I wanted to briefly follow up on a previous post about how cybersecurity playbooks relate to how they are used in security information and event management (SIEM) and security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR) tools.

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Photo by Mario Verduzco on Unsplash

There are numerous kinds of incidents that may occur that the security must respond to, and they won't always have the solutions to these incident solutions off the top of their head. Understanding how playbooks and security tools are relevant to each other will allow the analyst to function effectively in their professional domain

Now, let's dive in.

Playbooks and SIEM tools

Playbooks are used by cybersecurity teams in the event of an incident.

Just to catch you up on what that is, a security information and event management (SIEM) tool is an application that collects and analyzes log data to monitor critical activities in an organization. By monitoring logs, security teams can identify vulnerabilities, and potential data breaches.

For example, if unusual user behavior is flagged by a SIEM tool, a playbook provides analysts with instructions about how to address the issue.

Playbooks and SOAR tools

Playbooks are also used with SOAR tools, which are also used to monitor security incidents.

As a reminder, Security orchestration, automation, and response tools (or SOAR) are a collection of applications, tools, and workflows used to automate and respond to security events. These tools automate increasingly complex and uncommon incidents as analysts streamline security processes, reducing the incidents which require manual intervention.

For example, if a user attempts to log into their computer too many times with the wrong password, a SOAR would automatically block their account to stop a possible intrusion. Then, analysts would refer to a playbook to take steps to resolve the issue.

Key Takeaway

Playbooks are crucial to analysts for 3 main reasons:

Consistency. Playbooks ensure that all team members follow the same steps, regardless of who is handling the incident. This consistency helps to minimize errors and ensures that all necessary actions are taken.

Efficiency. By providing clear instructions, playbooks help teams to respond to incidents quickly and efficiently. This can help to minimize the impact of the incident and reduce the risk of damage.

Clarity. Playbooks often include flowcharts and tables to clearly illustrate the steps that need to be taken and the order in which they should be taken. This clarity helps to ensure that everyone on the team understands their role and responsibilities.

In short, playbooks are essential tools for any security team. By providing clear and concise instructions, they help to ensure that incidents are handled effectively and efficiently.

If you find my study notes helpful, drop an email at the link

papicreative.substack.com

How Playbooks are used with SIEM and SOAR tools [Brief Notes]

How an analyst uses playbooks with security tools

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