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Hackers exploit vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to a company’s network. These attacks can compromise sensitive data and lead to service disruptions. SIEM tools can keep your IT infrastructure secure by monitoring and detecting security threats.

In this article, I’ll help you evaluate the best SIEM platforms available. I’ll cover each tool’s features and pricing and why I chose them to help you make an informed decision.

What Are SIEM Tools?

Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) tools are software solutions that help organizations detect and respond to security threats. They collect and aggregate log and event data from different sources like applications, security devices, and servers.

Modern SIEM systems use machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) to detect patterns that may indicate a threat, allowing security teams to respond quickly to incidents before they escalate. Features like log management, real-time monitoring, and compliance reporting help organizations secure their IT infrastructure and mitigate cyberattacks.

Overviews of the 12 Best SIEM Tools

Below, I’ve summarized the main selling points of the top SIEM tools:

Best for threat intelligence

  • 30-day free trial + free edition
  • Pricing upon request
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Rating: 4.2/5

ManageEngine Log360 is a security information and event management (SIEM) solution designed to help organizations monitor and manage their IT infrastructure.

Why I picked ManageEngine Log360I picked ManageEngine Log360 because of its comprehensive approach to security management. It integrates various functionalities like threat intelligence, machine learning-based anomaly detection, and rule-based attack detection to provide a robust security framework. The software's ability to offer real-time insights and analytics across on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments ensures a thorough and dynamic approach to threat detection and response.

ManageEngine Log360 Standout Features and Integrations:

Features include its User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA). This feature uses advanced machine learning algorithms to establish baselines of normal activity and then detect deviations that may indicate potential threats. Another notable feature is its automated threat response, which can reduce the time between threat detection and mitigation by automating the response process.

Integrations include Microsoft Active Directory, Office 365, Google Workspace, AWS, Azure, Salesforce, Box, ServiceNow, Jira, Slack, IBM QRadar, Splunk, SolarWinds, Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, Cisco, and Sophos.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Threat intelligence features
  • Real-time alerts
  • Centralized management of logs and security events

Cons:

  • Requires regular maintenance and updates
  • Deployment can be complex

Best enterprise-focused SIEM

  • 30-day free trial
  • From $2,877/year
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Rating: 4.3/5

SolarWinds Security Event Manager is a SIEM platform that aggregates, analyzes, and reports log data in one location. Advanced threat detection capabilities help organizations detect and respond to security incidents in real-time.

Why I picked SolarWinds Security Event Manager: I selected SolarWinds Security Event Manager because it offers an extensive list of pre-built connectors. This gives enterprises a more comprehensive view of their environment. Intuitive visualizations like charts and graphs make it easy to identify and respond to security issues.

SolarWinds Security Event Manager Standout Features and Integrations:

Features that I found particularly impressive about SolarWinds Security Event Manager are its Active Response tool, which lets you automate actions to respond to certain activities. For example, you can create a rule that automatically logs users off if they try to send sensitive data to public clouds. The platform also offers out-of-the-box support for security mandates like GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS.

Integrations include hundreds of pre-built connectors for anti-virus software, firewalls, physical infrastructure devices, network services, and more. Notable connectors include Microsoft Security Security Essentials, Cisco Firesight, Sentinel IPS, and Dell Server Administrator.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Offers compliance management and reporting
  • List of pre-built connectors is continuously updated
  • Supports multiple network protocols

Cons:

  • Implementation may require specialized expertise
  • Plans can get costly depending on the number of licenses you need

Best for SIEM visualizations

  • 14-day free trial
  • From $15/host/month

Datadog Cloud SIEM is a cloud-native SIEM solution that analyzes operational and security logs across your technology stack, giving operational teams a high-level view of the company’s security posture.

Why I picked Datadog Cloud SIEM: During my testing, I was impressed by the visualizations that the platform offered. The interface made it easy to visualize activities across users and services. This level of visibility greatly improved collaboration, as my team and I could drill down into incidents and get to the root cause of security threats.

Datadog Cloud SIEM Standout Features and Integrations:

Features that make Datadog Cloud SIEM stand out to me include its out-of-the-box threat detection rules that enable companies to improve their network security without spending huge amounts of time configuring them. For companies with specific requirements, Data Cloud SIEM includes a code-free editor that lets you create your own rules.

Integrations are available natively with over 600 applications, identity providers, and endpoints. Notable integrations include AWS, Azure DevOps, Redis, and Jira.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Data intake is fast and reliable
  • Offers advanced search filters to narrow down your search
  • Cloud-native solution allows for greater scalability

Cons:

  • Log parsing could be improved
  • Free plan has limited functionality

Best for file integrity monitoring

  • 30-day free trial available
  • From $29/user/month (billed annually)

ManageEngine EventLog Analyzer is a SIEM solution with a real-time log correlation engine that alerts you of suspicious activities in your network.

