What is SIEM monitoring?

Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) combines Security Information Management (SIM) and Security Event Management (SEM) to help organizations detect, investigate, and respond to security threats. SIEM monitoring collects, normalizes, aggregates, and correlates log data from across an IT environment, enabling security teams to identify suspicious activity, investigate alerts, and prioritize incidents more effectively. Modern SIEM solutions also provide automated alerting, event correlation, and reporting to improve security operations and support regulatory compliance.

What features should an SEM monitoring tool have?

A comprehensive SEM monitoring tool should provide contextual information about security events, automate log collection and normalization, offer fast and flexible log search capabilities, integrate external threat intelligence feeds, and detect anomalies based on deviations from normal activity. Organizations should also have trained personnel to investigate alerts, tune detection rules, and continuously improve the effectiveness of their SIEM solution.

How does SIEM log management and monitoring work in SolarWinds Security Event Manager?

SolarWinds Security Event Manager (SEM) centralizes log collection and correlation across an IT environment to help detect and respond to security threats. SEM agents installed on domain controllers and other systems collect security events such as failed logon attempts, account lockouts, privileged account activity, and user or group changes. Firewall logs and other security data can also be collected through connectors, enabling administrators to monitor suspicious activity, investigate incidents, and automate threat responses from a centralized console.

What is SIEM reporting?

SIEM reporting analyzes and presents security data collected from multiple sources throughout an IT environment. Common report types include incident reports, compliance reports, trend analysis reports, and custom reports tailored to organizational requirements. These reports help organizations demonstrate compliance, investigate security incidents, monitor long-term trends, and improve overall security operations.

What do I need to know about SIEM reporting in Security Event Manager?

SolarWinds Security Event Manager provides predefined queries and customizable reporting options that transform security event data into actionable insights. Administrators can generate reports based on time ranges, event categories, or custom search criteria and export them in CSV, PDF, or HTML formats. Reports can also be scheduled for automatic delivery to stakeholders, helping simplify auditing, compliance reporting, and ongoing security monitoring.

What are the best practices for SEM monitoring and reporting?

Effective SEM monitoring begins with clearly defined security objectives and comprehensive log collection from firewalls, servers, endpoints, applications, and network devices. Organizations should maintain incident response plans, regularly update detection rules, implement appropriate data retention policies, review reports frequently, automate responses where appropriate, train security teams, continuously tune the SIEM platform, apply vendor updates promptly, and encourage collaboration between IT, security, and compliance teams.

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Improve SIEM monitoring and reporting to more effectively identify and handle security threats

Aggregate logs

Detect security risks

Monitor proactively

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Security Observability

Improve SEM monitoring by aggregating logs in a single location

SolarWinds Security Event Manager (SEM) simplifies Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) log management. SEM is built with a SIEM log aggregation tool designed to automatically collect and aggregate logs from multiple devices and applications across your network in an agentless environment. With SolarWinds SEM, you can gain a unified view, cutting through the clutter and making sense of the noise created by thousands of SIEM logs. With Security Event Manager, you can easily correlate event log data from multiple sources to quickly identify and mitigate security threats with minimal time and effort.

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Detect security risks with real-time analysis

The SIEM log management capabilities of Security Event Manager help accelerate threat detection and empower your IT team to conduct real-time analysis of SIEM logs. With integrated threat detection capabilities, SEM can help you thoroughly examine security event logs and investigate incidents more efficiently. SEM enables you to easily ascertain the cause and effect of events generated across the network infrastructure. The advanced search and event-time correlation capabilities in SEM can help simplify and expedite forensic analysis and network security audits. Additionally, its SIEM log analyzer tool can easily forward correlated log data to an external source for further analysis if and when required.

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Monitor proactively and automate remediation

The Security Event Manager is designed to provide continuous SEM monitoring. You can constantly monitor your files and folders with its SIEM capabilities to track permission changes or data modification to identify suspicious activities. SEM’s USB security software provides proactive USB device monitoring to prevent IT security risks, including data leaks and other malicious threats. The security monitoring tool capabilities of SEM help to optimize security threat resolution with automated responses. You can also initiate real-time threat remediation by configuring threshold-based alarms and notifications.

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Sustain security posture with integrated SIEM reporting

SolarWinds Security Event Manager serves as an integrated compliance reporting tool for simplified and faster compliance audits. SEM’s standardized, available out-of-the-box reports can help you demonstrate compliance with various industry-specific regulations, including HIPAA, PCI DSS, SOX, FISMA, NERC CIP, FERPA, GLBA, GPG13, DISA STIG, and more. You can easily conduct forensic investigations with SEM’s detailed drill-down reports. In addition to industry regulation compliance, compliance reporting can help you demonstrate and ensure that any internal security policies are effectively implemented. SEM also enables reports in various formats, including PDF, CSV, and now HTML, for easier access and data viewing. Plus, each PDF report comes with bookmarked views, allowing recipients to see top trends for quick analysis.

