NIST SIEM Requirements and Standards - Definition & Overview

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) produces guidance on security information and event management (SIEM). These are standards for dealing with data and systems breaches for which log data can be leveraged to gather more information.

For cybersecurity organizations who have to collect/store security-related data and provide real-time analysis of security breaches, much of how they conduct their security procedures will have to be in line with the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA). NIST develops standards and guidance that directly correspond to the requisites outlined in FISMA.

Founded in 1901, the National Institute of Standards and Technology produces compliance guidance and standards on a number of products and fields, ranging from atomic clocks and electronic health records to electric power grids and computer chips, among others.

NIST works directly with the US government’s Secretary of Commerce in order to certify approval for their Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). These standards can then be allocated to the public to ensure that organizations are in line with FISMA standards.

NIST provides support and measurements to small businesses as well enterprise-level organizations.

SIEM merges two cybersecurity methods, SEM and SIM, into one, unified solution.

SIEM software acts as a unified management and integration layer that sits on top of your existing security and detection infrastructure. As organizations scale and grow, they deploy more hardware, applications, and endpoints which, in turn, lead to an increase in computer logs. For all the individual security tools, applications, or services in your system--including malware protection, endpoint protection, protocol and IP address reading and so on--your SIEM will collect and integrate all the computer-generated log data captured by each tool and display them in real-time, through easy-to-read formats.

As well as providing real-time analysis on security threats throughout your infrastructure, businesses now use SIEM platforms to help make log data, which can be difficult to parse through, easier to digest. This makes it easier for security teams to search for, analyze, and dismantle cyber security threats.

Below are a few common log management issues that organizations face and that SIEM solutions will help in solving.

• A fundamental problem that organizations face with log management is effectively balancing a limited quantity of log management resources with a continuous supply of log data

• Log generation and storage processes can become complicated when there are too many log sources, inconsistent log content and formats, and increasingly large volumes of log data

• Because log management involves protecting confidentiality, integrity, and availability of logs, organizations have to constantly ensure that their security systems and networks are congruent with log management guidelines and standards.

• It becomes increasingly difficult for organizations to parse through logs that have been created weeks or months in the past, which will get in the way of a company’s ability to perform forensic analysis.

Cutting edge SIEM solutions, like Sumo Logic, will allow organizations to overcome all these challenges with confidence and ease.

With a certification from the Secretary of Commerce, NIST publishes their guidance on log data in order to assist and support technology-related organizations in the US.

Below are some of the key takeaways from the NIST Guide to Computer Security Log Management.

• Organizations should establish policies and procedures for log management.

• Organizations should prioritize log management appropriately throughout the organization.

• Organizations should create and maintain a log management infrastructure.

• Organizations should provide proper support for all staff with log management responsibilities.

• Organizations should establish standard log management operational processes.

  • Monitoring the logging status of all log sources

  • Monitoring log rotation and archival processes

  • Checking for upgrades and patches to logging software, and acquiring, testing, and deploying them

  • Ensuring that each logging host’s clock is synched to a common time source

  • Reconfiguring logging as needed based on policy changes, technology changes, and other factors

  • Documenting and reporting anomalies in log settings, configurations, and processes

Whether you’re an enterprise-level organization or a medium-sized cybersecurity team, you’re going to have to ensure your SIEM tools and solutions meet NIST requirements and standards.

With Sumo Logic, you’re working with a cutting-edge SIEM solution that will guarantee your log management systems are congruent with all current and ongoing guidelines and standards.

Sumo Logic’s smart software can streamline the compliance process for your organization, so you don’t have to get bogged down by the tedious task of manually ensuring your data-management processes are in compliance with standards and measures.

Try Sumo Logic today.