Monthly Blog Round-Up – January 2015

Here is my next monthly "Security Warrior" blog round-up of top 5 popular posts/topics this month:

1. “Why No Open Source SIEM, EVER?” contains some of my SIEM thinking from 2009. Is it relevant now? Well, you be the judge.  Current emergence of open source log search tools, BTW, does not break the logic of that post.
2. “Simple Log Review Checklist Released!” is often at the top of this list – the checklist is still a very useful tool for many people. “On Free Log Management Tools” is a companion to the checklist (updated version)
3. “Top 10 Criteria for a SIEM?” came from one of my last projects I did when running my SIEM consulting firm in 2009-2011 (for my recent work on evaluating SIEM, see this document)
4. “New SIEM Whitepaper on Use Cases In-Depth OUT!” (dated 2010) presents a whitepaper on select SIEM use cases described in depth with rules and reports [using now-defunct SIEM product]; also see this SIEM use case in depth and this for a more current list of popular SIEM use cases.
5. My classic PCI DSS Log Review series is always popular! The series of 18 posts cover a comprehensive log review approach (OK for PCI DSS 3.0 as well), useful for building log review processes and procedures , whether regulatory or not. It is also described in more detail in our Log Management book and mentioned in our PCI book (just out in its 4th edition!)

In addition, I’d like to draw your attention to a few recent posts from my Gartner blog:

Current research on security analytics:

• Do You Want “Security Analytics” Or Do You Just Hate Your SIEM?
• Security Analytics – Finally Emerging For Real?
• Why No Security Analytics Market?

Past research on MSSP:

• My “How to Work With an MSSP to Improve Security” Paper Publishes
• Should I Use “SIEM X” or “MSSP Y”?
• How To Exit an MSSP Relationship?
• MSSP Client Onboarding – A Critical Process!
• MSSP: Integrate, NOT Outsource!
• On MSSP Personnel
• On MSSP SLAs
• Acting on MSSP Alerts
• MSSP Client Responsibilities – What Are They?
• Find Security That Outsources Badly!
• Challenges with MSSPs?
• How To Work With An MSSP Effectively?

Miscellaneous fun posts:

• Defeat The Casual Attacker First!!
• On “Defender’s Advantage”
• Bye-bye, Compliance Thinking. Welcome, Military Thinking!

(see all my published Gartner research here)
Also see my past monthly and annual “Top Popular Blog Posts” – 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014.
Disclaimer: most content at SecurityWarrior blog was written before I joined Gartner on Aug 1, 2011 and is solely my personal view at the time of writing. For my current security blogging, go here.
Previous post in this endless series:

• Monthly Blog Round-Up – December 2014
• All posts tagged monthly

Annual Blog Round-Up – 2014

Here is my annual "Security Warrior" blog round-up of top 10 popular posts/topics in 2014.

1. “Why No Open Source SIEM, EVER?” contains some of my SIEM thinking from 2009. Is it relevant now? Well, you be the judge.  Current emergence of open sources log search tools (ELK FTW!), BTW, does not break the logic of that post.
2. “Simple Log Review Checklist Released!” is often at the top of this list – the checklist is still a very useful tool for many people. “On Free Log Management Tools” is a companion to the checklist (updated version)
3. “New SIEM Whitepaper on Use Cases In-Depth OUT!” (dated 2010) presents a whitepaper on select SIEM use cases described in depth with rules and reports [using now-defunct SIEM product]; also see this SIEM use case in depth and this for a more current list of popular SIEM use cases.
4. My classic PCI DSS Log Review series is always hot! The series of 18 posts cover a comprehensive log review approach (OK for PCI DSS 3.0 in 2015 as well), useful for building log review processes and procedures , whether regulatory or not. It is also described in more detail in our Log Management book and mentioned in our PCI book (just out in its 4th edition!) 
5. “Top 10 Criteria for a SIEM?” came from one of my last projects I did when running my SIEM consulting firm in 2009-2011 (for my recent work on evaluating SIEM tools, see this document)
6. SANS Top 6 Log Reports Reborn! highlights the re-release of top most popular log reports list.
7. “SIEM Resourcing or How Much the Friggin’ Thing Would REALLY Cost Me?” is a quick framework for assessing the SIEM project (well, a program, really) costs at an organization (much more details on this here in this paper).
8. “My Best PCI DSS Presentation EVER!” is my conference presentation where I make a passionate claim that PCI DSS is actually useful for security (do read the PCI book as well)!
9. “On Choosing SIEM” is about the least wrong way of choosing a SIEM tool – as well as about why the right way is so unpopular.
10. “How to Write an OK SIEM RFP?” (from 2010) contains Anton’s least hated SIEM RFP writing tips (I don’t have the favorite tips since I hate the RFP process)

