SIEM vs. SOAR and the Quest for Cybersecurity Frameworks

Two major trending tools have been pitted against each other in the flawed quest for a single solution. The SIEM vs SOAR debate misses the point entirely – using these platforms together provide a collective defense against cyber threats and attacks. They enhance visibility into the security landscape, automate repetitive tasks, streamline security operations, and take preventative measures, further freeing up the IT team to focus on more strategic and important tasks.

As cyber threats grow more sophisticated, organizations seek robust solutions that offer proactive threat detection and efficient incident response capabilities. In this comprehensive guide, we delve into the nuanced world of SIEM versus SOAR, dissecting their unique functionalities and exploring how they can collectively fortify your organization’s defense against cyber threats.

Breaking down SIEM vs. SOAR into their unique capabilities

Let’s explore both technologies independently to see how an overlapping strategy can lead to a more robust, secure digital fortress.

SIEM

SIEM has three core capabilities: data collection, analytics, and response. SIEM system collects data across the entire network, identifies malicious behavior, and provides alerts to the security and IT team further giving them the visibility and information to respond before the issue becomes serious and dangerous.

SIEM combines both Security Information Management (SIM) and Security Event Management (SEM) into one security management system. Benefits of SIEM include creating a centralised view of security data, advanced visibility, out-of-the-box analytics, and enhanced compliance.

 Securonix NextGen SIEM, Logpoint SIEM, Netsurion, Rapid7, LogRhythm SIEM, IBM QRadar, Datadog Cloud SIEM, and Splunk Enterprise Security are among the most popular solutions on the market.

SOAR

SOAR enables IT teams to coordinate, execute, and automate tasks between various people and tools all within a single platform. SOAR is designed to operate under three primary software capabilities: threat and vulnerability management, incident response, and security operations automation. As a result, SOAR tools can instantly gauge, detect, intervene, and respond to events without the consistent need for human interaction.

Benefits of SOAR tools include building workflows, streamlining operations, increased flexibility, extensibility, and collaboration, self-operation, and time/cost savings.

The most popular SOAR tools are Splunk Phantom, TheIBM Resilient, DFLabs IncMac, Rapid7 Insightconnect, RespondX, Exabeam, ServiceNow, SIRP.

SOAR – a perfect complement for SIEM

SIEM-SOAR combo is considered a powerhouse for any large enterprise looking to create a robust, reliable security framework. The combination can transform security operations by offering greater visibility, reduced alert fatigue, and faster response.

SIEM was developed with a goal to help organizations in the early detection of targeted attacks and data breaches. Whereas SOAR is the newer kid on the block. This security technology was designed to speed up the process of triage and incident resolution.

A SIEM tool checks data for patterns that might indicate an attack and correlates event information between devices for any anomalous activity, issuing an alert if necessary. Having a SOAR to escalate important alerts gives SIEM security teams the ability to optimize and automate their workflows. SOAR acts on SIEM data by automating incident inspection and response. This functionality reduces the dependency on manual interventions, thus freeing up the IT team and allowing them to focus on other complex tasks.

If SIEM is an alert soundboard, SOAR is a tool to get the alerts addressed promptly. Thus, the formula for success and improving efficiency and effectiveness is having both SIEM and SOAR solutions.

Moreover, for a bigger organization that potentially receives thousands of alerts per day, implementing both SIEM and SOAR can help the IT team build a more robust, efficient, and responsive security program.

Move your security solutions forward with SIEM and SOAR

As per reports, the global security information and event management (SIEM) market size was valued at USD 3.95 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.5% from 2023 to 2030. Likewise, the global Security Orchestration, Automation and Response (SOAR) market size was valued at USD 1.1 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 2.3 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 15.8% during the forecast period.

In short, the importance of SIEM and SOAR systems cannot be overstated. Both SIEM and SOAR systems bring immense value to security teams. Their true value lies in their complementing capabilities. By harnessing the power of SIEM and SOAR together, you can create a holistic defense net for your business. It will certainly protect your organization’s digital assets, people, and network round-the-clock at a fraction of the cost.

However, there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to selecting SIEM and SOAR tools. Your preferences and requirements may vary depending on your goals, resources, and environment – but should be combined to form an impenetrable tech stack.

In brief

The fundamental differences between SIEM and SOAR tools are not as crucial as how to incorporate both – for different benefits -to fortify your cybersecurity posture and ensure better protection against evolving cyber threats and attacks.