How to check for attack data on network logs without SIMs

BROWSE BY TAG Network Security,   VIEW ALL TAGS

Digg This!     StumbleUpon     Del.icio.us

RELATED CONTENT Network Security How to set up a split-tunnel VPN in Windows Vista What is the difference between static and dynamic network validation? Port scan attack prevention best practices Securing the intranet with remote access VPN security How to prevent network sniffing and eavesdropping How to implement virtual firewalls in a complex network infrastructure How to manage network bandwidth with distributed ISP bandwidth How to edit group policy objects to give a user local admin rights How to prevent operating system cloning with AES 256-bit encryption How to securely connect a LAN POS to a remote point-of-sale device

RELATED RESOURCES 2020software.com, trial software downloads for accounting software, ERP software, CRM software and business software systems Search Bitpipe.com for the latest white papers and business webcasts Whatis.com, the online computer dictionary

Network logs are a treasure trove of security data. It's true that security information and event management (SIM or SIEM) systems provide an easy and effective way to analyze logs, but they also come with a price tag. Fortunately, there are ways you can detect network attacks without purchasing a SIM. Here are some examples:

• Use an intrusion detection system. IDSes provide the most reliable, time-tested way to search for signs of intrusion on an enterprise network. If the organization doesn't have the budget to purchase a commercial IDS, consider using a free product like Snort.
• Mine network logs. As you point out, it's impossible to spend an eternity staring at log data. You'll go cross-eyed before you make any sense of it. However, scripts can be written to do the heavy lifting. This approach will require knowledge of a programming language as well as a good idea of what types of events are of interest to you. For example, you might write a Perl script that searches the network logs for signs of an unauthorized IP address appearing on a restricted network.
• Watch for anomalies. You can also use software (home-brewed or commercial) that learns the patterns of normal behavior on your network and alerts you to deviations. For an example of this approach, read my paper Authentication Anomaly Detection: A Case Study on a Virtual Private Network.

If your budget can swing it, I'd strongly recommend the purchase of a commercial SIM product, as it will save hours of work, but it is indeed possible to cobble together a similar solution with tools such as those described above.

For more information:

• Find out more about mining enterprise SIM logs for relevant security data.
• What reporting tools are available for an enterprise IDS? Read more.