LogRhythm vs. SolarWinds: SIEM tool comparison

In a world of escalating security threats, organizations need a solid platform to defend their critical assets. As you weigh your options, consider the features that LogRhythm and SolarWinds offer.

Ensuring the security of your private data and digital assets is absolutely essential, as cybersecurity threats can pose significant issues for businesses and organizations. To help combat these dangers, many turn to SIEM software solutions.

SIEM software provides users with risk management and a holistic view of their organization’s security. This resource will be analyzing the features and capabilities of two popular SIEM tools: LogRhythm and SolarWinds.

What are LogRhythm and SolarWinds?

The LogRhythm NextGen SIEM Platform and SolarWinds Security Events Manager both provide SIEM tools to users who wish to ensure the security of their organizational networks and digital devices. While both products contain security information and event management capabilities, each one features unique security methods that may benefit some organizations over others. Below, we will look at how these tools detects potential dangers, manages data, and responds to security threats.

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LogRhythm vs. SolarWinds: Which has better threat monitoring capabilities?

LogRhythm monitors the data and events of organizations to detect anomalies throughout their networks and endpoints. The system collects security data, log data and flow data to provide holistic real-time visibility and effective threat detection. Their risk-based monitoring eliminates blind spots and identifies threats quickly, so users can respond to them before they cause severe damage. LogRhythm’s Endpoint Threat Detection Module uses threat intelligence, machine learning, and behavior analytics to find potential threats. Methods for threat detection include identifying abnormal communication patterns, lateral movement and changes to sensitive files.

The SolarWinds SIEM solution provides continuous threat detection and real-time monitoring across users’ devices, services, files and folders, with its on-premises and multi-cloud deployments. Its intuitive dashboard and user interface make it easy for users to navigate the tool’s features. The centralized repository collects log data with the SIEM log collector tool, and network raw log data is organized and normalized for users in the system. Additionally, event-time correlation and advanced search capabilities are beneficial when conducting forensic analysis and security investigation.

LogRhythm vs. SolarWinds: Which has better analysis processes?

The LogRhythm NextGen SIEM Platform uses multidimensional analytics to detect and stop security threats. Data collected by the system is normalized and correlated to identify potentially dangerous activity, which provides more accuracy. Network traffic and packet data are also analyzed for patterns and behavioral outliers. Their behavioral analysis can process users’ activity within a network and identify deviations from normal baseline behavior. This is made possible with machine learning and can help ensure security from insider access abuse and data exfiltration. Additionally, the system allows for both contextual and unstructured searches.

SolarWinds processes data and events for signs of security threats. The event log analyzer collects and analyzes log data, providing users insight with real-time visibility and context. Events are also monitored to identify suspicious activity, such as permission changes and data modification. This data is then correlated through built-in and custom event correlation rules. The insights gained from these features can be beneficial in helping users and network administrators diagnose system vulnerabilities, troubleshoot network problems and improve their resource management.

LogRhythm vs. SolarWinds: Which has better notification processes?

When a threat is detected, the LogRhythm SIEM platform notifies its users based on their settings and the severity of the event. Their Alarming and Response Manager can send notifications to users when threats are detected or alert them of suspicious activity. The LogRhythm DetectX solution uses analytics to determine the prioritization of threats based on their severity level. The security analytics can be customized, or entirely developed by users, to ensure that they are notified per their needs. In addition, users can integrate their tools with open source or STIX/TAXII-compliant providers for even more alert precision.

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SolarWinds lets users set custom alerts or view SEM alert feeds, so they are always aware of security threats. Users can manage their systems to provide threshold-based alarms and notifications for security system event stream triggers, system errors, IDS/IPS systems with infection symptoms, crash reports, etc. Their Fine-tune File Integrity Monitoring filters can be adjusted to ensure that only high-priority file-related events create reports. When security events occur or threats are identified, SolarWinds Log & Event Manager can send users notifications via email.

LogRhythm vs. SolarWinds: Which has better automation and response features?

LogRhythm monitors organizational data and events for suspicious activity and takes actions to minimize the impact with its automated response features. Its embedded solution, RespondX, can coordinate these response actions into repeatable processes to manage events quickly and efficiently. Users can gain complete visibility into threats and concerns, as the tool has preconfigured modules and reports providing all of the information they need to respond appropriately. Additionally, the platform offers playbooks for streamlining operational workflows.

SEE: Cybersecurity incident response: Lessons learned from 2021 (TechRepublic)

Once the SolarWinds SIEM tool identifies security incidents and threats that require action, it can respond in various ways. Through automation, users can set customized responses to flagged security events or suspicious activity. This can include blocking or quarantining infected devices, killing processes, restarting servers, logging off users and even disabling an agent’s access to the network. In addition, its Active Response lets users mitigate risks with either customizable or preconfigured settings for a more hands-off experience. However, users can also decide to set their notification options to be alerted of the events they deem significant.

How to choose an SIEM tool

So now that you are a bit more familiar with each of these SIEM products, which one would be best for your organization? Naturally, that depends on your security needs and which features would be most beneficial.

If your organization wants to gain the most from its security tool’s automated responses, SolarWinds may be what you’re looking for, as its system has many response capabilities. However, if your security concerns involve user abuse, LogRhythm’s activity analysis and insider access abuse monitoring could be more beneficial.

By taking a step back to consider your security needs, you can determine which SIEM solution’s capabilities will provide more security for your organization.

For more comparisons of SIEM tools, check out these TechRepublic articles: QRadar vs. Splunk: SIEM tool comparison, LogRhythm vs. Splunk: SIEM tool comparison,  Exabeam vs. Splunk: SIEM tool comparison and IBM QRadar vs. LogRhythm: SIEM tool comparison.