An overview of SIEM, SOC, SOAR, EDR, XDR, DLP, WAF, and cryptography for protecting IT infrastructure and business.
Each secondCIS company was subjected to a cyberattack in 2025. 96% companies have vulnerabilities in cyber defense. Attackers increasingly use sophisticated targeted attacks that can cause losses worth millions, downtime, reputational damage, customer loss, and business disruption.
Information security tools are becoming a strategic priority for companies, shaping resilience, customer trust, and legal compliance.
SIEM / SOC / SOAR SIEMcollects log and event data from DBMSs, operating systems, network equipment, and applications, normalizes and correlates it, and identifies incidents. SOC- a response service that handles alerts, investigates, and manages incidents. SOAR automates response: runs playbooks, creates tickets, and reduces staff workload. Business value: - Reduce average losses from downtime, fines, and leaks. - Save 30% on investigations and audits: centralized logs automatically build an evidence base. - Reduction MTTR by 80%. - Reduce team workload by 50%. - Show management the effectiveness of information security through KPIs. Selection criteria: 1. Scalability and performance - process millions of events per second as the IT landscape grows.
2. Availability of ready-made connectors and adaptersfor CIS operating systems, components, DBMSs, applications, and infrastructure. 3. Correlation rules and intelligent models - support for behavioral models, machine learning, and integration with MITRE ATT&CK. 4. Response toolkit - automate playbooks and integrate with ticketing systems and IT CRM.
5. Certification / compliance with FSTEC / FSB,especially for the public sector and critical infrastructure facilities. 6. SOC services / 24x7 support - availability of a SOC partner ecosystem or external support options. 7. Total TCO, including license costs, analyst staffing, infrastructure, and support. Endpoint protection - EDR / XDR. EDR monitors and responds to threats on workstations, mobile devices, and servers.
The technology records process behavior, network connections, privilege escalation attempts, and hidden activity.
XDR expands this model by combining data from other layers - network, email, and cloud. Business value: - Reduction critical incidents by 15-25%. - Reduce workstation and server downtime by 40%. - Lower the risk of mass data encryption and save on payouts and recovery. - Cut cyber risk insurance costs by 10-20% with certified EDR. - Strengthen the brand through protection of customer and employee data. Selection criteria: - Easy agent installation and management. - Minimal impact on device performance. - Automatic response options such as rollback and blocking. - Integration with SIEM / SOC / SOAR. - Behavioral analysis. - Mean time to detect under 30 minutes. - Automated response rate above 70%.
Data loss prevention (DLP). DLP controls file export and import, including writing to USB and removable media, and transfers via email and messengers.
The system scans document contents and monitors access to data repositories and cloud services to prevent disguised leaks. Business value: - Prevent 60% of leaks of critical data such as contracts, drawings, and know-how. - Reduce fines for violating personal data regulations. - Preserve competitive advantages such as patents and R&D. - Minimize reputational damage and lawsuits. Selection criteria: - Depth of analysis: content, context, metadata. - Support for multiple channels: USB, cloud services, messengers. - Integration with data classification / IDM / SIEM. - Scalability across distributed infrastructure. - Flexible policy management. - False positive rate below 3%.
Network security: WAF, NGFW, Anti-DDoS, ZTNA These tools work at the infrastructure edge - protecting against external attacks and DDoS, filtering web traffic, and controlling access to resources.
| Tool | Essence | What it protects against | How it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAF | Web application firewall | SQL injection; XSS; CSRF - cross-site request forgery; Command injection, directory traversal, file inclusion | Inspects requests between the user and the web application using signatures and behavioral rules, blocking malicious |
| NGFW | Combining a firewall with intrusion detection and prevention systems, application filtering, and SSL/TLS inspection | Unauthorized traffic by IP / ports; Application-layer attacks | Analyzes packets down to the application layer. Understands protocols, recognizes attacks, and can decrypt SSL traffic. Prevents intrusions and controls content |
| Anti-DDoS | DDoS protection tools | UDP, SYN, and HTTP floods, multi-vector attacks; Layered and application attacks | Redirects traffic through a filtering center or device that analyzes packets and drops suspicious ones |
| ZTNA | Zero Trust access model: trusts no user or device by default, even if they are "inside the network" | Insider threats and credential compromise; Attack spread across the network; "Compromised perimeter" - relevant for remote work | Grants access to an application or resource only after verifying the identity, device, context, and risk; Applies the principle of least privilege and continuous verification; Works through proxies, gateways, or cloud platforms that authorize every connection |
Business value: - Reduce online service downtime by 80-90%, preserving revenue. - Meet availability SLAs. - Improve resilience of e-commerce and fintech services. - Lower emergency remediation costs after attacks. - Increase service availability and speed, which boosts customer loyalty.
