Are you confused by SIEM and SOAR technology? You aren’t alone.
6/6/2019
Security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR) can increase your level of protection and lower your costs. But how does it work? Here are five real-life examples to show you how SOAR can effectively identify and mitigate threats. All while reducing the need for manual intervention.
1. Phishing
Although phishing isn’t uncommon, millions of people are the victims of phishing attacks. They are designed to obtain a user’s data, such as their financial information. Phishing attacks involve the sending of emails disguised as sent from a reputable source. For example, a user may receive an email from their bank asking them to log in to their account via a link in the email. Upon doing so, it becomes apparent that the email wasn’t from their bank at all but was part of an elaborate phishing scheme.
Clearly, phishing can be hugely detrimental to individuals and the organizations the scammers claim to represent. However, with phishing-specific SOAR processes, organizations can significantly reduce the threat posed by these scammers. These schemes rely on repeated techniques and tactics, which can easily be picked up by SOAR systems. Once identified, SOAR can respond accordingly and quarantine the treat before a user can be scammed. This removes the risk of phishing.
2. Malicious Network Traffic
This type of traffic can take various forms but it is almost always used for nefarious purposes. Cybercriminals may aim to bring down a website, steal user data, or release confidential information once they have gained access to your systems.
SOAR platforms can be particularly effective at identifying and analyzing malicious network traffic, as well as resolving the issue. By continually or regularly scanning network traffic, a SOAR platform is able to identify suspicious or atypical behavior as soon as it occurs. By responding swiftly and within the parameters that you set, your SOAR platform can shut down an attack from malicious network traffic before it even starts.
3. Vulnerability Management
If you know which areas of your system are most vulnerable you can prevent your data from being exploited. Security orchestration, automation, and response can effectively replace a manual vulnerability management program with an automated one.
The first step to dealing with a vulnerability is identifying it. Traditionally, this would be done manually by employees who might only recognize it when a threat is present. Subsequently, the level of threat would need to be assessed and the task of resolving the vulnerability would then be passed on to a security specialist. Of course, in the time it takes for this to happen, a multitude of threats may have take hold, your systems could go down, your website hacked, and your data leaked.
SOAR enables you to respond to vulnerabilities almost instantaneous. The system’s on-going analysis identifies vulnerabilities much sooner than a human could. Automated fixes can be deployed to most straightforward issues. This reduces the pressure on security staff and ensures they are free to focus on the most serious and pressing threats. Of course, your SOAR platform will help with this too.
When SOAR comes across a vulnerability it deems critical or serious, it will alert staff if an automated response hasn’t already been set. This ensures staff are made aware of the most potentially harmful vulnerabilities and can respond to them appropriately. With the ability to automate straightforward, repetitive tasks you can operate with less security staff. This allows your existing personnel to focus on specialist tasks, saving time and money.
4. Case Management
When threats of vulnerabilities occur, they may show up as numerous different events on your SIEM or SOAR system. This disparate distribution of data makes it hard for an analyst to assess all the information. In fact, it can take hours, days or weeks.
With automated case management capabilities, SOAR platforms are able to collate the relevant data so that cases can be examined in their entirety. Security personnel will have access to all the information they need within a matter of seconds. Common denominators can be tracked across events to see where and why they are occurring.
Automated case management is a great time-saving tool. It can make it easier to resolve more complex threats too. When manual threat resolution is required, being able to access the relevant data quickly and efficiently is vital. By using security orchestration, automation and response, organizations can provide their security teams with the information and tools they need to respond to threats quickly and neutralize the risk they pose.
5. Malware
Malware is designed specifically to disrupt computer systems. It can be used to gain access to an unsuspecting user’s device. A security orchestration automated response can protect systems from malware attacks and prevent a user’s computer from being hijacked.
Traditionally, malware is so effective that users may not even realize it’s on their computer until the damage is done. That’s why automating malware detection and resolution is so important. When human reporting is likely to be delayed due to advanced threats, having an automated threat identification system in place is invaluable. Once identified, SOAR can stop malware in its tracks and can do so without the need for manual involvement.
Getting the most out of SOAR
New types of threats are being developed almost daily. Therefore, security operatives need to find new and innovative ways to assess and remedy them. Automated options provide exemplary results at just a fraction of the cost of doing it manually.
By using security orchestration, automation and response, security personnel can ensure that a significant proportion of the work is carried out without manual intervention. This leaves security operatives free to focus on more complex tasks and ensures your systems remain safe and secure from harmful attacks.
Next Steps
If you are looking to automate more of your cyber security we can help. BitLyft Cybersecurity offers managed detection and response to help businesses of all sizes to safeguard their systems, protect their networks and ensure no cybercriminals can steal their data. With experienced specialists helping to manage your business’s defenses and answer any security-related questions and concerns you may have, it’s the ideal solution for a convenient and flexible cybersecurity solution.
Our services aim to provide you with a simple no-nonsense solution to keep your business safe from online threats. If you’d like to learn more, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today to speak to one of our friendly representatives. We’ll help explain the services we offer and how they can be customized to your exact needs.