Why I picked ManageEngine EventLog Analyzer: ManageEngine EventLog Analyzer offers impressive log management features in a single console. But the main reason I put this platform here is that it offers a file integrity monitoring (FIM) module that detects unauthorized modifications to sensitive files and system folders. It provides audit trails of any changes made to a file and notifies administrators of incidents that could indicate a breach.

ManageEngine EventLog Analyzer Standout Features and Integrations:

Features that differentiate ManageEngine EventLog Analyzer include its built-in syslog server that collects log data from network devices like servers, routers, and firewalls. The dashboard made it easy for me to drill down and gain insights into any security event.

Integrations include native support for over 750 log sources, such as database platforms, endpoint security solutions, firewalls, routers, and web servers. Notable integrations include AWS Cloud Trail, Microsoft SQL Server, Symantec Endpoint Protection, SonicWall, and Solaris.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Available for Windows Server and Linux
  • Offers compliance reports for HIPAA, ISO 27011, and more
  • Provides advanced log search functionality

Cons:

  • Steep initial learning curve
  • Free edition has limited functionality

Best for on-premise deployments

  • Free demo available
  • Pricing upon request

LogRhythm SIEM is a centralized log management platform that helps security teams identify and respond to security threats.

Why I picked LogRhythm SIEM: I put LogRhythm SIEM on this list because it offers a robust on-premise solution, which makes it a great option for companies that are subject to regulatory requirements. It provides a host of modules that help companies in highly regulated industries comply with requirements like HIPAA, GDPR, and FISMA. The modules can detect violations in real-time and create reports for compliance audits.

LogRhythm SIEM Standout Features and Integrations:

Features that impressed me about LogRhythm SIEM are its log management features, which can consolidate log and event data from hundreds of sources. The platform also uses machine learning to identify users in the network who deviate from normal patterns and may pose a security risk.

Integrations are available natively with over 950 log sources and cloud providers like AWS, Fortinet, Qualsys, SentinelOne, and VMWare.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Lets you easily customize dashboards
  • Offers numerous filtering options
  • Provides a user-friendly interface

Cons:

  • On-premise deployments can be complex
  • Searching for older logs is a difficult process

Best for advanced threat detection

  • Free demo available
  • Pricing upon request

IBM Security QRadar SIEM is a scalable SIEM platform that collects security-related data from endpoint devices and applications across a network. It enables security teams to monitor their IT infrastructure from one location.

Why I picked IBM Security QRadar: I chose IBM Security QRadar SIEM for its advanced threat detection capabilities. It uses AI with network and user behavior analytics to detect security threats in near real-time. I also liked that the platform assigned each offense a magnitude score based on severity, which made it easier for me to prioritize the most critical issues.

IBM Security QRadar SIEM Standout Features and Integrations:

Features that differentiate IBM Security QRadar SIEM, in my opinion, include its native integrations with over 700 security products, which offers extensive network visibility. Another feature that stood out to me is the platform’s security operations center (SOC). I could easily drill down into each threat and get more details about each.

Integrations are available natively with over 370 applications and 450 device support modules (DSM) like Amazon AWS Network Firewall, Cisco ACE Firewall, and Google Cloud Audit Logs. You can also use IBM’s Universal Cloud REST API to create custom integrations.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Offers on-premise and cloud deployments
  • Complies with security and privacy frameworks like ISO 27001
  • Supports a broad range of event log sources

Cons:

  • Performance may slow down when working with large data sets
  • Large-scale deployments can be difficult to implement

Best for scaling log management

  • Free trial upon request
  • Pricing upon request

Exabeam SIEM is a cloud-native SIEM tool that can collect, store, and analyze log data at scale. It uses advanced behavioral analytics to detect threats that other tools may miss.

Why I picked Exabeam SIEM: I picked Exabeam SIEM for its extensive log management capabilities. The platform boasts over 9,000 pre-built log parsers that can turn large volumes of log data into machine-readable text. With the query-builder wizard, security analysts can instantly query log data and refine their search over multiple iterations.

Exabeam SIEM Standout Features and Integrations:

Features that stood out to me about Exabeam SIEM include its intuitive correlation rule builder. Normally, I find it tedious to work with correlation rules as they can result in false positives if they’re not properly set up. But I found it easy to build correlation rules in Exabeam Fusion SIEM that fit my specific use cases.

