Building a Comprehensive SIEM Solution with AWS Services

Published on December 13, 2024

SIEM in AWS

Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) refers to the processes and technology used to protect supplied infrastructure by collecting, monitoring, and analyzing security-related data. SIEM systems are critical for monitoring resources in terms of compliance, activity tracking ("who did what, when, and on which resource"), and threat detection.

SIEM can be implemented in a variety of ways, with AWS services enabling the development of robust and scalable solutions. This blog describes the essential AWS services applicable to SIEM and their contributions.

AWS services related to SIEM

Amazon CloudWatch Logs:

Overview:

Amazon CloudWatch Logs is a centralized service that collects and monitors log data from both AWS and on-premises systems. It provides real-time log analysis and integrates with SIEM solutions to better threat identification and incident response.

Key Features:

• Centralized log aggregation: Gather logs from services such as EC2 instances, Lambda functions, and VPC flow logs.
• Log Analysis and Retention: Make metric filters for in-the-moment insights and keep logs for long periods of time.

Use Cases:

• Threats can be detected in real time using specified metrics.
• Analyzing resource activity logs to conduct compliance audits.

AWS GuardDuty

Overview:

Amazon GuardDuty is a managed threat monitoring service that identifies potential hazards and illegal behavior through machine learning, anomaly detection, and threat intelligence.

Key Features:

• Intelligent Threat Detection: Examines CloudTrail, VPC Flow Logs, and DNS requests.
• Security Findings: Provides actionable insights into suspicious activity, such as port scans and strange API calls.

Use Cases:

• Continuous checks for compromised instances or unauthorized access.
• Integration with other AWS services improves security visibility.

AWS CloudTrail

Overview

AWS CloudTrail records detailed logs of AWS API calls, allowing for auditing, compliance monitoring, and real-time threat detection.

Key Features:

• API Activity Logging: Every API call is recorded with its identity, timestamp, and impacted resources.
• Tamper-Proof Logs: Keeps logs secure and dependable for audits.
• SIEM integration: Send logs to CloudWatch for processing or to third-party SIEM solutions.

Use Cases:

• Detecting illegal API actions.
• User activity tracking is used to support compliance needs.

AWS Inspector

Overview

AWS Inspector is an automated security assessment service that checks the security of EC2 instances and containerized apps.

Key Features:

• Vulnerability scanning: Identifies threats using best practices and compliance requirements.
• SIEM Integration: Results can be sent to SIEM systems for centralized tracking and management.

Use Cases:

• Finding vulnerabilities in EC2 instances.
• Ensure conformity with standards such as CIS Benchmarks.

AWS Macie

Overview:

AWS Macie is an intelligent cloud service designed to protect your data by automatically discovering, classifying, and safeguarding sensitive information stored in Amazon S3 buckets.

Key Features:

• Automated identification of sensitive data: Sensitive Data Discovery Jobs automatically scans configured S3 buckets and identifies/classifies sensitive information.
• Data Identifiers: Managed Data Identifiers use ML and pattern matching to detect sensitive information including PII, Financials, and Access data.

Use Cases:

• Real-time management of sensitive data and protection of intellectual property.
• Audit trails for data access and potential breaches.

AWS Security Hub

Overview:

The AWS Security Hub consolidates security findings from many AWS services to provide a holistic view of security posture.

Key Features:

• Centralized Security Findings: A single dashboard combines findings from GuardDuty, Inspector, and Macie.
• Compliance Checks: Automates security checks for standards such as PCI DSS and CIS Benchmark.

Use Cases:

• Unified security monitoring across different AWS accounts.
• Integration with SIEM tools to facilitate incident response.

Conclusion

AWS offers a robust suite of services that enterprises can use to construct a full SIEM solution. Each service provides distinct capabilities, such as log aggregation and threat identification, as well as vulnerability assessment and compliance monitoring. These services work together to improve an organization's ability to detect, respond to, and mitigate cloud-based security threats.

Ref: Welcome to AWS Documentation