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Consider Security Observability to boost security measures

SolarWinds Security Observability Dashboard

If you’re in the market for something more comprehensive, try SolarWinds Observability Self-Hosted—a self-hosted solution designed for complex hybrid environments. From eliminating tool sprawl to reducing remediation times, SolarWinds Observability Self-Hosted provides clear visibility into your entire IT environment at all times. It also comes with SolarWinds Security Observability, an available integration featuring powerful SEM monitoring capabilities, including a Vulnerability and Risk Dashboard that provides a quick overview of existing threats and their severity levels. The SEM Security Dashboard enables IT teams to spot real-time event correlations and extensive node details so you can pinpoint root causes before they escalate into broader issues.

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Do you find yourself asking…

What is SIEM monitoring?
SEM monitoring tool best features
How does SIEM log management and monitoring work in SolarWinds Security Event Manager?
What is SIEM reporting?
What do I need to know about SIEM reporting in Security Event Manager?
SEM monitoring & reporting best practices
Related features

Security Information and Event Management, or SIEM, combines Security Information Management (SIM) with Security Event Management (SEM) to protect your network from security breaches and other threats. However, the term SIEM is often used interchangeably with SEM.

Put simply, SIEM monitoring involves collecting, normalizing, and aggregating SIEM logs, so you can analyze and correlate the data they contain. This helps you quickly pinpoint security breaches, investigate alerts, and combat security threats. Manually performing these activities is time-consuming and impractical; therefore, most IT professionals utilize security monitoring tools equipped with advanced reporting, event correlation, and automated alerting features.

By engaging in SEM log monitoring and management, you can gain invaluable context into the events occurring within your network, enabling you to diagnose, prioritize, and act on security events without being lost in a sea of non-critical data and alerts. In short, you’ll be able to act quickly when needed to ensure network security and demonstrate compliance when you use SIEM software.

SolarWinds Security Event Manager (SEM) is built to simplify and accelerate the process of managing and monitoring your SIEM logs. SEM collects and aggregates logs from across your IT in a centralized location, enabling you to make sense of your logs, quickly detect security threats, and automate your threat responses.

Monitoring and capturing all your domain events start with installing the SEM agent on your domain controllers. Once in place, if the agent notices any suspicious events, such as unauthorized failed logon attempts, account lockouts, access to administrative accounts, or changes made to users or groups, it will report events to your SEM Manager, enabling you to take action against potential security risks quickly.

To install an SEM agent on a Windows domain controller:

Head to the SolarWinds Customer Portal and download the SEM agent installer for Windows.
Then, extract the contents of the downloaded ZIP file to your local or network directory, run Setup.exe, click Next, and accept the End User License Agreement when prompted.
Enter your SEM Manager’s hostname in the Manager Name field and click Next.
Leave the default port values as they are and confirm your Manager Communication settings before proceeding to the next step.
If you’d like to install the optional USB Defender, check the appropriate box.
Then, review the pre-installation summary, confirm your settings, and click Install.
After installation, you can click Next to start the SEM agent service, check your agent log for any errors, and exit the installer by clicking Done. If you have old and legacy Windows operating systems, you’ll need to create a connector profile for each system.

You can monitor your firewalls for unauthorized port scans, network attacks, data packets, and any unusual traffic patterns with SolarWinds SEM by configuring your firewalls to log to SEM and setting up a new connector in the SEM Manager. To do this:

Find the connector you want to configure under Manage Connectors in the SEM Console.
Click Add connector and fill out the configuration form.
Then, click Add, select your connector from a list of configured connectors, and click Start. You can then view traffic and firewall events from a specific computer by creating a filter.

How you use any SIEM monitoring and reporting tool is just as important as the type of SEM solution you choose. To effectively leverage all the features an SEM tool has to offer, consider these best practices:

Define Objectives and Use Cases: Start by understanding what you want to achieve, such as threat detection, incident response, compliance, or network optimization.

Collect Comprehensive Data: Ensure your SIEM system collects data from a wide range of sources, including firewalls, IDS/IPS, servers, endpoints, applications, and network devices. This enables a more holistic view of your IT landscape.

Incident Response Plans: Develop and document incident response plans that outline procedures to follow when a security incident is detected. Ensure that your SIEM system integrates seamlessly with your incident response processes.