Integrations include pre-built connectors with over 540 third-party security tools across 292 vendors. Notable data sources include AWS CloudTrail, Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft SQL Server, Tanium Core Platform, and OpenShift.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Uses AI and machine learning to detect security threats in real-time
  • Provides extensive documentation to learn the platform
  • Offers user and entity behavior analytics (UEBA) to identify risky users

Cons:

  • Pre-built UEBA rules may generate false positives
  • Configuring correlation rules can be time-consuming

Best for a range of integrations

  • 14-day free trial
  • From $95/month

Elastic Security gives you a holistic view of your data no matter where it resides. It provides centralized log management and rapid response capabilities to boost network security.

Why I picked Elastic Security: I put Elastic Security on this list because of its impressive scope of native integrations. It can ingest metrics, logs, and events from a range of data sources, allowing you to get a more complete view of your security posture. One-click integrations made it easy for me to add new sources and expand SIEM visibility.

Elastic Security Standout Features and Integrations:

Features that I feel are worth mentioning about Elastic Security include its interactive tools that help you conduct a root cause analysis of an incident and implement new rules to prevent future instances. You can also use rules that Elastic threat researchers and community members created to enhance threat detection.

Integrations are available natively with applications, databases, network devices, and workplace tools. Notable integrations include AWS, Apache Spark, Microsoft Azure, Cisco Umbrella, and Jira. You can also use the platform’s REST APIs to connect to more sources.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Offers flexible pricing options
  • One-click integrations make it easy to add new data sources
  • Ability to ingest and analyze data at cloud scale

Cons:

  • May not be suitable for organizations with complex security needs
  • Not as robust as other SIEM solutions on the market

Best for multi-cloud enterprises

  • 31-day free trial
  • From $2.46/GB (pay-as-you-go)

Microsoft Azure Sentinel is a cloud-based SIEM solution that can ingest data from a range of sources and detect threats before they escalate. It’s built on the Azure platform, which provides flexibility and scalability.

Why I picked Microsoft Azure Sentinel: What makes Microsoft Azure Sentinel an impressive SIEM tool, in my opinion, is its ability to collect and analyze data at cloud scale — something important to consider, especially if your company uses multiple cloud providers. I also like that it integrates natively with the Azure cloud computing platform, as this means it can automatically scale to fit all security needs.

Microsoft Azure Sentinel Standout Features and Integrations:

Features that I feel distinguish Microsoft Azure Sentinel include its advanced security analytics, which uses AI to detect threats and reduce the number of false positives. This makes it easier to prioritize incidents that pose legitimate threats. The platform also offers a workflow management system with pre-defined rules to automate security tasks at scale.

Integrations include over 130 pre-built data connectors to sources like AWS, Citrix, Elastic, Ivanti, and Juniper. You can also use the platform’s REST APIs to integrate with other data connectors.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Can automatically scale to fit your security needs
  • Offers flexible pay-as-you-go pricing
  • Integrates with other Microsoft security products

Cons:

  • Requires a significant investment upfront to implement the solution
  • Not suitable for smaller businesses

Best for risk-based alerting

  • 14-day free trial
  • Pricing upon request

Splunk Enterprise Security is a modern SIEM solution that helps companies gain a unified view of their security posture. It offers advanced threat detection, risk-based alerts, and flexible deployment options.

Why I picked Splunk Enterprise Security: Splunk Enterprise Security offers all the features you’d expect from a SIEM tool — threat detection, security analytics, rapid response, etc. But what makes Splunk stand out is its risk-based alerting, which triggers alerts when incidents cross certain thresholds. This helps cut down on “alert fatigue” and false positives, so your team can prioritize risks that pose real threats.

Splunk Enterprise Security Standout Features and Integrations:

Features that I feel are worth highlighting here include its out-of-the-box detections for over 1,300 threats, which include detailed descriptions and techniques to address them. Splunk Enterprise Security also includes automated playbooks that provide rapid responses and resolutions to common security threats.

Integrations are available natively with over 1,000 platforms. Notable integrations include AWS, Google Cloud Platform, Kubernetes, OpenShift, and MongoDB.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Provides an extensive range of integrations
  • Offers a built-in risk analysis dashboard
  • Capable of ingesting terabytes of data per day

Cons:

  • Configuring alerts is a time-consuming process
  • High licensing costs may be too expensive for small businesses

Best for workflow automation

  • Pricing upon request

ArcSight Enterprise Security Manager delivers real-time threat detection and analytics. It helps organizations reduce their threat exposure and comply with regulatory requirements.

Why I picked ArcSight Enterprise Security Manager: What I liked about ArcSight Enterprise Security Manager is its powerful workflow automation features. Once it detects a threat, it classifies and automatically assigns a case to an analyst. You can manually set up these workflows or “playbooks” based on your needs.

