distinct roles. Understanding the key distinctions between these technologies is crucial for implementing the appropriate solutions & maximising their effectiveness.
SIEM & SOAR both aim to strengthen security monitoring, incident response & threat mitigation capabilities. However, SIEM focuses on gathering security data from multiple sources & enabling threat detection & analysis. SOAR concentrates on streamlining & automating workflows to accelerate & improve incident response. Organisations need to evaluate their own requirements, resources & use cases to determine if SIEM, SOAR or a combination of both will provide the right capabilities for their security needs.
This Journal will examine SIEM & SOAR in depth – their definitions, purposes, features, benefits, limitations & differences. We will also explore considerations for selecting the appropriate technology & provider to meet an organisation’s unique security operations needs & challenges. Equipped with an understanding of SIEM & SOAR, security teams can make informed decisions on implementing solutions tailored for effective, efficient & scalable security operations.
Security Information & Event Management [SIEM] refers to a technology that aggregates & analyses security data such as events, alerts, logs & threat intelligence from across an organisation’s technology infrastructure & applications. The core purpose of a SIEM is to monitor activity across networks, endpoints, cloud environments & other systems to detect security incidents & compliance violations.
Key goals & use cases of SIEM technology include:
SIEM platforms offer a robust set of capabilities that empower security teams to get greater visibility across their environment, accelerate threat detection & simplify compliance processes. Key features include:
Key benefits provided by SIEM solutions include:
While delivering significant value, SIEM has some notable limitations & implementation challenges:
Proper planning, resourcing & setting of expectations is crucial for successful SIEM deployment & adoption in an organisation.
Security Orchestration, Automation & Response [SOAR] is a technology that connects disparate security tools & automates repetitive workflows & processes related to security operations – including incident response, malware analysis & threat mitigation.
The core objectives & capabilities of SOAR solutions include:
SOAR platforms incorporate a diverse set of features & capabilities that augment security operations:
The advantages provided by SOAR solutions include:
While delivering immense value, SOAR comes with some limitations & implementation hurdles:
With proper planning & resourcing, organisations can overcome challenges & maximise the value delivered by SOAR platforms.
While both technologies aim to bolster security operations there are distinct differences between SIEM & SOAR:
SIEM | SOAR |
It focuses on gathering security data, enabling analysis & alerting teams about threats. | It concentrates on streamlining, standardising & automating workflows – taking action in response to threats. |
It performs centralised logging, aggregation, correlation & reporting of security data to detect incidents. | It bridges disconnected security tools & leverages playbooks & automation to investigate, remediate & document response processes. |
Both are complementary: SIEM detects while SOAR responds. Together they deliver end-to-end capabilities. |
SIEM | SOAR |
It provides manual workflows – generating alerts that require human analysis & intervention. | It enables predefined automated playbooks & procedures for security operations & incident response. |
It focuses on alerting the appropriate teams to security events & incidents. | It goes further by codifying & automating the steps to investigate, mitigate & document incidents. |
SIEM | SOAR |
It integrates mainly security tools – firewalls, IDS/IPS, malware sandboxes, etc. | It enables bidirectional integration between a broader set of security & IT technologies. |
Its deployments face scalability hurdles from massive log data volumes requiring storage & processing. | It scales well with the number of users & integrations & also automation reduces manual overhead. |
Organisations have different needs, environments & security maturity, so SIEM & SOAR each offer unique benefits. There are key considerations when determining which is right for your organisation:
This Journal has explored the key differences between SIEM vs SOAR & how they complement each other within security operations. While SIEM focuses on centralised data collection, correlation, monitoring & alerting, SOAR concentrates on integrating security tools & automating workflow processes.
Determining whether to adopt SIEM, SOAR or both technologies depends on assessing an organisation’s specific security gaps, objectives & resources. Security teams must analyse their existing incident response workflows, staff skills & budget to select solutions tailored for their environment.
By understanding the unique value propositions of SIEM vs SOAR, organisations can make informed decisions on implementing the appropriate tools. Embracing the capabilities of both technologies, either separately or together, enables security operations to advance to a new level. Security leaders are encouraged to evaluate SIEM & SOAR platforms based on their ability to provide the visibility, threat detection & automation needed to strengthen their security postures. With the right approach, SIEM & SOAR serve as true force multipliers for modern SOC performance, efficiency & incident response.
SIEM focuses on collecting, correlating & analysing security data to detect threats, while SOAR automates repetitive workflow tasks to accelerate incident response. Extended Detection & Response [XDR] leverages multiple data sources, advanced analytics & threat intelligence for enhanced detection & investigations across endpoints, networks, cloud & other assets. XDR can complement SIEM & SOAR.
A SIEM tool is designed to collect, analyse & manage security-related data from various sources to detect & respond to threats & incidents, while a SOAR tool automates & orchestrates incident response processes, streamlining workflows & enhancing collaboration for more efficient threat resolution.
Many organisations benefit from utilising both SIEM & SOAR together as they serve different but synergistic roles. However, some may need only one or the other depending on their use cases, budget, resources & existing systems.
SOAR platforms are commonly leveraged within Security Operations Centres [SOCs] to help analysts & security staff investigate & respond to threats more efficiently through automation & orchestration of repetitive workflows. SOAR is an enabling technology for SOC processes & capabilities.