Exabeam Leads the Future of SIEM Over QRadar and XSIAM

Palo Alto Networks’ acquisition of the IBM QRadar SaaS security information and event management (SIEM) assets marks a pivotal moment in the SIEM space. Palo Alto aims to transition existing QRadar SaaS customers to its Cortex extended security intelligence and automation (XSIAM) platform. Forrester analysts describe this as “the biggest concession of a SIEM vendor to an XDR vendor so far, signaling a major shift in threat detection, investigation, and response (TDIR). This move pushes customers to buy an entire portfolio rather than choosing the best individual security solutions.

Challenges for QRadar Customers

This transition introduces uncertainty for QRadar customers. While on-premises customers will continue to receive support and updates from IBM, the future investment in these solutions is unknown. Ultimately, QRadar SaaS customers who find themselves now Palo Alto Networks customers will have to migrate to Cortex XSIAM, a complex process requiring careful planning to ensure compatibility with existing infrastructure.

QRadar SaaS has several weaknesses that have impacted its effectiveness. Its reliance on static correlation rules, even with additional machine learning (ML) add-ons, limits its ability to detect subtle behavioral anomalies, which are often early signs of an attack. This can lead to missed threats and slower incident response times. Additionally, QRadar is known for generating a high volume of false alarms, overwhelming security analysts with irrelevant alerts and slowing investigations.

As Palo Alto Networks pushes for a migration to its fledgling XSIAM product, QRadar users are forced to rethink their approach to security operations and evaluate whether Cortex XSIAM or another vendor is the right path forward. Against this background, opportunities emerge for alternative solutions like Exabeam to step in and offer integrated, AI-driven security operations platforms.

Why Exabeam is the Better Choice

In this evolving scenario, Exabeam stands out as a strong alternative. The cloud-native Exabeam Security Operations Platform is designed to address the shortcomings of traditional SIEM solutions. Here are four key reasons why Exabeam surpasses QRadar and XSIAM in SIEM and TDIR:

1. Enhanced UEBA Capabilities: Unlike QRadar, which is limited to user behavior analytics (UBA), Exabeam provides industry-leading user and entity behavior analytics (UEBA). This capability allows Exabeam to identify anomalous behaviors that QRadar might miss. By leveraging ML algorithms, Exabeam can analyze user and entity behavior and assess the overall risk associated with detected events.

2. Reduced Alert Fatigue: Exabeam leverages ML to significantly reduce false alarms and prioritize the most critical alerts by grouping detections based on rule triggers and anomalous behavior. Higher-fidelity detections minimize false alarms and allow analysts to focus on genuine threats. 
3. Automated Workflows for Faster Investigations: Exabeam streamlines security workflows with centralized threat management and automation tools. This reduces the time-consuming manual investigations required by QRadar, allowing security analysts to respond to threats more efficiently.

4. Scalable Cloud-Native Architecture: Exabeam scales automatically with growing data requirements, eliminating the IT burden of managing local infrastructure. This provides faster deployment and improved accessibility compared to QRadar’s on-premises solution.

Understanding XSIAM’s Limitations

While Palo Alto Networks positions Cortex XSIAM as a next-generation SIEM, it remains a first-generation product with several limitations. XSIAM’s functionalities, particularly in log management and correlation, are still under development. This can lead to limitations in data ingestion, normalization, and generating accurate security detections. Additionally, XSIAM’s focus on integrating with Palo Alto products may not seamlessly extend to third-party security tools, potentially leading to operational challenges for users with diverse security ecosystems.

Exabeam: Proven Expertise in SIEM

Exabeam offers a mature, AI-driven security operations platform with more than a decade of experience. Recognized as a leader by Gartner for five years in a row, Exabeam provides a comprehensive solution for SIEM and TDIR. Key features include advanced UEBA, a cloud-native architecture, and a user-friendly interface that streamlines investigations and improves security operations efficiency.