In 2025, the number of DDoS attacks in CIS grew on 50% compared with 2024, duration - up to 96.5 hours. Selection criteria: - Throughput from 100 Gbps and scalable performance. - Processing latency. - Quality of WAF rules and protection against zero-day attacks. - Support for SSL / TLS inspection. - Integration with SIEM / SOC. - Reliable protection against multi-vector attacks.
Cryptography, PKI, and encryption Cryptographic systems and encryption tools ensure data confidentiality and integrity at rest and in transit. PKIautomatically issues and revokes certificates so employees, contractors, and services can access resources securely without outages or manual setup. Business value: - Meet regulatory requirements and operate without fines. - Secure work for branches and contractors speeds up processes without leak risk. - Protect reputation and preserve partner trust. - Participate in tenders where GOST encryption is mandatory. Selection criteria: - GOST certification / compliance with FSTEC and FSB. - Integration with DLP, SIEM, and applications. - Key lifecycle management: KMS, backup. - Support for hardware cryptomodules. - Certificate issuance time under 10 minutes. - Key lifecycle automation above 80%.
Audit, penetration testing, Red Team IT infrastructure auditand cybersecurity maturity assessment- check compliance with standards, find vulnerabilities, duplicates, and inefficient nodes. Pentest - penetration testing. This checks vulnerabilities against a specific target and finds cybersecurity gaps from the outside. Red Team - simulate advanced attacks.
Includes social engineering, APT scenarios, security testing, and team response. Business value: - Identify vulnerabilities before attackers exploit them. - Provide transparency to the board, investors, and partners. - Prepare for certifications and tenders that open access to new markets. - Justify cybersecurity budgets with real data from test results. - Improve the maturity of cybersecurity processes. Selection criteria: - Quality of the scenarios executed. - Experience with similar customer infrastructures. - Delivery of reports, roadmaps, and remediation support. - Methodologies: OWASP, OSSTMM, PTES.
Deploying SIEM + SOC in the banking sector. A bank with a branch network of about 200 offices adopted MaxPatrol SIEM and rented a SOC service from Positive Technologies. During the first 6 months the number of incidents decreased, and investigations became faster by 40%. ROI is achieved in 18 months by avoiding losses, fines for data leaks, and reputational risks.
DLP in a Financial Company Large Financial Organization implemented InfoWatch Traffic Monitor + Activity Monitor to control leaks via USB and email.
Results: - In the first 3 months, 327 attempts to send confidential data were blocked. - 12 insider scenarios were identified: leaks via "contractor trojans." - Reducing leak risk made it possible to sign a contract with a foreign partner that required a high level of protection.
Network protection and web application protection Communications service provider adopted WAF/NGFW + Anti-DDoS solution from Solar Group for its public portals. The system was tested under high load and integrated with IRP and the service desk.
More than 300 attack detection rules were developed, which made it possible to: - filter DDoS volumes of up to 200 Gbit/s according to SLA. - tightly tune WAF profiles for application attack scenarios such as SQLi and XSS. - reduce downtime and improve the resilience of critical services.
Preparation stage 1. Asset inventory. Identify all IT assets, services, databases, external channels, and remote endpoints. 2. Business risk assessment. Prioritize threats: data leaks, ransomware, targeted attacks. 3. Audit of the current cybersecurity state. Analyze vulnerabilities, regulatory compliance, and SOC / process maturity. This will help digital maturity audit and infrastructure.
4. Defining the target security architecture. Decide which security layers you need: EDR, SIEM, DLP, WAF, cryptography, SOC. 5. Preparing a budget and business case. Calculate CAPEX and OPEX, payback period, and benefits - avoided losses and fines, reputation protection. Choosing vendors and solutions 1. Make a list from 3 to 5 vendors that meet your criteria. 2. Request a PoC / pilot on real infrastructure for 4-8 weeks.
3. Evaluate not only functionality, as well as support, maintenance, SLAs, and localization. 4. Look atsecurity ecosystem, not on a standalone solution. What matters is how the components work together. 5. Agree on support and update terms. Using CIS software can qualify you for government incentives and grants. Implementation and integration 1. Set up tool-based connection of log / event sources. 2.