Regularly Update Signatures and Rules: Keep threat detection signatures and correlation rules up to date to effectively detect new and evolving threats. Regularly review and update these rules in accordance with threat intelligence.

Data Retention and Archiving: Establish data retention policies to comply with regulatory requirements and store logs securely for historical analysis.

Regularly Review and Analyze Data: Review SIEM reports and alerts on a regular basis. Analyze trends and patterns to identify potential security issues and opportunities for improvement.

Automated Responses: Implement automated response mechanisms within your SIEM system to take predefined actions in response to certain security events. This can help contain and mitigate threats faster.

Training and Skill Development: Invest in training and skill development for your security team to ensure they can effectively use the SIEM system, interpret reports, and respond to incidents.

Regular Testing and Tuning: Periodically test and tune your SIEM system to ensure it performs optimally. Assess its effectiveness in detecting and responding to threats, and make necessary adjustments.

Vendor Support and Updates: Stay informed about updates, patches, and security advisories from your SIEM vendor. Apply patches and updates in a timely manner to address security vulnerabilities.

Collaboration and Communication: Foster collaboration and communication between IT, security, and compliance teams. Ensure that relevant stakeholders are aware of and involved in SIEM monitoring and reporting efforts.

Security Information and Event Management, or SIEM, combines Security Information Management (SIM) with Security Event Management (SEM) to protect your network from security breaches and other threats. However, the term SIEM is often used interchangeably with SEM.

Put simply, SIEM monitoring involves collecting, normalizing, and aggregating SIEM logs, so you can analyze and correlate the data they contain. This helps you quickly pinpoint security breaches, investigate alerts, and combat security threats. Manually performing these activities is time-consuming and impractical; therefore, most IT professionals utilize security monitoring tools equipped with advanced reporting, event correlation, and automated alerting features.

By engaging in SEM log monitoring and management, you can gain invaluable context into the events occurring within your network, enabling you to diagnose, prioritize, and act on security events without being lost in a sea of non-critical data and alerts. In short, you’ll be able to act quickly when needed to ensure network security and demonstrate compliance when you use SIEM software.
At the very least, SIEM monitoring tools should have basic defenses, including antivirus software, up-to-date patches, firewalls, daily backups, and email protection. But if you want to stay ahead of potential threats and keep your IT environment safe from node to node, you need an SIEM monitor that goes beyond the basics.

When looking for an SEM monitoring tool that goes above and beyond, make sure it offers the following:

Contextual Data: Your SIEM should offer you context about your IT infrastructure and security events, so you can make informed decisions.

Automation: To reduce manual intervention, find an SIEM tool that automatically collects, normalizes, and aggregates event logs in one location, analyzes them, and alerts you to any abnormalities.

Log Search Capabilities: Pinpointing a specific event or series of events should be easy, user-friendly, and quick, so you respond confidently and effectively during a cybersecurity attack.

External Threat Intelligence Feeds: An SEM monitoring tool should do more than just flag threats—it should prevent them through real-time SIEM analytics that help IT teams proactively address anomalies.

Anomaly-Based Intrusion Detection: These systems alert you when network activity deviates from your baseline, so you can investigate the root cause.

Having the right people in the right positions also matters. You’ll need staff members to follow up on any security alerts, determine if any issues were false alarms, and resolve those that weren’t. Additionally, your staff members will be able to reevaluate and improve your system’s rules, enabling you to optimize your SIEM solution and ensure its automation processes are working as intended.
SolarWinds Security Event Manager (SEM) is built to simplify and accelerate the process of managing and monitoring your SIEM logs. SEM collects and aggregates logs from across your IT in a centralized location, enabling you to make sense of your logs, quickly detect security threats, and automate your threat responses.

Monitoring and capturing all your domain events start with installing the SEM agent on your domain controllers. Once in place, if the agent notices any suspicious events, such as unauthorized failed logon attempts, account lockouts, access to administrative accounts, or changes made to users or groups, it will report events to your SEM Manager, enabling you to take action against potential security risks quickly.

To install an SEM agent on a Windows domain controller:

Head to the SolarWinds Customer Portal and download the SEM agent installer for Windows.

Then, extract the contents of the downloaded ZIP file to your local or network directory, run Setup.exe, click Next, and accept the End User License Agreement when prompted.

Enter your SEM Manager’s hostname in the Manager Name field and click Next.

Leave the default port values as they are and confirm your Manager Communication settings before proceeding to the next step.

If you’d like to install the optional USB Defender, check the appropriate box.

Then, review the pre-installation summary, confirm your settings, and click Install.

After installation, you can click Next to start the SEM agent service, check your agent log for any errors, and exit the installer by clicking Done. If you have old and legacy Windows operating systems, you’ll need to create a connector profile for each system.