ArcSight Enterprise Security Manager Standout Features and Integrations:

Features that make ArcSight Enterprise Security Manager stand out are its event correlation engine which can track thousands of events per second and send alerts if it detects suspicious activity. I found customizing these rule sets to fit a range of SIEM use cases straightforward.

Integrations are available natively with ArcSight Intelligence to enhance threat detection and ArcSight Recon to improve log management. ArcSight Enterprise Security Manager also integrates natively with SOC tools like Qualys, AhnLab, and Satrix.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Dashboards and reports are highly customizable
  • Intelligent risk scoring helps you prioritize security threats
  • Real-time correlation engine helps to identify threats accurately

Cons:

  • No pricing information is available
  • Laggy response times when querying the database

Best endpoint protection

  • 30-day free trial
  • From $3.82/asset/month

Rapid7 InsightIDR is a cloud-based platform that combines SIEM and extended detection and response (XDR) capabilities to enhance threat detection and reduce response times.

Why I picked Rapid7 InsightIDR: I chose Rapid7 InsightIDR because it offers extensive endpoint protection for devices connected to a network. Enhanced Endpoint Telemetry (EET) provides detailed activity logs on all endpoint devices. It gives context surrounding each incident so that security teams can respond faster.

Rapid7 InsightIDR Standout Features and Integrations:

Features that I feel make Rapid7 InsightIDR a SIEM tool worth considering include its intrusion detection system that can quickly recognize suspicious activities. It provides traffic metadata, giving you a clear picture of what’s happening on the network. Another feature worth mentioning is the pre-built workflows that allow you to automate responses to common threats.

Integrations are available natively with various cloud services, DevOps platforms, and firewalls. Notable partners include Atlassian, AWS, Cisco, ServiceNow, and Snyk.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Specialized training available from Rapid7
  • Includes relevant context around each alert
  • Straightforward installation process

Cons:

  • Limited ticket system integrations
  • Steep initial learning curve

Best SIEM Tools Summary

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Other SIEM Software Options

Here’s a shortlist of a few more SIEM tools that didn’t make it to my top list but are still worth considering:

Selection Criteria For SIEM Tools

Here’s a summary of the main selection and evaluation criteria I used to develop my list of the best SIEM tools for this article:

Core Functionality

To make it on my top list of SIEM tools, I looked for platforms with the following functionality:

  • Real-time threat detection and response capabilities
  • Native integrations with popular SOC tools
  • Built-in file integrity monitoring to monitor file changes
  • Flexible on-premise and cloud deployments
  • Extensive compliance management and reporting

Key Features

To deliver the core functionality highlighted above, I prioritized SIEM tools with the following key features:

  • Correlation engine: This feature is a critical component of any SIEM platform, as it relies on advanced algorithms to identify patterns that may indicate an attack.
  • Customizable dashboards: These are another key part of a SIEM tool, as they help you visualize the security posture of your organization and drill down into incidents.
  • Automation workflows: It’s impossible to personally attend to every incident, which is why I picked SIEM tools that can automate incident response to contain threats quickly.
  • Behavior profiling: Sometimes, internal users pose security threats, so I looked for tools with user behavior analytics that can identify risky behaviors within the organization.
  • Compliance management: Support for mandates like GDPR helps companies in highly regulated industries comply with data security requirements.

Usability

I selected SIEM tools that feature out-of-box detections for known threats, so security teams wouldn’t waste their time on configurations. I also chose tools with intuitive visuals to help teams quickly understand the state of their IT infrastructure and prioritize incidents.

People Also Ask

Want to know more about SIEM tools? Here are some frequently asked questions:

Final Thoughts

Cyberattacks on corporate networks increased by 38% in 2022 compared to 2021 — a figure that will likely continue to rise as hackers exploit vulnerabilities for personal gain. SIEM tools are powerful solutions that can detect and even stop potential security threats in their tracks. If your company has yet to implement a SIEM solution, use this list to kickstart your research.

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Paulo Gardini Miguel
By Paulo Gardini Miguel

Paulo is the Director of Technology at the rapidly growing media tech company BWZ. Prior to that, he worked as a Software Engineering Manager and then Head Of Technology at Navegg, Latin America’s largest data marketplace, and as Full Stack Engineer at MapLink, which provides geolocation APIs as a service. Paulo draws insight from years of experience serving as an infrastructure architect, team leader, and product developer in rapidly scaling web environments. He’s driven to share his expertise with other technology leaders to help them build great teams, improve performance, optimize resources, and create foundations for scalability.