Checking process optimization shows where the system delivers real value. Metrics and KPIs for evaluating security tools
| Category | KPI examples |
|---|---|
| Incidents | Number of incidents detected, share of attacks prevented, reduction in successful attacks |
| Response | Average detection and response time, percentage of incidents handled automatically |
| Finance | Savings from prevented incidents, lower fines for noncompliance with the law |
| Regulation | Percentage of fulfilled FSTEC / FSB requirements, successful audits and certifications |
| Users | Fewer complaints about information security, higher employee satisfaction with processes |
Essence: Companies begin implementing SIEM, DLP, and EDR without a complete inventory of systems, data, and users. Why it matters: Blind spots - unregistered servers, databases, and branches - are not monitored, not encrypted, and remain an entry point. What to do: First, inventory assets and data flows so you know exactly what needs protection.
Essence: No clarity on which data is critical and which is secondary. Why it matters: DLP and cryptography work "blindly," policies are too generic, and there are many false positives. What to do: Implement data classification, confidentiality labels, and configure DLP / encryption according to priorities.
Essence: Even when buying a modern SIEM / SOAR or EDR, you still need a team of analysts, engineers, and content managers. Why it matters: Without specialists, the system generates noise, incidents are not investigated, and policies are not updated. What to do: Immediately budget for a SOC, analysts, or outsourcing, and plan staff training, conduct corporate IT training.
Essence: The CIS IT landscape is a mix of modern and legacy systems: 1C, in-house developments, and old operating systems. Why it matters: No ready-made connectors, implementation delays, higher project costs. What to do: When selecting security tools verify availability of API / SDK, ready-made adapters, and custom integration options.
Essence: Purchase the full solution stack from a single vendor. Why it matters: Risk of price increases, support ending, vendor exit from the market, and incompatibility with new regulatory requirements. What to do: Look to open standards and APIs, and use a multi-vendor approach.
Essence: After the tool is deployed, there is no incident response procedure. Why it matters: Incidents sit in the queue, response takes days, and damage grows. What to do: Document playbooks and escalation paths, and train the team to respond to incidents.
Essence: - Strict policies lead to false positives, user frustration, and sabotage. - Lenient policies let attackers carry out real attacks. What to do: Set up an iterative rule-tuning process: pilot -> adjust -> scale.
Essence: Companies protect only the "core" - the data center and headquarters, while branches, mobile devices, and cloud services remain outside the control perimeter. What to do:Include the entire perimeter in the project, use cloud agents, ZTNA, and SaaS proxies.
Essence: The systems are deployed, but bypass testing is not performed. What to do: Run Red Team exercises, penetration tests, and APT simulations every 6-12 months to ensure the defenses really work.
Essence: The focus is only on external attacks, while insiders, contractors, and remote workers remain uncontrolled. What to do: Use DLP, IAM, ZTNA, and privileged account monitoring.
- Implement in stages: run a pilot in one area, improve processes, then scale. - Conduct regular reviews. Review KPIs quarterly: MTTR, incident count, false positives. - Use a combination of technologies and processes. Technology does not work without procedures. - Provide training and build a security-aware culture. Users must understand the nature of the restrictions. - Use outsourcing. MSSP/SOC help address staffing shortages and provide 24/7 monitoring.
| Stage | Timeline, months | Key tasks |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation | 0-3 | Audit, inventory, task definition, pilot selection |
| Pilot | 3-6 | Launch a limited scenario, configure it, and refine it |
| Implementation | 6-12 | Full coverage, integrations, training |
| Operations | 12+ | Support, monitoring, improvements, content |
| Growth | 18-36 | Expansion: XDR, SOAR, behavioral detection |
For information security tools to deliver measurable results, companies should: - audit risks and assets; - implement solutions in stages, starting with a pilot; - regularly test defenses through Red Team exercises and pentests; - track KPIs: MTTR, ROI, and the share of attacks prevented; - build internal expertise or use MSSP/SOC support. This approach turns information security into a manageable process: reducing losses from attacks, increasing revenue, and showing management a transparent return on investment.
FAQ
To reduce the risks of leaks, downtime, and fines, and to protect reputation. Almost all CIS companies have cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and security tools help preserve revenue and reputation.
SIEM/SOC platforms, EDR/XDR, DLP systems, GOST cryptography, Anti-DDoS, and MSSP service models.
Yes. There are more than 250 CIS cybersecurity solution vendors and providers on the market: Positive Technologies, Kaspersky Lab, Rostelecom-Solar, InfoWatch, Security Code, S-Terra, and CryptoPro. They cover the key protection classes.
Start with basic measures:
- install EDR on critical nodes;
- enable DLP to prevent data leaks;
- protect public resources with anti-DDoS;
- outsource monitoring and response through an MSSP or SOC.
This minimum helps address the main threats and meet regulatory requirements.
Through KPIs: number of incidents, average response time, reduced losses from downtime and fines, and compliance with regulatory requirements. Compare costs with potential damage.
{{cta}}
