[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_4,3_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”50px||||false|false” custom_css_main_element=”z-index:0!important;” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ disabled_on=”on|on|off” _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||||false|false” sticky_position=”top” sticky_offset_top=”100px” sticky_limit_bottom=”section” motion_trigger_start=”top” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”indice” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”||14px||false|false” link_option_url=”#1″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Sections<\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_css_main_element=”z-index:0!important;” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”seccion” module_id=”1″ module_class=”ittopicscontent” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” z_index=”0″ custom_margin=”0px||0px||true|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ custom_css_main_element=”font-family:%22Pandora-Light%22;” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]Have you seen Dawn of the Dead<\/em>? Because cybersecurity professionals live it every day, surrounded by increasingly sophisticated attacks that come in endless waves. Every bit of help counts \u2014 and that\u2019s where tools like SIEM, SOAR<\/a>, or XDR, three fundamental pillars of modern security<\/strong>, come into play. With XDRs landing in the modern security<\/a> battlefield, it\u2019s sometimes said that this technology alone is enough, making SIEM and SOAR obsolete. Later, we\u2019ll see how a SOC benefits from the SIEM\u2019s ability to serve as the central repository of all organizational telemetry \u2014 a single source of truth, as a friend says \u2014 essential for forensic investigations<\/a> and audits. A SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) tool, such as Pandora SIEM, is the platform that centralizes, normalizes, and correlates logs from multiple sources (networks, servers, applications…) to detect threats, generate alerts, and ensure compliance<\/strong>. The SIEM has been the backbone of the Security Operations Center (SOC) for years, performing:<\/p>\n No analysis would be honest without mentioning the challenges each tool faces in today\u2019s relentless cybersecurity landscape. These include:<\/p>\n The SIEM remains essential in modern security infrastructures because it serves as:<\/p>\n SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation and Response) is the tool that automates and coordinates (orchestrates) incident response<\/a> tasks<\/strong> using predefined playbooks. While SIEM focuses on detection, SOAR focuses on first response. A SIEM says “something bad is happening”, a SOAR “does something about it” automatically. SOAR\u2019s power lies in its playbooks, predefined and automated workflows<\/strong> for handling common security incidents. Examples of use and functions in our security infrastructure would be:<\/p>\n Again we see the power of combining SIEM and SOAR: SIEM correlates and detects incidents like Sauron’s all-seeing eye, while SOAR has countermeasures ready for anything that emerges when SIEM lifts a rug and a surprise appears. One of the main evolutions in cybersecurity is the XDR (Extended Detection and Response) concept, which addresses a key gap in EDRs. In this case, instead of a T-800 Terminator on each device, like EDRs, we evolve to a T-1000 \u2014 far more versatile and capable of acting not only on endpoints, but across many environments. When talking about XDR, we usually find two types:<\/p>\n XDR acts as a force multiplier<\/strong> for analysts, replacing the old EDR tank with a spaceship capable of operating in more environments, more effectively, with:<\/p>\n As mentioned earlier, XDR tries to do it all, combining capabilities from EDR (with greater reach), SIEM and SOAR by offering detection, analysis, and response features.<\/p>\n Now that we know the options, let’s put them face to face.<\/p>\n\n
\nThat\u2019s why we\u2019ll analyze each of them and how to choose the best combination for your specific needs. The goal is to build an impregnable Fortress of Solitude that protects your IT infrastructure.
\nIn doing so, we\u2019ll also clear up common confusions, especially around XDR, since overlapping features, aggressive marketing, or lack of understanding about each tool\u2019s purpose might lead to misconceptions.<\/p>\nThe myth that XDR may replace SIEM and\/or SOAR<\/h2>\n
\nNothing could be further from the truth<\/strong> because, as we\u2019ll see, no matter how powerful XDR is \u2014 or how much it tries to work like SIEM and SOAR \u2014 it falls short in many critical situations such as: hybrid infrastructures, compliance, audits, or coordination of heterogeneous tools.
\nYour IT infrastructure won\u2019t be identical to anyone else\u2019s in terms of requirements, regulations, or components. Those Frankenstein-like environments often demand flexibility and capabilities that XDR simply can\u2019t always deliver.<\/p>\nWhat SIEM and SOAR still bring to a modern SOC<\/h3>\n
\nLikewise, SOAR<\/strong> adds automation, enabling consistent and quick incident response, even with limited human resources.
\nAchieving this level of effectiveness using XDR alone would be difficult, so it\u2019s important to understand each contender well to know which pieces we need in our specific security puzzle.<\/p>\nSIEM: the classic SOC pillar<\/h2>\n
\nHowever, it doesn\u2019t act on this data automatically; it depends on rules and human analysis.
\nThink of it like the Enterprise computer in Star Trek<\/em> \u2014 it knows everything happening in the ship (your IT infrastructure), processes it, and provides information and alerts whenever a security event takes place or the crew needs data.
\nHowever, it\u2019s still the crew that decides what actions to take<\/strong>; that computer doesn\u2019t act on its own (except in those classic episodes where it becomes self-aware).<\/p>\nKey functions: logs, correlation, and compliance<\/h3>\n
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Limitations against modern threats<\/h3>\n
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Current role: why SIEM still matters in an XDR world<\/h3>\n
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SOAR: response automation and orchestration of response<\/h2>\n
\nIn other words, it automatically deploys the first drones into battle to mitigate<\/a>, clearing the way for human reinforcements if needed in complex incidents.
\nFor example, in the case of a malware<\/a> threat triggered by a click on an email received on a company laptop, SOAR can shut down connections, block the link’s target IP, the device and\/or the user account, based on the response defined in its playbook<\/strong> for these cases.
\nSOAR aims to reduce response times<\/strong> (launching those automatic defenses upon detection) and ease the operational burden on the SOC human team<\/strong>.
\nHere, the analogy would be J.A.R.V.I.S. from Iron Man, or R2-D2 in a Star Wars X-Wing, assisting in battle by aiming, selecting targets and executing actions, like deploying armor or executing evasive maneuvers at silicon-brain speed.<\/p>\nWhat it brings compared to SIEM<\/h3>\n
\nSOAR does not replace SIEM, it acts upon its alerts<\/strong> (and those from other sources) to take action.<\/p>\nKey functions: playbooks and immediate response<\/h3>\n
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\nNow let\u2019s see how XDR fits into the impenetrable security puzzle.<\/p>\nXDR: Extended Detection and Response<\/h2>\n
\nEDR (Endpoint Detection and Response), as the name implies, focuses on monitoring<\/a> and response on endpoints<\/a> (computers and servers). But XDR goes further: it’s a unified platform that extends detection and response beyond the endpoint by integrating data from network, email, cloud, identities and cloud workloads (IaaS\/PaaS).
\nThus, it offers:<\/p>\n\n
\nHere, as mentioned earlier, the lines between tools start to blur<\/strong> (a logical and inevitable evolution), since XDR includes aspects of both SIEM and SOAR<\/strong>.
\nSo, what\u2019s the catch? For many organizations, that \u201csomething\u201d isn\u2019t enough, especially in complex infrastructures or those requiring regulatory compliance.<\/p>\nOpen XDR vs Native XDR<\/h3>\n
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The role of XDR in a modern SOC<\/h3>\n
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RPA Examples Applied to IT Management<\/h2>\n
SIEM vs SOAR: Collection vs Orchestration<\/h3>\n