You can monitor your firewalls for unauthorized port scans, network attacks, data packets, and any unusual traffic patterns with SolarWinds SEM by configuring your firewalls to log to SEM and setting up a new connector in the SEM Manager. To do this:

Find the connector you want to configure under Manage Connectors in the SEM Console.

Click Add connector and fill out the configuration form.

Then, click Add, select your connector from a list of configured connectors, and click Start. You can then view traffic and firewall events from a specific computer by creating a filter.
SIEM reporting emphasizes analyzing and presenting data aggregated from multiple sources within an IT environment. With an SEM reporting tool, several types of reports can be generated on-demand or scheduled at regular intervals, including:

Incident Reports: These reports detail specific security incidents, providing information about what happened, when it occurred, and how it was resolved.
Compliance Reports: These focus on how well an SIEM system is abiding by regulatory standards by demonstrating how benchmarks are being met.
Trend Analysis Reports: For internal monitoring and record-keeping, SEM reports can be used to show patterns of security events over time, helping to identify recurring threats and vulnerabilities.
Custom Reports: With a comprehensive SEM reporting tool, organizations can create reports designed to pull and analyze specific sets of data according to predefined settings.

SEM reports are useful for auditing periods, reducing preparation time, and providing the most up-to-date snapshot of your organization’s security posture.
SIEM reports in SolarWinds SEM convert recorded data into actionable insights, featuring a range of features and predefined queries to help you generate detailed and valuable reports.

With SolarWinds SEM, you can access SEM reports from the “Historical Events and Reports” tab in the toolbar. From here, define the criteria and parameters for the report you want to generate, using time frame, event categories, and any other custom search queries. SEM provides an extensive set of predefined queries under the “Queries” tab in the “Historical Events and Reports” section, including categories like:

All Event Data Last 10 Minutes

All Event Data Last Week

Failed Logon Event Data Last Week

Virus Event Data Last Week

Rule Activity Last Week

Additionally, you can specify the format of the report you want to generate, with options to save it in CSV, PDF, or HTML format. Should you want to generate reports on a regular basis, SolarWinds SEM lets you set your SEM report generation schedule, the recipients you want it sent to, and delivery preferences.
How you use any SIEM monitoring and reporting tool is just as important as the type of SEM solution you choose. To effectively leverage all the features an SEM tool has to offer, consider these best practices:

Define Objectives and Use Cases: Start by understanding what you want to achieve, such as threat detection, incident response, compliance, or network optimization.

Collect Comprehensive Data: Ensure your SIEM system collects data from a wide range of sources, including firewalls, IDS/IPS, servers, endpoints, applications, and network devices. This enables a more holistic view of your IT landscape.

Incident Response Plans: Develop and document incident response plans that outline procedures to follow when a security incident is detected. Ensure that your SIEM system integrates seamlessly with your incident response processes.

Regularly Update Signatures and Rules: Keep threat detection signatures and correlation rules up to date to effectively detect new and evolving threats. Regularly review and update these rules in accordance with threat intelligence.

Data Retention and Archiving: Establish data retention policies to comply with regulatory requirements and store logs securely for historical analysis.

Regularly Review and Analyze Data: Review SIEM reports and alerts on a regular basis. Analyze trends and patterns to identify potential security issues and opportunities for improvement.

Automated Responses: Implement automated response mechanisms within your SIEM system to take predefined actions in response to certain security events. This can help contain and mitigate threats faster.

Training and Skill Development: Invest in training and skill development for your security team to ensure they can effectively use the SIEM system, interpret reports, and respond to incidents.

Regular Testing and Tuning: Periodically test and tune your SIEM system to ensure it performs optimally. Assess its effectiveness in detecting and responding to threats, and make necessary adjustments.

Vendor Support and Updates: Stay informed about updates, patches, and security advisories from your SIEM vendor. Apply patches and updates in a timely manner to address security vulnerabilities.

Collaboration and Communication: Foster collaboration and communication between IT, security, and compliance teams. Ensure that relevant stakeholders are aware of and involved in SIEM monitoring and reporting efforts.
Other SolarWinds tools to help detect security risk:

SolarWinds Security Observability

SolarWinds Access Right Manager

SolarWinds Patch Manager

SolarWinds Identity Monitor

Related features:

Security Log Management

File Integrity Monitoring

IT Security Threat Management

Firewall Security Management

Centralized Log Management

Security Orchestration and Automation

"...by bringing [SEM] in, we can definitely get an in-depth view of what’s going on in our environment.”

Max Kuzmenko

Senior Systems Engineer

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