Disclaimer: all this content was written before I joined Gartner on Aug 1, 2011 and is solely my personal view at the time of writing. For my current security blogging, go here.
Also see my past monthly and annual “Top Posts” – 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013.

Monthly Blog Round-Up – December 2014

Here is my next monthly "Security Warrior" blog round-up of top 5 popular posts/topics this month:

1. “Why No Open Source SIEM, EVER?” contains some of my SIEM thinking from 2009. Is it relevant now? Well, you be the judge.  Current emergence of open sources log search tools, BTW, does not break the logic of that post.
2. “Simple Log Review Checklist Released!” is often at the top of this list – the checklist is still a very useful tool for many people. “On Free Log Management Tools” is a companion to the checklist (updated version)
3. My classic PCI DSS Log Review series is always popular! The series of 18 posts cover a comprehensive log review approach (OK for PCI DSS 3.0 as well), useful for building log review processes and procedures , whether regulatory or not. It is also described in more detail in our Log Management book and mentioned in our PCI book (just out in its 4th edition!) 
4. “Top 10 Criteria for a SIEM?” came from one of my last projects I did when running my SIEM consulting firm in 2009-2011 (for my recent work on evaluating SIEM, see this document)
5. “New SIEM Whitepaper on Use Cases In-Depth OUT!” (dated 2010) presents a whitepaper on select SIEM use cases described in depth with rules and reports [using now-defunct SIEM product]; also see this SIEM use case in depth and this for a more current list of popular SIEM use cases.

In addition, I’d like to draw your attention to a few recent posts from my Gartner blog:

Current research on MSSP:

• Should I Use “SIEM X” or “MSSP Y”?
• How To Exit an MSSP Relationship?
• MSSP Client Onboarding – A Critical Process!
• MSSP: Integrate, NOT Outsource!
• On MSSP Personnel
• On MSSP SLAs
• Acting on MSSP Alerts
• MSSP Client Responsibilities – What Are They?
• Find Security That Outsources Badly!
• Challenges with MSSPs?
• How To Work With An MSSP Effectively?

Miscellaneous fun posts:

• Why No Security Analytics Market?
• On “Defender’s Advantage”
• Bye-bye, Compliance Thinking. Welcome, Military Thinking!

(see all my published Gartner research here)

Also see my past monthly and annual “Top Popular Blog Posts” – 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013.

Disclaimer: most content at SecurityWarrior blog was written before I joined Gartner on Aug 1, 2011 and is solely my personal view at the time of writing. For my current security blogging, go here.

Previous post in this endless series:

• Monthly Blog Round-Up – November 2014
• All posts tagged monthly

Monthly Blog Round-Up – November 2014

Here is my next monthly "Security Warrior" blog round-up of top 5 popular posts/topics this month:

1. “Donn Parker’s “Risks of Risk-Based Security” Summarized”, an old blog post from 2009, somehow made it to my top list this month. A mystery!
2. “Simple Log Review Checklist Released!” is often at the top of this list – the checklist is still a very useful tool for many people. “On Free Log Management Tools” is a companion to the checklist (updated version)
3. “New SIEM Whitepaper on Use Cases In-Depth OUT!” (dated 2010) presents a whitepaper on select SIEM use cases described in depth with rules and reports [using now-defunct SIEM product]; also see this SIEM use case in depth and this for a more current list of popular SIEM use cases.
4. My classic PCI DSS Log Review series is always popular! The series of 18 posts cover a comprehensive log review approach (OK for PCI DSS 3.0 as well), useful for building log review processes and procedures , whether regulatory or not. It is also described in more detail in our Log Management book and mentioned in our PCI book (just out in its 4th edition!) 
5. “Top 10 Criteria for a SIEM?” came from one of my last projects I did when running my SIEM consulting firm in 2009-2011 (for my recent work on evaluating SIEM, see this document)

In addition, I’d like to draw your attention to a few recent posts from my Gartner blog:

Current research on MSSP:

• MSSP Client Onboarding – A Critical Process!
• MSSP: Integrate, NOT Outsource!
• On MSSP Personnel
• On MSSP SLAs
• Acting on MSSP Alerts
• MSSP Client Responsibilities – What Are They?
• Find Security That Outsources Badly!
• Challenges with MSSPs?
• How To Work With An MSSP Effectively?

