Security Onion audit logs and retention overvie | Armosecure

What is Security Onion?

Security Onion is a free and open-source Linux distribution designed for threat hunting, enterprise security monitoring, and log management. It provides a comprehensive platform for security professionals to monitor and analyze network traffic, system logs, and other security-related data. Security Onion is built on top of Ubuntu and includes a variety of tools and features that make it an ideal solution for security teams.

Main Features of Security Onion

Security Onion includes a range of features that make it a powerful tool for security teams, including:

• SIEM-friendly logging with retention policies and repositories: Security Onion provides a centralized logging solution that allows teams to collect, store, and analyze log data from various sources.
• Allowlists and key rotation: Security Onion includes features that enable teams to manage allowlists and rotate keys, ensuring that only authorized access is granted to sensitive systems and data.
• Immutable storage: Security Onion provides immutable storage options, ensuring that sensitive data is protected from tampering or modification.

Installation Guide

System Requirements

Before installing Security Onion, ensure that your system meets the following requirements:

• Hardware: 4 GB RAM, 2 GHz dual-core processor, 20 GB free disk space
• Operating System: 64-bit Ubuntu 18.04 or later

Installation Steps

Follow these steps to install Security Onion:

1. Download the Security Onion ISO file: Visit the Security Onion website and download the latest ISO file.
2. Create a bootable USB drive: Use a tool like Rufus to create a bootable USB drive from the ISO file.
3. Boot from the USB drive: Insert the USB drive into your system and boot from it.
4. Follow the installation prompts: Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation process.

Technical Specifications

Supported Protocols

Security Onion supports a range of protocols, including:

• SNMP: Simple Network Management Protocol
• syslog: System logging protocol
• NetFlow: Network flow protocol

Supported Data Sources

Security Onion supports a range of data sources, including:

• Network devices: Routers, switches, firewalls
• Server logs: Apache, MySQL, Windows event logs
• Endpoint data: Windows, Linux, macOS

Pros and Cons

Pros

Security Onion offers several benefits, including:

• Free and open-source: Security Onion is free to download and use.
• Comprehensive feature set: Security Onion includes a range of features that make it a powerful tool for security teams.
• Customizable: Security Onion can be customized to meet the specific needs of your organization.

Cons

Security Onion also has some limitations, including:

• Steep learning curve: Security Onion requires significant expertise to install and configure.
• Resource-intensive: Security Onion requires significant system resources to run effectively.
• Limited support: Security Onion is a community-driven project, and support options may be limited.

FAQ

How do I reduce alerts in Security Onion?

To reduce alerts in Security Onion, you can:

• Tune your rules: Adjust your rules to reduce false positives.
• Implement allowlists: Use allowlists to exclude known good traffic.
• Adjust your logging settings: Adjust your logging settings to reduce the amount of data being collected.

Is Security Onion free to download?

Yes, Security Onion is free to download and use.

What is the best alternative to Security Onion?

Some popular alternatives to Security Onion include:

• ELK Stack: A popular log management solution.
• Splunk: A commercial log management solution.
• OSSEC: An open-source host-based intrusion detection system.