Current and historical security data is loitering in your environment — we even pay for storage. But what’s the point if we can’t use it when we need it?
Searchability is essential for successful security operations. Ideally, you can quickly search all security data at once — instead of many individual searches — to spend less time searching and more time responding to security threats. Unfortunately, many security operators spend the majority of their time gaining access to the systems they need to search and writing search queries instead of the more valuable work of investigating and responding to important security issues. Searchability enables security professionals to focus their efforts where it matters most — protecting and defending — not dealing with the minutiae of where and how to search.
Why is it so difficult?
Network complexity & diversity
The complexity of modern cybersecurity networks means that most environments have data stored in multiple systems, in the cloud, and on-premise. Data is unique to specific apps and requires normalization before it can be used together.
Data volume
Both due to the complexity of networks and the complexity of individual applications, there is more and more data to analyze. This, of course, makes finding the data point you need more difficult. But the problem is compounded by the need to move data to less expensive storage locations due to skyrocketing fees. Which brings us to…
Storage architecture
Data is often moved or stored in different locations simply to put the data in less expensive storage environments than more expensive SIEM and other systems. Not only is this challenging for operators who may need to search more than one system for a single data point from a single application, but it also adds cost and complexity for architects.
Context
Even when data can be found, it can be difficult to surround it with the necessary context, such as network layout, recent activity, etc.
Access
While searchability in security is generally focused on retrieving data from security specific tools, often non-security tools, such as active directory, is very relevant, lack of access to these tools may be prohibitive in the time needed to conduct an investigation.
Operator experience
While any number of systems may provide relevant data, operators are only familiar with so many systems. This may lead operators to not search a specific tool.
Time
If operators have to access one system after another in serial fashion to track down information with only their own experience to guide them, they likely will not have time enough to conduct a full search – they will have to triage their search.
Improving Searchability
So, what will improve searchability?
- One search box to many distributed data sources – Ultimately, the answer to this problem is an open federated search solution focused on information security. Query is, of course, offering such a solution.
- Unified search results – Bringing together your results into a single place, all focused on the data point you seek, not siloed due to individual applications, locations, etc.
- Dynamic transformation of your search to match the target data source (SQL, KQL, SPL) – In order to search across multiple sources with context, your search tool needs to be able to query individual data sources with knowledge and context of the source application and data type. Likewise, the answer from the source needs to be normalized to allow a unified data set.
- Visual data linkage – Dealing with complexity is much easier when the information and relationships can be presented visually and dynamically.
- Ability to quickly onboard new data sources via pre-built integrations – Finally, in the event that access or connection to an application is not available, how can you quickly connect to that system and that data source.
The power of searchability comes from the ability to know where data is located and how to best access and search each source. Unlike observability solutions that transform, replicate, and centralize data for a specific purpose, searchability delivers real-time search to your data, wherever it is.
With Query, you can instantly search across distributed data without the need to write code or use complex query languages, and there is no need to perform pre-work to transform and centralize data. Simply visualize how results are interconnected and quickly drill in, filter, or pivot to get the answers you seek. The answers to your questions are out there.
Happy Querying.
