CyberSecurity SIEM: Lab & Practices

"Security SIEM: Lab & Practices" is a hands-on course designed to introduce cybersecurity professionals and enthusiasts to Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) using Splunk, deployed in a lightweight Docker environment. This course focuses on the practical application of SIEM concepts, providing participants with an opportunity to work with a free, real-world tool to gather, analyze, and respond to security events.

During the course, students will learn the fundamentals of log management, event correlation, threat detection, and incident response through interactive labs using Splunk’s free version running on Docker. Participants will be guided through configuring data sources, creating custom detection rules, and automating responses to security incidents.

The course is ideal for those looking to build foundational skills in SIEM systems, especially in environments with limited resources. By the end, learners will be proficient in leveraging Splunk for threat detection and incident response, with the flexibility to apply these skills to real-world scenarios and expand their cybersecurity toolkit.

Duration: 1 Hour

Course Outline 

1. Introduction to SIEM Systems 

   • What is SIEM, and why it’s crucial for modern cybersecurity?

   • Overview of SIEM architecture and core components

   • Key use cases for SIEM tools in security operations

2. Setting Up Splunk SIEM in a Docker Environment

   • Overview of Splunk Free Edition and its capabilities

   • Introduction to Docker as a lightweight containerization solution

   • Lab Exercise: Setting up Splunk using Docker (installation, running the Splunk container, basic configuration)

   • Collecting logs from various sources (network devices, servers, and endpoints)

   • Basic navigation of the Splunk Web Interface for search and data visualization

3. Threat Detection and Event Correlation

   • Using Splunk to correlate events and detect potential threats

   • Writing basic search queries in Splunk to identify suspicious activity

   • Introduction to Splunk’s SPL (Search Processing Language)

   • Lab Exercise: Writing detection queries for common threats (e.g., failed login attempts, privilege escalation)

4. Incident Response and Automated Actions

   • Automating incident response using Splunk and basic alert configurations

   • Integrating Splunk with automation tools (brief overview of integrating with tools like SOAR)

   • Lab Exercise: Setting up alerts in Splunk to trigger responses (e.g., email notifications, automated actions)

5. Best Practices and Use Cases for SIEM

   • Best practices for using Splunk effectively (avoiding false positives, managing data sources)

   • How to scale Splunk in larger environments or integrate with other security solutions

   • Optimizing log management and event correlation

6. Q&A & Closing

   • Recap of the key takeaways

   • Open floor for questions and troubleshooting common setup issues

   • Suggested next steps and resources for learning more about Splunk and SIEM systems

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this course, participants will:

• Understand the core principles of SIEM and the role of Splunk in modern security operations.

• Be able to set up and configure Splunk using a Docker environment to collect, search, and analyze security data.

• Write custom search queries and detection rules in Splunk to identify threats like failed logins, privilege escalation, and data exfiltration.

• Learn how to configure incident response alerts and automate actions in Splunk to streamline security workflows.

• Gain best practices for log management and understand how to scale and optimize Splunk in real-world environments.

Prerequisites:

• Basic understanding of cybersecurity concepts and IT infrastructure

• Familiarity with Docker or containerization tools is helpful but not required

• Previous experience with security tools or system administration is beneficial but not mandatory