Analyze logs, findings, and metrics centrally

Capturing and analyzing events from logs and metrics is critical to gain visibility into security incidents. Security operations teams leverage central log management to efficiently identify and respond to potential threats, enhancing the overall security posture of workloads.

Best Practices

Centralize Log Management

• Implement a centralized logging solution (such as Amazon CloudWatch Logs, AWS CloudTrail, or third-party SIEM tools) to aggregate logs from various sources, including AWS services and on-premises systems.
• Ensure that all critical logs (like access logs, API logs, and error logs) are collected and stored securely for analysis.
• Regularly review and update what logs are collected to adapt to changes in workloads and security requirements.

Utilize Automated Analysis Tools

• Deploy machine learning and anomaly detection tools (like Amazon GuardDuty or AWS Security Hub) that automatically analyze logs and detect unusual patterns indicative of security events.
• Integrate these tools with your incident response processes to allow for automated alerts and faster mitigation actions.
• Regularly tune these tools to minimize false positives and ensure that alerts are meaningful and actionable.

Implement Structured Response Workflows

• Develop clear incident response playbooks that define the steps to take when specific security events are detected, ensuring a structured approach to threat investigation.
• Automate the assignment of incidents to security team members based on their expertise and availability, using tools like AWS Step Functions or workflow automation platforms.
• Retain detailed documentation of security incidents to refine response processes continually and improve response times.

Monitor and Audit Access to Logs

• Implement strict access controls to logs to ensure that only authorized personnel can view or modify log data, using AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) roles and policies.
• Regularly audit access logs to determine who accessed log data, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and internal policies.
• Use alerts for unauthorized attempts to access or delete log data to improve your security posture.

Continuous Improvement and Training

• Regularly conduct security drills involving log analysis and incident response to keep the security operations team prepared for real incidents.
• Review and iterate on the logging and monitoring strategy based on lessons learned from incidents or changes in the environment.
• Invest in ongoing training for your security team, focusing on the latest best practices in log analysis and incident response.

Questions to ask your team

• Have you centralized the logging of security events across all critical systems?
• What tools do you use for log analysis and monitoring of security events?
• How often do you review and update your logging policies and procedures?
• Do you have alerts configured to notify your security operations team of potential events of interest?
• How do you ensure that your team can quickly access the necessary logs and metrics for analysis?
• What processes are in place to correlate log entries to identify unauthorized access or changes?
• Is there a defined procedure for incident response based on the findings from your log analysis?
• How do you manage the retention and archival of logs to comply with security policies and regulations?

Who should be doing this?

Security Operations Analyst

• Monitor security logs and alerts for potential incidents.
• Conduct initial investigations into detected security events.
• Utilize search tools to analyze logs and findings for unauthorized activity.
• Work with incident response teams to escalate findings as needed.
• Ensure documentation of security incidents and response actions.

Cloud Security Engineer

• Implement and maintain centralized logging solutions.
• Configure alerting for security events based on log analysis.
• Develop automated responses to common security threats.
• Collaborate with the security operations team to refine detection algorithms.
• Ensure that logging is compliant with relevant security standards.

Incident Response Manager

• Lead investigations into significant security incidents.
• Coordinate efforts across teams to respond to security threats.
• Establish and maintain incident response protocols.
• Review and update incident responses based on lessons learned.
• Facilitate training and awareness for security events and responses.

Compliance Officer

• Ensure that security event detection practices comply with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Review logs for compliance reporting and auditing.
• Work with security and operations teams to align on compliance controls.
• Conduct periodic assessments of security event management processes.
• Monitor changes in regulations that may impact security practices.

What evidence shows this is happening in your organization?

• Centralized Log Management Policy: A comprehensive policy outlining the procedures for collecting, storing, and analyzing security logs from various sources to enhance visibility into security events.
• Security Event Monitoring Dashboard: An interactive dashboard visualizing real-time security events, log metrics, and alerts, allowing security teams to quickly identify and respond to potential threats.
• Incident Response Playbook: A step-by-step guide that outlines the processes for responding to detected security events, including how to analyze logs and escalate findings to the appropriate resources.
• Log Analysis Checklist: A checklist for security operations teams to ensure they consider all critical aspects while analyzing logs, findings, and metrics for potential security incidents.
• Security Event Classification Matrix: A matrix categorizing different types of security events and incidents, helping teams prioritize their response based on impact and urgency.

Cloud Services

AWS

• Amazon CloudWatch: Monitors AWS resources and applications in real-time, collecting and tracking metrics, logs, and events to provide insights into performance and operational health.
• AWS CloudTrail: Records AWS API calls made on your account, enabling governance, compliance, and operational and risk auditing of your AWS account.
• AWS Security Hub: Provides a comprehensive view of your security alerts and security posture across AWS accounts, helping to centralize findings from various AWS services.
• Amazon GuardDuty: A continuous security monitoring service that analyzes and processes data from multiple sources, such as AWS CloudTrail, VPC Flow Logs, and DNS logs to identify potential threats.

Azure

• Azure Monitor: Collects and analyzes telemetry data from applications and services, enabling the understanding of performance and operational health.
• Azure Security Center: Provides unified security management and advanced threat protection for hybrid cloud workloads, delivering recommendations and insights to protect against vulnerabilities.
• Azure Sentinel: A cloud-native SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) solution that uses AI to analyze large volumes of data across an enterprise to identify and respond to security threats.

Google Cloud Platform

• Google Cloud Logging: A service that allows you to store, search, analyze, and alert on log data and events from Google Cloud services, providing insights into your application’s performance and security.
• Google Cloud Security Command Center: Helps you prevent, detect, and respond to threats from a single pane of glass while analyzing security data from multiple Google Cloud services.
• Google Cloud Operations Suite: Enables observability of your applications running on Google Cloud, helping to monitor performance and gain insights from logs and metrics.

Question: How do you detect and investigate security events?
Pillar: Security (Code: SEC)