What Is Cloud SIEM?

A cloud SIEM, or security information and event management system, is a cloud-based platform that helps organizations collect, monitor, and analyze data for security purposes. A cloud SIEM can be delivered as a standalone solution or as part of a broader security suite.

Cloud SIEM solutions offer many benefits over traditional on-premises SIEMs, including increased flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. Organizations considering a cloud SIEM should evaluate their specific security needs and requirements to ensure that their chosen solution is a good fit for their environment.

On-Premises SIEM vs. SIEM-as-a-Service

The cloud SIEM, also known as SIEM-as-a-service, market is still relatively new, and as such, several different delivery models are available. The two most common are on-premises SIEM and SIEM-as-a-service.

On-premises SIEM solutions are deployed and managed on an organization's infrastructure. This model offers more control and customization but requires more in-house expertise and resources to manage the system.

SIEM-as-a-service solutions are cloud-based and managed by the SIEM vendor. This delivery model is often more cost-effective and easier to implement and manage but may offer less flexibility than an on-premises solution.

Advantages of On-Premises SIEM

On-premises SIEM solutions offer several advantages over cloud-based solutions, including:

• More control and customization: With an on-premises SIEM, organizations have more control over their data and can customize the system to meet their specific needs better.
• Reduced latency: On-premises SIEM solutions can provide near-real-time visibility into an organization's security posture, which is critical for quickly identifying and responding to threats.
• Security: On-premises SIEMs deploy within an organization's internal network, which can add an extra layer of protection.

Advantages of Cloud-Based SIEM

Unlike on-premises SIEMs, cloud SIEM solutions come with unique advantages only available to cloud-based systems, including:

• Cost-effectiveness: Cloud SIEMs are typically more cost-effective than on-premises solutions since they require no upfront investment in hardware or software.
• Scalability: Cloud SIEMs are highly scalable, making them ideal for organizations that experience fluctuating or unpredictable security needs.
• Increased flexibility: With a cloud SIEM, organizations can more easily scale their security monitoring and analysis capabilities up or down as needed without having to make a significant upfront investment in hardware

Why Use Cloud SIEM Solutions

Cloud SIEM solutions can help organizations collect, monitor, and analyze data for security purposes and can provide comprehensive visibility into an organization's overall security posture when used in conjunction with other security tools and processes. Like on-premises SIEM, cloud SIEM solutions monitor various security threats, including malware, phishing attacks, and network intrusions. In addition, many organizations use cloud SIEMs for compliance purposes. However, cloud-based SIEM allows remote organizations to access information from anywhere.

Organizations should consult with cloud SIEM vendors to ensure that the solution they choose is a good fit for their needs.

Integrate Email Security and Cloud SIEM Solutions

Email security solutions can integrate with cloud SIEM solutions to improve the organization's overall security. By combining these two technologies, organizations can gain enhanced visibility, enhance cyber resilience, and increase control over email-based threats. Integrating email security with cloud SIEM can also help reduce the costs of deploying and managing both technologies. This integration can be accomplished in various ways, depending on the organization's specific needs.

Some organizations may choose to deploy an email security solution hosted in the cloud. Doing so allows the cloud SIEM to directly access and analyze the data collected by the email security solution. Other organizations may deploy an on-premises email security solution connected to the cloud SIEM. In this case, data from the email security solution goes to the cloud SIEM for analysis.

Regardless of which approach an organization chooses, integrating email security with cloud SIEM can be a powerful way to improve the security of an organization's network.

**This blog was originally published on November 14, 2022.