Miscellaneous fun posts:

• Why No Security Analytics Market?
• On “Defender’s Advantage”
• Security Essentials? Basics? Fundamentals? Bare Minimum?

(see all my published Gartner research here)

Also see my past monthly and annual “Top Popular Blog Posts” – 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013.

Disclaimer: most content at SecurityWarrior blog was written before I joined Gartner on Aug 1, 2011 and is solely my personal view at the time of writing. For my current security blogging, go here.

Previous post in this endless series:

• Monthly Blog Round-Up – October 2014
• All posts tagged monthly

Monthly Blog Round-Up – October 2014

Here is my next monthly "Security Warrior" blog round-up of top 5 popular posts/topics this month:

1. My classic PCI DSS Log Review series is always popular! The series of 18 posts cover a comprehensive log review approach (OK for PCI DSS 3.0 as well), useful for building log review processes and procedures , whether regulatory or not. It is also described in more detail in our Log Management book.
2. “Simple Log Review Checklist Released!” is often at the top of this list – the checklist is still a very useful tool for many people. “On Free Log Management Tools” is a companion to the checklist (updated version)
3. “New SIEM Whitepaper on Use Cases In-Depth OUT!” (dated 2010) presents a whitepaper on select SIEM use cases described in depth with rules and reports [using now-defunct SIEM product]; also see this SIEM use case in depth and this for a more current list.
4. “Top 10 Criteria for a SIEM?” came from one of my last projects I did when running my SIEM consulting firm in 2009-2011 (for my recent work on evaluating SIEM, see this document)
5. “SIEM Resourcing or How Much the Friggin’ Thing Would REALLY Cost Me?” is a quick framework for assessing the SIEM project (well, a program, really) costs at an organization (much more details on this here).

In addition, I’d like to draw your attention to a few recent posts from my Gartner blog:

Current research on MSSP:

• On MSSP Personnel
• On MSSP SLAs
• Acting on MSSP Alerts
• MSSP Client Responsibilities – What Are They?
• Find Security That Outsources Badly!
• Challenges with MSSPs?
• How To Work With An MSSP Effectively?

Previous research on SIEM:

• My UPDATED “SIEM Technology Assessment and Select Vendor Profiles” Publishes
• My UPDATED “Security Information and Event Management Architecture and Operational Processes” Publishes
• My Evaluation Criteria for Security Information and Event Management Publishes
• My Blueprint for Designing a SIEM Deployment Publishes
• SIEM Real-time and Historical Analytics Collide?
• SIEM and Badness Detection
• “Stop The Pain” Thinking vs the Use Case Thinking
• SIEM Analytics Histories and Lessons
• Popular SIEM Starter Use Cases and Detailed SIEM Use Case Example
• How to Use Threat Intelligence with Your SIEM?

Miscellaneous fun posts:

• Why No Security Analytics Market?
• On “Defender’s Advantage”
• Security Essentials? Basics? Fundamentals? Bare Minimum?

(see all my published Gartner research here)

Also see my past monthly and annual “Top Popular Blog Posts” – 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013.

Disclaimer: most content at SecurityWarrior blog was written before I joined Gartner on Aug 1, 2011 and is solely my personal view at the time of writing. For my current security blogging, go here.

