Introduction to EventLog Analyzer
What is log management?
An enterprise network consists of different entities—perimeter devices, workstations, servers, applications, and more. Each entity records every activity that unfolds within it in the form of logs. These logs hold information that is essential to maintain security and troubleshoot operational issues. However, a complex network could have thousands of devices, and the amount of log data generated could be immense. It is essential to collect, analyze, correlate, search, and store these data in a centralized location. This process is called log management.
An effective log management tool can automate all operations related to log data, provide visibility into network activities, streamline incident management, and more.
The processes involved in log management and how a tool simplifies the process
Log management is a broad term that encompasses the different processes and activities required to collect and understand logs and events in the network. These can be categorized as:
Log aggregation
Centralized log aggregation is the process of bringing the logs from every device in the network to one place. The collection process is vital because logs don't provide visibility. Correlating events happening in the network is necessary to detect threats as they show up. A powerful log management tool enables you to streamline the process by automating the log aggregation process and defining relevant sources that need to be monitored.
Log parsing
The log sources in an enterprise network are extensive, and so is rmatting the logs at hand. The raw logs have a repeating data format, including fields and values. Log parsing is the process of extracting recurrent data from unstructured, raw logs. This log tool uses proven parsing methodologies to process diverse log formats. It also enables users to customize parsing rules if any relevant data is missed.
Log indexing
Because logs in the database tend to grow bigger over time, it is essential to organize them for easy search and retrieval. The log indexing process sorts the data and arranges them based on selected attributes, making the retrieval process easier.
Log storage
Network administrators sometimes conduct forensic analysis, referring to old logs to help determine if an event is recurring. A centralized storage mechanism that systematically stores event logs is vital to make this process efficient. This tool allows users to define the storage and archival options in the tool—be it a periodic or a real-time backup. The log files are compressed, encrypted, and time-stamped to ensure their integrity.
Log analysis
In this segment, the incoming and existing data is analyzed for security events. If the tool spots any abnormal deviations in the network, it will set priorities and direct the user's attention to those events for further analysis. After in-depth analysis, the log data is presented in easily consumable formats such as reports and graphs.
- Log reports: Internal and external compliance audit policies mandate organizations to produce accurate reports about their practices. Log management solutions enable users to generate predefined or custom reports with ease. The tool contains 5,000 report templates, which includes 1,500 reports dedicated to Windows event logs.
- Log visualization: The log management tool provides an overview of the activities by intuitively presenting data as charts, reports, and graphs. This real-time visualization of log data enables faster security responses during system downtime or breaches.
Here's why you should consider EventLog Analyzer for your log management solution
Comprehensive log management
EventLog Analyzer makes it seamless for enterprises to manage their logs without the need for constant manual interruption. The tool comprises log collection, secured storage mechanism, normalization, analysis, compliance, and incident management in a single console for easier understanding of the security log data.
Log processing speed
The processing speed of a log management tool plays a vital role in real-time incident detection. EventLog Analyzer processes logs at 25,000 logs per second, ensuring that any signs of suspicious activity, compromise, or potential breach are detected at the initial stages. The processing speed also helps network administrators drill down to the relevant logs instantly.
Advanced threat intelligence
The evolving and complex nature of cyberattacks makes it challenging for enterprises to thwart existing and fresh-on-the-scene attack patterns. Threat intelligence is the contextual knowledge about malicious sources that enables organizations to prevent threats and attacks based on past events. EventLog Analyzer collects threat feeds from several trusted open and third-party sources to receive mission-critical information, including malicious IPs, URLs, domain names, malware attacks, etc.
The tool collects threat feeds from the following avenues:
- STIX/TAXII
- AlienVault OTX
- Webroot
Compliance and auditing capabilities
EventLog Analyzer monitors all the devices and applications in the network to detect security threats, anomalous user activities, troubleshoot applications, and meet security auditing requirements. The tool simplifies IT compliance management with predefined report templates for regulatory mandates, including PCI-DSS, SOX, HIPAA, FISMA, GDPR, and more. The tool also provides the option to create custom compliance report templates to suit specific business needs.
Incident response and management
A crucial part of risk and cyberthreat management is defining the incident response and management procedure that will unfold following a security incident. EventLog Analyzer enables users to choose from the existing incident workflows or customize the response from scratch. It offers integration with external ticketing tools to speed up incident resolution.
Check out EventLog Analyzer's help document for the step-by-step process on setting up the log management tool and gaining complete visibility into your network activities.
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