Logs for Incident Response

Logs are at the heart of any good incident response plan. They’re the detailed records that show us the actions of attackers, helping us track their movements and understand their methods.

This information is crucial not only for stopping the current threat but also for making sure we’re better prepared for the next one. Plus, logs are super important for meeting legal requirements, proving that we’ve done our part to protect our systems.

But having logs isn’t enough; it’s what you do with them that really matters.

This means setting up a good system for managing your logs, making sure you’re keeping track of all the right information from all your systems and devices, and using the right tools to go through all that data.

Connecting dots between different logs can reveal attack patterns we might miss otherwise.

Starting Points: Understanding the Role of Logs

• Every attacker leaves behind clues. That’s a fact!
• The tricky part is figuring out what those clues are and where to find them.
• Most of the time, we don’t know why they did what they did.
• The first place to start looking? Logs.

Sources of Log Data

Starting from network perimeter defenses such as firewalls and intrusion prevention systems, and moving to the core of your IT infrastructure, including servers, databases, and business applications, log data captures a detailed record of events.

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Here are some systems where you can get log data:

Firewalls/Intrusion Prevention Systems:

These devices generate logs that detail traffic flow, blocked connections, and potential attacks detected at the network perimeter, thus offering a critical line of defense by monitoring and alerting on potential security threats.

Routers/Switches:

Network devices produce logs that offer visibility into the traffic patterns across the network, helping in the detection of anomalies that could signal an attack.

Intrusion Detection Systems:

IDS actively identify potential security breaches through traffic analysis and known attack signatures, generating logs rich with security incident data.

Servers, Desktops, Mainframes:

Operating systems and applications on these devices log various activities, such as system errors, access attempts, and configuration changes. As a result, they provide a comprehensive view of the security state of these systems, allowing for a thorough understanding and monitoring of potential vulnerabilities.

Business Applications:

Business-specific applications generate logs that reveal unauthorized access attempts, data manipulation, and other actions that could compromise business integrity.

Databases:

Database logs track all queries and transactions, which becomes crucial for investigating unauthorized data access or modifications. This tracking thus plays a key role in safeguarding data integrity and security.

Anti-Virus:

Anti-virus software logs record detected malware, scan results, and cleanup actions, crucial for grasping the malware threat landscape within the organization.

VPNs:

Virtual Private Network logs contain details about user connections, thereby providing insights into remote access activities and potential unauthorized access through VPN services. Consequently, this information becomes essential for monitoring and securing remote connectivity, offering a foundational layer of defense against potential cyber threats exploiting VPN services.

Summary

In summary, organizations can boost resilience against cyber threats and safeguard their systems and data by managing log files effectively, following structured incident response methods, and using available log data wisely.