Now more than ever, modern enterprises need to take strong measures to protect their systems and applications from cyber threats. To do so, they look to security engineering, a complex field that involves implementing and managing security systems and infrastructure to defend against an ever-growing array of threats.

In this post, we’ll highlight several key aspects of security engineering. We’ll look at how they fit within the broader context of cybersecurity and conclude by focusing specifically on the aspect of data onboarding for security information and event management (SIEM) systems.

Risk assessment and management

Risk assessment and management focus on identifying potential threats to an organization’s digital assets. Once these risks are identified, they are prioritized based on their likelihood of exploitation and potential impact. With threats properly prioritized, your organization can make better decisions about allocating resources and implementing the appropriate safeguards.

As we’ll see in subsequent sections, aspects of risk management dovetail with compliance and auditing, as risk mitigation strategies also need to align with regulations and requirements. The risk management side of security engineering also overlaps with threat modeling since understanding potential threats is an important part of developing effective risk management strategies.

Security design and implementation

Security engineers also focus on designing and implementing robust systems that will prevent unauthorized access and data breaches. For this, they make sure to apply key security best practices, such as the principle of least privilege and the concept of defense in depth.

In this domain, security engineers depend on tools such as:

• Endpoint detection and response solutions
• Identity threat detection and response solutions
• Cloud security platforms
• Firewalls
• Security information and evening management (SIEM) systems

These are just some of the technologies that help in crafting a secure infrastructure that can resist various cyber threats.

Designing and implementing security systems is important, as it not only protects information but ensures the effectiveness of an organization's overall security architecture.

Threat modeling

Threat modeling begins with a systematic analysis of applications, systems, and processes. Based on this analysis, a security team can pinpoint areas that would be susceptible to cyberattacks, essentially mapping out the potential attack surface. By identifying potential threats and vulnerabilities within an organization’s architecture, a team can prioritize its security efforts accordingly.

Software tools that create and analyze threat models help teams by simulating attacks and assessing the effectiveness of their security measures. By integrating threat modeling and risk assessment, an organization can align its security strategies with the actual threat landscape.

In addition, the insights from threat modeling inform how security engineers develop their security testing and validation practices. Because of this, threat modeling is vital to continuously improving your organization’s security posture.

Threat intelligence and response

Threat intelligence and response focus on the identification, analysis, and mitigation of emerging threats. Modern enterprises leverage tools that provide AI-native threat intelligence integrated within a next-gen SIEM system. This enables proactive detection and rapid response to threats before they can cause significant harm.

Because threat intelligence tools provide your organization with actionable insights, you can stay ahead of threat actors by adapting your security measures in real time.

Incident response and recovery

Incident response and recovery help you manage and mitigate the effects of actual security incidents. By preparing for potential security breaches, you will be better equipped to manage them effectively when they occur. Key tools here include incident response and simulation tools. These will help your organization practice and refine its incident response plan.

Naturally, incident response coordinates with threat intelligence. When an incident occurs, the appropriate response is one informed by the latest threat data. Having this intelligence allows for quicker and more effective mitigation.

Overall, the goal of incident response and recovery is to mitigate the impact of an incident. You want to ensure that your organization can recover swiftly and effectively from any security breach.

Security policies and procedures

Security policies and procedures are the backbone of your organization's security framework. They define the standards for maintaining a secure environment, dictating how you will implement security measures and handle security incidents. Only through policies can you ensure that security practices are applied consistently and effectively across your organization.

Policy management software and automated compliance checks help the security engineering team in this area. They enforce security policies and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. These tools also help your organization maintain an up-to-date security stance that adapts to new threats and changes in compliance standards.

Compliance and auditing

Your organization may be bound to adhere to certain legal, regulatory, and operational guidelines and requirements. Compliance prevents legal headaches and regulatory fines and helps your organization build trust with users and stakeholders.

Within security engineering, compliance and auditing involve identifying gaps in security practices and verifying that current security measures are effective and in accordance with compliance standards.

Tools in this area include compliance management platforms and auditing software. They can streamline the process of tracking your present compliance against industry standards and regulations. In addition, these tools can provide documentation to validate your compliance with evidence, which is essential during audits and inspections.

Security testing and validation

Security testing and validation will help you uncover and address vulnerabilities within your security infrastructure. Security engineers conduct rigorous tests to identify weak points that attackers can exploit.

Tools and techniques employed in this area provide critical insights into the effectiveness of existing security measures. For example, penetration testing tools simulate real-world attacks to see how well your system can withstand an intrusion. Additionally, vulnerability scanners routinely scan your network and systems for known vulnerabilities.

Security testing practices are closely tied to threat modeling and incident response efforts. By integrating the findings from security testing into threat models, your organization can better understand potential attack vectors and refine your defense strategies accordingly. In addition, the results from these tests inform incident response teams so that they can prepare more effectively for potential real-world scenarios.

This continuous feedback loop will enhance your organization’s ability to detect, respond to, and recover from security threats.

Simplifying security engineering with CrowdStrike

In reviewing the core components of security engineering, it's clear that each aspect — from risk management to security testing — plays an important role in your overall cybersecurity framework. Effective security requires these elements to be integrated into a comprehensive system, continuously adapting to new threats and technological changes.

SIEM systems consolidate security data from across your applications, infrastructure components, and systems. Security engineers are essential in the data onboarding process of these SIEM systems. They need to manage diverse data sources and deal with the challenge of data formats, a process that is often labor-intensive and time-consuming.

Fortunately, CrowdStrike Falcon® Next-Gen SIEM simplifies the heavy task of data onboarding for security engineers by providing efficient data onboarding capabilities, allowing them to focus on strategic tasks.

Find out more about next-gen SIEM solutions or request a free virtual test-drive.