Previous post in this endless series:

• Monthly Blog Round-Up – September 2014
• All posts tagged monthly

Monthly Blog Round-Up – September 2014

Here is my next monthly "Security Warrior" blog round-up of top 5 popular posts/topics this month:

1. “Simple Log Review Checklist Released!” is often at the top of this list – the checklist is still a very useful tool for many people. “On Free Log Management Tools” is a companion to the checklist (updated version)
2. “New SIEM Whitepaper on Use Cases In-Depth OUT!” (dated 2010) presents a whitepaper on select SIEM use cases described in depth with rules and reports [using now-defunct SIEM product]; also see this SIEM use case in depth and this for a more current list.
3. “Top 10 Criteria for a SIEM?” came from one of my last projects I did when running my SIEM consulting firm in 2009-2011 (for my recent work on evaluating SIEM, see this document)
4. My classic PCI DSS Log Review series is popular as well. The series of 18 posts cover a comprehensive log review approach (OK for PCI DSS 3.0 as well), useful for building log review processes and procedures , whether regulatory or not. It is also described in more detail in our Log Management book.
5. “SIEM Resourcing or How Much the Friggin’ Thing Would REALLY Cost Me?” is a quick framework for assessing the SIEM project (well, a program, really) costs at an organization (much more details on this here).

In addition, I’d like to draw your attention to a few recent posts from my Gartner blog:

Current research on MSSPs:

• Find Security That Outsources Badly!
• Challenges with MSSPs?
• How To Work With An MSSP Effectively?

Previous research on SIEM:

• My UPDATED “SIEM Technology Assessment and Select Vendor Profiles” Publishes
• My UPDATED “Security Information and Event Management Architecture and Operational Processes” Publishes
• My Evaluation Criteria for Security Information and Event Management Publishes
• My Blueprint for Designing a SIEM Deployment Publishes
• SIEM Real-time and Historical Analytics Collide?
• SIEM and Badness Detection
• “Stop The Pain” Thinking vs the Use Case Thinking
• More on SIEM Maturity – And Request for Feedback!
• On SIEM Tool and Operation Metrics
• SIEM Analytics Histories and Lessons
• Popular SIEM Starter Use Cases and Detailed SIEM Use Case Example
• Back to SIEM Research!
• SIEM Webinar Questions – Answered
• How to Use Threat Intelligence with Your SIEM?

Miscellaneous fun posts:

• Why No Security Analytics Market?
• On “Defender’s Advantage”
• Security Essentials? Basics? Fundamentals? Bare Minimum?

(see all my published Gartner research here)

Also see my past monthly and annual “Top Popular Blog Posts” – 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013.

Disclaimer: most content at SecurityWarrior blog was written before I joined Gartner on Aug 1, 2011 and is solely my personal view at the time of writing. For my current security blogging, go here.

Previous post in this endless series:

• Monthly Blog Round-Up – August 2014
• All posts tagged monthly

Monthly Blog Round-Up – August 2014

Here is my next monthly "Security Warrior" blog round-up of top 5 popular posts/topics this month:

1. “Simple Log Review Checklist Released!” is often at the top of this list – the checklist is still a very useful tool for many people. “On Free Log Management Tools” is a companion to the checklist (updated version)
2. “New SIEM Whitepaper on Use Cases In-Depth OUT!” (dated 2010) presents a whitepaper on select SIEM use cases described in depth with rules and reports [using now-defunct SIEM product]; also see this SIEM use case in depth and this for a more current list.
3. My classic PCI DSS Log Review series is popular as well. The series of 18 posts cover a comprehensive log review approach (OK for PCI DSS 3.0 as well), useful for building log review processes and procedures , whether regulatory or not. It is also described in more detail in our Log Management book.
4. “SIEM Resourcing or How Much the Friggin’ Thing Would REALLY Cost Me?” is a quick framework for assessing the SIEM project (well, a program, really) costs at an organization (much more details on this here).
5. “Top 10 Criteria for a SIEM?” came from one of my last projects I did when running my SIEM consulting firm in 2009-2011 (for my recent work on evaluating SIEM, see this document)

In addition, I’d like to draw your attention to a few recent posts from my Gartner blog:

Current research on SIEM:

• SIEM Real-time and Historical Analytics Collide?
• SIEM and Badness Detection
• My Blueprint for Designing a SIEM Deployment Publishes
• “Stop The Pain” Thinking vs the Use Case Thinking
• More on SIEM Maturity – And Request for Feedback!
• My Evaluation Criteria for Security Information and Event Management Publishes
• On SIEM Tool and Operation Metrics
• SIEM Analytics Histories and Lessons
• Popular SIEM Starter Use Cases and Detailed SIEM Use Case Example
• Back to SIEM Research!
• SIEM Webinar Questions – Answered
• How to Use Threat Intelligence with Your SIEM?

Miscellaneous fun posts:

• Why No Security Analytics Market?
• On “Defender’s Advantage”
• Security Essentials? Basics? Fundamentals? Bare Minimum?

