This list of features won't all be relevant to every enterprise or user. But, the majority of the features most businesses need are probably listed below:

• Alerting based on risk analysis

• Security posture analysis

• Threat detection

• User authentication and monitoring

• Incident analysis and response

• Real-time logging and analysis

• Seamless aggregation of data and resulting log management

But features are only half the story. The best way to ensure a SIEM provider can give you what you need is to look for these additional differentiators:

1. Predictable and competitive pricing without compromising key features

2. A smooth onboarding process

3. Ability to work as part of a layered security approach alongside ITDR and security awareness training 

4. Integration with other products in your IT ecosystem

5. A unified platform experience

“Organizations rely on SIEMs to neutralize threats earlier in the attack chain as well as to support their compliance obligations. To do this, SIEMs need access to security-relevant data from a wide variety of sources.”

—Chris Bisnett, Chief Technical Officer

SIEM systems help businesses detect, analyze, and respond to security threats by collecting and correlating data across their entire IT infrastructure. Any SIEM solution is made up of a series of software tools designed to achieve one or more of your enterprise security needs—one of the SIEM features above, for example. 

Popular SIEM tools have functionality to:

• Define policies, rules, and alert settings

• Display all relevant analyses on a single dashboard

• Collect and log network and endpoint data

• Consolidate and correlate logged data from many sources

• Seek out vulnerabilities in your systems or settings

• Notify analysts or IT personnel in the event of, well, an “event”

• Help ensure compliance with regulatory standards like PCI DSS or HIPAA

Many enterprises compare top SIEM tools to find solutions that offer advanced threat detection, real-time monitoring, and seamless integration. Here’s a short list of the most-used SIEM solutions. But remember, that’s just a numbers game, and popularity doesn’t equal suitability. Unless you have an unusually generic business model, choosing a SIEM based just on market share may lead to gaps in protection or excess complexity. The same goes for choosing from a SIEM pricing comparison, btw.

In the broadest sense, there are a few  types of SIEM solutions:

1. Commercial  SIEM solutions

Commercial SIEM solutions range from lightweight, entry-level options to advanced enterprise systems. They typically come with more built-in features, vendor support, and integrations to help organizations reduce manual burden.   

2. Enterprise SIEM

Enterprise SIEM features tend to be plentiful, robust, and highly specialized for specific industries, network types, or compliance requirements. The tools let IT teams or SOCs pick the most useful features to build into a customized solution. The best SIEM tools and SIEM platforms combine powerful analytics, automation, and ease of use to enhance an organization’s overall security posture.

As SIEM technology developed, it became more about logging everything that went through your network and less about making that network safe and easy for your people to use.

Huntress has found a better way.

We provide managed SIEM solutions that have all the high-end features, but without the heavy lift for your own analysts or IT staff. We can even give you access to a fully staffed 24/7 SOC and expert threat hunters who provide continuous protection around the clock. Huntress Managed SIEM supports compliance requirements with data retention of up to seven years.

Our pricing is predictable and budget-friendly, and it’s based on data sources with a pooled total data collection, helping you avoid billing spikes to maintain consistent costs. 

It's the best of both worlds. 

Check out our SIEM platform to see what we can offer, and watch this short video to see how our solution is a smart fit for businesses wanting effective, manageable threat detection.