SIEM vs NDR: Who is improving modern SOCs?

The cyber security landscape is evolving rapidly, and organizations need help with the limitations of their legacy security information and event management (SIEM) systems. These, once a cornerstone of the security posture, are increasingly struggling to keep pace with modern threats, growing data volumes, and the complexity of hybrid IT environments.

According to a recent Forbes CISO report, 44% of organizations plan to replace their SIEMs in 2025. This development underlines the need for adaptable and scalable solutions. Network Detection and Response (NDR) has become an essential technology in modern SOCs, complementing and sometimes replacing legacy SIEMs. Read on to learn how NDR is changing security processes and why it may be time to leave our usual view on SIEMs behind.

Challenges for SIEM systems

Traditional SIEM systems face significant challenges in adapting to modern cybersecurity demands. Rising costs for collecting, storing, and processing log data strain IT budgets, while maintaining use cases for network data is expensive and time-consuming. They often fail to provide actionable insights, leaving blind spots in areas like unmanaged devices, IoT, and OT networks, and developing detection use cases for diverse environments remains inefficient. SIEMs need help to scale effectively as data volumes grow, frequently failing to meet real-time detection and response needs. Regulatory compliance requirements lead to storage inefficiencies, and the lack of dynamic, risk-based insights hinders adaptation to evolving standards like NIS2. Legacy systems also demand specialized skills, further intensifying the cybersecurity skills shortage. These limitations collectively undermine the ability of SIEM systems to address today’s complex cyber threat landscape.

Benefits of NDR and compensation for SIEM deficiencies

NDR is a modern solution to close the gaps in older SIEM systems. Using machine learning and behavioral analytics and focusing on network metadata, it provides actionable intelligence without the overhead associated with log collection. It’s a game changer due to its cost efficiency, reducing reliance on expensive log storage by analyzing network metadata and eliminating extensive use case development. It provides comprehensive visibility across IT, OT, and IoT environments, detecting threats in managed and unmanaged devices without blind spots. It scales efficiently, handling growing data volumes while maintaining performance and enabling real-time detection and response. Its ML-powered anomaly detection identifies complex threats like command-and-control activities and lateral movement, while behavioral modeling offers prioritized alerts for SOC teams. NDR ensures regulatory compliance by focusing on actionable insights, minimizing storage needs, and supporting forensic investigations. It delivers customized detection capabilities that enhance operational efficiency and reduce costs. These features make it indispensable for modern cybersecurity strategies.

NDR as an intelligent SIEM extension

Enhancing capabilities: NDR complements SIEM by analyzing traffic beyond traditional protocols, including encrypted communications and unmanaged device behavior. It also reduces SIEM workloads by pre-analyzing data and highlighting critical detections.

• Protects Legacy Systems: NDR uses passive monitoring and segmentation to secure older OT networks and devices that cannot support endpoint agents.
• Adapts to Evolving Threats: Threat intelligence integration ensures NDR remains effective against the continuously changing attack landscape.

NDR provides actionable intelligence by transforming raw network data into streamlined threat detection and response insights. It improves storage efficiency by focusing on metadata instead of logs, enabling comprehensive analysis with reduced storage needs. Integration with SOAR platforms allows NDR to automate response processes, enhancing SOC efficiency and resilience. Machine learning models allow proactive threat hunting by identifying unknown threats and reduce the dependency on signature-based recognition, IOCs, hash values.

Solutions like ExeonTrace offer fast and straightforward implementation, requiring minimal changes to existing IT infrastructure. It is versatile, supporting deployment on-premises and in the cloud, catering to diverse organizational needs. By analyzing metadata instead of raw logs, ExeonTrace significantly reduces storage costs compared to traditional SIEM solutions. Its machine learning capabilities streamline operations, eliminating the need for extensive manual use case development. The solution’s efficient resource utilization lowers overall operational costs while enhancing security effectiveness.

Conclusion: Into the future of SOCs with NDR

Although SIEM systems continue to play a role in modern SOCs, their limitations require a complementary approach. NDR enables organizations to address these challenges by providing comprehensive visibility, cost efficiency, and advanced threat detection. For CISOs faced with the complexities of cyber security, it offers a path to a more flexible and effective security posture. Moving away from traditional SIEM doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing decision. With NDR, organizations can seamlessly bridge the gap and enhance their SOCs to meet the demands of the modern threat landscape.

Want to know more about how to extend the effectiveness of your SOC? Watch the recorded webinar below.