(see my published Gartner research here)

Also see my past monthly and annual “Top Popular Blog Posts” – 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013.

Disclaimer: most content at SecurityWarrior blog was written before I joined Gartner on Aug 1, 2011 and is solely my personal view at the time of writing. For my current security blogging, go here.

Previous post in this endless series:

• Monthly Blog Round-Up – July 2014
• All posts tagged monthly

Monthly Blog Round-Up – July 2014

Here is my next monthly "Security Warrior" blog round-up of top 5 popular posts/topics this month:

1. “Simple Log Review Checklist Released!” is often at the top of this list – the checklist is still a very useful tool for many people. “On Free Log Management Tools” is a companion to the checklist (updated version)
2. “New SIEM Whitepaper on Use Cases In-Depth OUT!” (dated 2010) presents a whitepaper on select SIEM use cases described in depth with rules and reports [using now-defunct SIEM product]; also see this SIEM use case in depth and this for a more current list.
3. My classic PCI DSS Log Review series is popular as well. The series of 18 posts cover a comprehensive log review approach (OK for PCI DSS 3.0 as well), useful for building log review processes and procedures , whether regulatory or not. It is also described in more detail in our Log Management book.
4. “Top 10 Criteria for a SIEM?” came from one of my last projects I did when running my SIEM consulting firm in 2009-2011.
5. “SIEM Resourcing or How Much the Friggin’ Thing Would REALLY Cost Me?” is a quick framework for assessing the SIEM project (well, a program, really) costs at an organization (much more details on this here).

In addition, I’d like to draw your attention to a few recent posts from my Gartner blog:

Current research on SIEM:

• SIEM Real-time and Historical Analytics Collide?
• SIEM and Badness Detection
• My Blueprint for Designing a SIEM Deployment Publishes
• “Stop The Pain” Thinking vs the Use Case Thinking
• More on SIEM Maturity – And Request for Feedback!
• My Evaluation Criteria for Security Information and Event Management Publishes
• On SIEM Tool and Operation Metrics
• SIEM Analytics Histories and Lessons
• Popular SIEM Starter Use Cases and Detailed SIEM Use Case Example
• Back to SIEM Research!
• SIEM Webinar Questions – Answered
• How to Use Threat Intelligence with Your SIEM?

Miscellaneous fun posts:

• Why No Security Analytics Market?
• On “Defender’s Advantage”
• Security Essentials? Basics? Fundamentals? Bare Minimum?

(see my published Gartner research here)

Also see my past monthly and annual “Top Popular Blog Posts” – 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013.

Disclaimer: most content at SecurityWarrior blog was written before I joined Gartner on Aug 1, 2011 and is solely my personal view at the time of writing. For my current security blogging, go here.

Previous post in this endless series:

• Monthly Blog Round-Up – June 2014
• All posts tagged monthly

Monthly Blog Round-Up – June 2014

Here is my next monthly "Security Warrior" blog round-up of top 5 popular posts/topics this month:

1. “Why No Open Source SIEM, EVER?” contains some of my SIEM thinking from 2009. Is it relevant now? Well, you be the judge.  Current emergence of open sources log search tools, BTW, does not break the logic of that post.
2. “Simple Log Review Checklist Released!” is often at the top of this list – the checklist is still a very useful tool for many people. “On Free Log Management Tools” is a companion to the checklist (updated version)
3. “New SIEM Whitepaper on Use Cases In-Depth OUT!” (dated 2010) presents a whitepaper on select SIEM use cases described in depth with rules and reports [using now-defunct SIEM product]; also see this SIEM use case in depth and this for a more current list.
4. My classic PCI DSS Log Review series is popular as well. The series of 18 posts cover a comprehensive log review approach (OK for PCI DSS 3.0 as well), useful for building log review processes and procedures , whether regulatory or not. It is also described in more detail in our Log Management book.
5. “Top 10 Criteria for a SIEM?” came from one of my last projects I did when running my SIEM consulting firm in 2009-2011.

In addition, I’d like to draw your attention to a few recent posts from my Gartner blog:

Current research on SIEM:

• On SIEM Tool and Operation Metrics
• SIEM Analytics Histories and Lessons
• Popular SIEM Starter Use Cases and Detailed SIEM Use Case Example
• Back to SIEM Research!
• SIEM Webinar Questions – Answered
• How to Use Threat Intelligence with Your SIEM?

