What Is SIEM?
SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) is a cybersecurity system that collects, stores, and analyzes security data from devices, servers, and applications. Its purpose is to detect unusual activity, identify potential threats, and provide a central view of an organization’s security events.
How SIEM Works
A SIEM platform gathers logs from multiple sources—such as firewalls, operating systems, authentication services, network devices, and applications. It normalizes the data, correlates related events, and generates alerts when patterns resemble suspicious or harmful activity. This helps security teams respond quickly to possible incidents.
Main Functions of SIEM
- Log Collection: Gathers security data from different systems.
- Event Correlation: Connects related events to reveal hidden patterns.
- Real-Time Alerts: Notifies teams of potential threats or anomalies.
- Incident Investigation: Helps analyze what happened during a security event.
- Reporting and Compliance: Generates audit-friendly security reports.
Common SIEM Data Sources
- Firewalls and Routers: Network activity and blocked traffic.
- Servers and Operating Systems: Access logs, errors, and system changes.
- Authentication Services: Login attempts, failures, and account activity.
- Applications: Security events from software systems.
- Endpoint Devices: Alerts from antivirus or monitoring tools.
Why SIEM Matters
SIEM helps organizations identify threats early, understand incidents, and maintain security visibility across all systems. It is widely used in cybersecurity operations to support real-time monitoring, incident response, and regulatory compliance.
The Simple Takeaway
SIEM is a cybersecurity tool that collects and analyzes security logs to detect threats and provide centralized insight into system activity.