What is a SIEM and what role does it play in security operations?

A Security Information and Event Management system, or SIEM, collects, normalizes, and correlates log data from across the IT environment to detect security threats in real time. It aggregates logs from firewalls, servers, endpoints, applications, and cloud services into a centralized platform. Correlation rules and analytics identify patterns indicating attacks, such as multiple failed logins followed by successful access from a new location.