Previous research on threat intelligence (TI):

• My Threat Intelligence and Threat Assessment Research Papers Publish
• Threat Assessment – A Tough Subject (And Sharks with Fricking Lasers!)
• On Threat Intelligence Management Platforms
• How to Use Threat Intelligence with Your SIEM?
• On Internally-sourced Threat Intelligence
• Delving into Threat Actor Profiles
• On Threat Intelligence Sources
• How to Make Better Threat Intelligence Out of Threat Intelligence Data?
• On Threat Intelligence Use Cases
• On Broad Types of Threat Intelligence
• Threat Intelligence is NOT Signatures!
• The Conundrum of Two Intelligences!
• On Comparing Threat Intelligence Feeds
• Consumption of Shared Security Data
• From IPs to TTPs

Miscellaneous fun posts:

• On “Defender’s Advantage”
• Security Essentials? Basics? Fundamentals? Bare Minimum?

(see my published Gartner research here)

Also see my past monthly and annual “Top Popular Blog Posts” – 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013.

Disclaimer: most content at SecurityWarrior blog was written before I joined Gartner on Aug 1, 2011 and is solely my personal view at the time of writing. For my current security blogging, go here.

Previous post in this endless series:

• Monthly Blog Round-Up – May 2014
• All posts tagged monthly

Monthly Blog Round-Up – May 2014

Here is my next monthly "Security Warrior" blog round-up of top 5 popular posts/topics this month:

1. “Simple Log Review Checklist Released!” is often at the top of this list – the checklist is still a very useful tool for many people. “On Free Log Management Tools” is a companion to the checklist (updated version)
2. “New SIEM Whitepaper on Use Cases In-Depth OUT!” (dated 2010) presents a whitepaper on select SIEM use cases described in depth with rules and reports [using now-defunct SIEM product]; also see this SIEM use case in depth and this for a more current list.
3. “Why No Open Source SIEM, EVER?” contains some of my SIEM thinking from 2009. Is it relevant now? Well, you be the judge.
4. My classic PCI DSS Log Review series is popular as well. The series of 18 posts cover a comprehensive log review approach, useful for building log review processes and procedures (OK for PCI DSS 3.0 as well), whether regulatory or not. It is also described in more detail in our Log Management book.
5. “Top 10 Criteria for a SIEM?” came from one of my last projects I did when running my SIEM consulting firm in 2009-2011.

In addition, I’d like to draw your attention to a few recent posts from my Gartner blog:

Current research on SIEM:

• Popular SIEM Starter Use Cases and Detailed SIEM Use Case Example
• Back to SIEM Research!
• SIEM Webinar Questions – Answered
• How to Use Threat Intelligence with Your SIEM?

Previous research on threat intelligence (TI):

• My Threat Intelligence and Threat Assessment Research Papers Publish
• Threat Assessment – A Tough Subject (And Sharks with Fricking Lasers!)
• On Threat Intelligence Management Platforms
• How to Use Threat Intelligence with Your SIEM?
• On Internally-sourced Threat Intelligence
• Delving into Threat Actor Profiles
• On Threat Intelligence Sources
• How to Make Better Threat Intelligence Out of Threat Intelligence Data?
• On Threat Intelligence Use Cases
• On Broad Types of Threat Intelligence
• Threat Intelligence is NOT Signatures!
• The Conundrum of Two Intelligences!
• On Comparing Threat Intelligence Feeds
• Consumption of Shared Security Data
• From IPs to TTPs

Miscellaneous fun posts:

• On “Defender’s Advantage”
• Security And/Or/Vs/Not Compliance?

(see my published Gartner research here)

Also see my past monthly and annual “Top Popular Blog Posts” – 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013.

Disclaimer: most content at SecurityWarrior blog was written before I joined Gartner on Aug 1, 2011 and is solely my personal view at the time of writing. For my current security blogging, go here.

