SIEM and SOAR: Which system does your business need?

What are the differences between SIEM and SOAR? Should they be used separately or rather together? We have the answers.

When businesses discuss IT security, SIEM and SOAR have a key role. Both systems improve the protection of corporate networks, but what exactly is behind them? We explain the differences, look at what they have in common and show how you can use each of the technologies.

Security tools: SIEM detects threats early

SIEM stands for "Security Information and Event Management". SIEM solutions act as a digital watchdog in the corporate network – they collect and evaluate data from all IT systems in an organization. 

The data sources used include firewalls, routers and switches, as well as servers and clients. Valuable information is also provided by IDS and IPS solutions for intrusion detection and prevention, Active Directory, IAM systems and VPN gateways. Virtual Private Networks contribute authentication data, access protocols and connection data.

SIEM systems pool this data to form an overall picture. They recognize connections that are not uncovered by individual security solutions. SIEM provides a detailed overview of all processes that occur at various points in the network. 

Compared with an existing system, which may not necessarily sound the alarm if one and the same user account logs in within a few minutes from remote locations, SIEM immediately recognizes the unusual pattern. It links geospatial data and login frequency, connects the individual events and warns of the potential threat at an early stage.

SIEM solutions detect risks but do not trigger automatic countermeasures. This is where SOAR systems come in.

Automation: SOAR responds to threats with lightning speed

While a SIEM solution provides new data and insights based on existing systems and applications, a SOAR platform uses these results to automatically initiate countermeasures that are defined in playbooks. This is why both systems work together in many companies. SIEM detects and alerts, SOAR reacts, automates and coordinates, relieving IT security staff who are given more time for more complex tasks. 

SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation and Response) coordinates the security tools in the company in a central workflow. It automates tasks in the defense against cyber threats such as after a phishing incident. First, it deletes the identified email. After that, the sender is automatically blocked, the affected computer is isolated and the IT department and the user are informed. Manual actions by an employee are not necessary.

What are the differences between SIEM and SOAR

SIEM collects, correlates and analyzes data from various sources in the company. The alerts are processed by SOAR, which coordinates and automates the response to detected security incidents. This reduces the manual effort as well as the time required to defend against cyber threats. Current SIEM and SOAR solutions work with existing data sources and security solutions. At the same time, they offer a significantly improved insight into what is really happening in a network. Usually, much of it remains hidden. 

SIEM still relies heavily on human experts to investigate the warnings. SOAR on the other hand, works largely automatically. SOAR solutions come with a selection of pre-built playbooks that cover common security incidents. However, they require adaptation to the respective environment beforehand. 

The included playbooks usually cover malware, phishing incidents, brute force attacks, suspicious logins, and data loss prevention (DLP). IT staff then only have to set the desired thresholds, connect the existing security solutions and define what measures are required (for example: Can user accounts be blocked without human approval or not?).

SIEM or SOAR? Or both?

Whether your company needs a SIEM or a SOAR is not the right question. With a SIEM solution, blind spots in the network can be uncovered and cyber threats detected more quickly. However, SIEM only alerts, it does not react automatically. For this, you also need a SOAR solution, which can launch automated countermeasures based on detected risks. It is therefore advisable to use both SIEM and SOAR together. This shortens the time in which an attack can be detected and responded to. With SIEM and SOAR working together, manual effort is reduced and standardization ensures more consistent processes as well as a better utilization of existing security resources.

With NCP's solutions, you can protect hybrid working environments in the best possible way. In our central management software, you can precisely define which users, groups and applications are allowed to access which network resources. Learn more about this topic here:

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