Previous post in this endless series:

• Monthly Blog Round-Up – April 2014
• All posts tagged monthly

Monthly Blog Round-Up – April 2014

Here is my next monthly "Security Warrior" blog round-up of top 5 popular posts/topics this month:

1. “Simple Log Review Checklist Released!” is often at the top of this list – the checklist is still a very useful tool for many people. “On Free Log Management Tools” is a companion to the checklist (updated version)
2. My classic PCI DSS Log Review series is popular as well. The series of 18 posts cover a comprehensive log review approach, useful for building log review processes and procedures, whether regulatory or not. It is also described in more detail in our Log Management book.
3. “New SIEM Whitepaper on Use Cases In-Depth OUT!” (dated 2010) presents a whitepaper on select SIEM use cases described in depth with rules and reports [using now-defunct SIEM product]; the paper link is now working again, BTW – also see this SIEM use case in depth.
4. “Top 10 Criteria for a SIEM?” came from one of my last projects I did when running my SIEM consulting firm in 2009-2011.
5. “SANS Top 6 Log Reports Reborn!” is a new post that announces that many people’ work on best log reports has finally been published as “The 6 Categories of Critical Log Information” (with a subtitle of “Top 6 SANS Essential Categories of Log Reports 2013”)

In addition, I’d like to draw your attention to a few recent posts from my Gartner blog:

Current research on threat intelligence (TI):

• Threat Assessment – A Tough Subject (And Sharks with Fricking Lasers!)
• On Threat Intelligence Management Platforms
• How to Use Threat Intelligence with Your SIEM?
• On Internally-sourced Threat Intelligence
• Delving into Threat Actor Profiles
• On Threat Intelligence Sources
• How to Make Better Threat Intelligence Out of Threat Intelligence Data?
• On Threat Intelligence Use Cases
• On Broad Types of Threat Intelligence
• Threat Intelligence is NOT Signatures!
• The Conundrum of Two Intelligences!
• On Comparing Threat Intelligence Feeds
• Consumption of Shared Security Data
• From IPs to TTPs

Miscellaneous fun posts:

• Security And/Or/Vs/Not Compliance?
• SIEM Webinar Questions – Answered
• If You Use Window XP – You Are NOT PCI DSS Compliant!

(see my published Gartner research here)

Also see my past monthly and annual “Top Popular Blog Posts” – 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013.

Disclaimer: most content at SecurityWarrior blog was written before I joined Gartner on Aug 1, 2011 and is solely my personal view at the time of writing. For my current security blogging, go here.

Previous post in this endless series:

• Monthly Blog Round-Up – March 2014
• All posts tagged monthly

Monthly Blog Round-Up – March 2014

Here is my next monthly "Security Warrior" blog round-up of top 5 popular posts/topics this month:

1. “Simple Log Review Checklist Released!” is often at the top of this list – the checklist is still a very useful tool for many people. “On Free Log Management Tools” is a companion to the checklist (updated version)
2. “Why No Open Source SIEM, EVER?” contains some of my SIEM thinking from 2009. Is it relevant now? Well, you be the judge.
3. “New SIEM Whitepaper on Use Cases In-Depth OUT!” (dated 2010) presents a whitepaper on select SIEM use cases described in depth with rules and reports [using now-defunct SIEM product]; the paper link is now working again, BTW – also see this SIEM use case in depth.
4. “Logging, Log Management and Log Review Maturity” post describes a common curve for SIEM/log management maturation, from mere collection (“dead log storage”) to real-time monitoring and analysis [BTW, if I were to create this now, I’d have added a layer or two on top of this…]
5. My classic PCI DSS Log Review series is popular as well. The series of 18 posts cover a comprehensive log review approach, useful for building log review processes and procedures, whether regulatory or not. It is also described in more detail in our Log Management book.
6. “SANS Top 6 Log Reports Reborn!” is a new post that announces that many people’ work on best log reports has finally been published as “The 6 Categories of Critical Log Information” (with a subtitle of “Top 6 SANS Essential Categories of Log Reports 2013”)

(why 6 of the “Top 5 entries” again? Well, the #6 on the list is a good read, that’s why!)

In addition, I’d like to draw your attention to a few recent posts from my Gartner blog:

Current research on threat intelligence (TI):

• How to Use Threat Intelligence with Your SIEM?
• On Internally-sourced Threat Intelligence
• Delving into Threat Actor Profiles
• On Threat Intelligence Sources
• How to Make Better Threat Intelligence Out of Threat Intelligence Data?
• On Threat Intelligence Use Cases
• On Broad Types of Threat Intelligence
• Threat Intelligence is NOT Signatures!
• The Conundrum of Two Intelligences!
• On Comparing Threat Intelligence Feeds
• Consumption of Shared Security Data
• From IPs to TTPs

(see my published Gartner research here)

Also see my past monthly and annual “Top Popular Blog Posts” – 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013.

Disclaimer: most content at SecurityWarrior blog was written before I joined Gartner on Aug 1, 2011 and is solely my personal view at the time of writing. For my current security blogging, go here.

Previous post in this endless series:

• Monthly Blog Round-Up – February 2014
• All posts tagged monthly

How to Use Threat Intelligence with Your SIEM? [BACKUP FROM DEAD GARTNER BLOG]

 NOTICE: after Gartner killed ALL blogs in late 2023, I am trying to salvage (via archive.org) some of the most critical blogs I've written while working there, and repost them with backdates here, for posterity. This one is about SIEM and TI.

SIEM and Threat Intelligence (TI) feeds are a marriage made in heaven! Indeed, every SIEM user should send technical TI feeds into their SIEM tool. We touched on that subject several times, but in this post will look at in in depth. Well, in as much depth as possible to still make my future paper on the topic a useful read :–)

First, why are we doing this:

• Faster detection – alerting on TI matches (IPs, URLs, domains, hashes, etc) is easier than writing good correlation rules
• Better context – alert triage and incident investigation becomes easier and information is available faster
• Threat tracking and awareness – combining local monitoring observations, external TI and [for those who are ready!] internal TI in one place.

What log data do we need?

• Most common log data to match to TI feeds: firewalls logs (outbound connection records … my fave logs nowadays!), web proxy logs
• Also used: netflow, router logs or anything else that shows connectivity
• NIDS/NIPS (and NBA, if you are into that sort of thing) data (TI matching here helps triage, not detection)
• ETDR tools can usually match to TI data without using a SIEM, but local endpoint execution data collected in one place marries well to TI feeds.

Where would TI data comes from (also look for other TI sources):

• SIEM vendor: some of the SIEM vendors are dedicating significant resources to the production of their own threat intelligence and/or TI feed aggregation, enrichment and cleaning
• Community, free TI feeds: CIF format comes really handy here, but CSV can be imported just as well (some lists and information on how to compare them)
• Commercial packaged feeds from the TI aggregator (it may even have pre-formatted rules ready for your SIEM!)
• Commercial TI providers of original threat intelligence.

Obviously, using your SIEM vendor TI feeds is the easiest (and may in fact be as easy as clicking one button to turn it on!), but even other sources are not that hard to integrate with most decent SIEM tools.

Now, let’s review all the usage of TI data inside a SIEM:

• Detect owned boxes, bots, etc that call home when on your network (including boxes pre-owned when not on your network) and, in general, detect malware that talks back to its mothership
• Validate correlation rules and improve baselining alerts by upping the priority of rules that also point at TI-reported “bad” sources
• Qualify entities related to an incident based on collected TI data (what’s the history of this IP?)
• Historical matching of past, historical log data to current TI data (key cool thing to do! resource intensive!)
• Review past TI history as key context for reviewed events, alerts, incidents, etc (have we seen anything related to this IP in the past TI feeds?)
• Review threat histories and TI data in one place; make use of SIEM reports and trending to analyze the repository of historical TI data (create poor man’s TI management platform)
• Enable [if you feel adventurous] automatic action due to better context available from high-quality TI feeds
• Run TI effectiveness reports in a SIEM (how much TI leads to useful alerts and incidents?)
• Validate web server logs source IP to profile visitors and reduce service to those appearing on bad lists (uncommon)
• Other use of TI feeds in alerts, reports and searches and as context for other monitoring tasks

So, if you are deploying a SIEM, make sure that you start using threat intelligence in the early phases of your project!

Posts related to this research project:

• On Internally-sourced Threat Intelligence
• Delving into Threat Actor Profiles
• On Threat Intelligence Sources
• How to Make Better Threat Intelligence Out of Threat Intelligence Data?
• On Threat Intelligence Use Cases
• On Broad Types of Threat Intelligence
• Threat Intelligence is NOT Signatures!
• The Conundrum of Two Intelligences!
• On Comparing Threat Intelligence Feeds
• Consumption of Shared Security Data
• From IPs to TTPs