FortiSIEM: Key Features, Pricing, Limitations and Alternatives

What Is FortiSIEM? 

FortiSIEM is a security information and event management (SIEM) solution providing oversight across IT environments. It provide functionality for security monitoring, incident detection, and compliance reporting. With real-time correlations and analytics capabilities, FortiSIEM enables organizations to respond to potential threats and vulnerabilities. 

By bringing together logs, events, and other relevant data, it offers a centralized solution for monitoring, ensuring that security teams have full visibility and control over network activities. The platform addresses the complexities of modern IT environments by combining security management with performance management. 

ForitSIEM supports a range of deployment options, including cloud and on-premises. Its ability to automate processes like network discovery and configuration management reduces manual effort and helps improve accuracy.

Key Features of FortiSIEM 

Unified Security and Performance Management

FortiSIEM provides one platform that combines security information management with performance monitoring. Organizations benefit from its capability to analyze both security threats and system performance metrics in one place. This unified approach allows for insights that can’t be gained through isolated monitoring systems.

Real-Time Event Correlation and Analytics

FortiSIEM provides real-time event correlation and analytics, allowing for swift threat identification and response. By continuously monitoring network activity and correlating events from various sources, FortiSIEM can uncover patterns indicative of potential security incidents. This capability is useful for identifying threats that involve multiple vectors and phases.

The analytics engine within FortiSIEM processes vast amounts of data to deliver actionable insights quickly. With automated correlation rules and alerting mechanisms, security teams can prioritize incidents, focusing their attention on the most critical threats.

Automated Network Discovery and CMDB

FortiSIEM features automated network discovery and configuration management database (CMDB) capabilities that provide a comprehensive understanding of the IT environment. Automated discovery processes continuously inventory all devices, applications, and services within the network, ensuring that all assets are accounted for and monitored.

The built-in CMDB maintains a detailed inventory of IT assets and their configurations, which is useful in managing infrastructure changes and understanding dependencies. This eliminates the gaps often left by manual asset management and ensures that any additions or changes to the network are immediately recognized and assessed.

Scalability and Multi-Tenancy

FortiSIEM can scale to accommodate anything from smaller networks to large enterprise environments. It also supports multi-tenancy, allowing managed service providers and large enterprises to deploy FortiSIEM across multiple clients or departments efficiently. This capability enables each tenant to have isolated data and configurations, while still benefiting from centralized management and analytics.

FortiSIEM Pricing Model

FortiSIEM pricing varies by licensing model, deployment type, and feature set, enabling flexibility to meet different organizational needs. The platform offers several licensing models:

• FortiSIEM Cloud Licensing: The cloud version is licensed based on FortiSIEM compute units (FCUs), which cover events per second (EPS) and storage requirements. This model simplifies deployment and management, allowing for isolated instances with built-in support. FCUs can be adjusted based on usage.
• Subscription/OPEX Licensing: FortiSIEM provides options based on data ingested in gigabytes per day or devices/events per second (EPS). These models suit organizations needing scalable virtual machine (VM) deployments or those preferring subscription-based pricing for predictable costs.
• Perpetual/CAPEX Licensing: For organizations with dedicated hardware needs, FortiSIEM offers a one-time purchase license covering devices, EPS, and various monitoring agents. Support and advanced features like indicators of compromise (IOC) services are available through additional subscription licenses.
• MSSP PAYG (Pay-As-You-Go): Managed security service providers (MSSPs) can leverage a flexible, usage-based model, with costs tied to device, agent, and UEBA (user and entity behavior analytics) usage. This option includes support and IOC services within an annual fee.

Other Notable Fortinet Products 

FortiGate

FortiGate is Fortinet’s flagship firewall solution, providing security capabilities that include intrusion prevention, web filtering, VPN, and application control. Built on Fortinet’s custom security processors, FortiGate offers high-speed threat protection for both small and large organizations. The platform leverages AI-driven threat intelligence from FortiGuard Labs.

FortiGate’s unified threat management (UTM) approach allows it to consolidate multiple security functions, simplifying management and reducing the need for multiple devices. With support for SD-WAN integration, FortiGate helps organizations optimize network performance and securely connect branch offices.

Source: Fortinet

FortiWeb

FortiWeb is Fortinet’s web application firewall (WAF) solution, protecting web applications from threats like SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and DDoS attacks. Using machine learning to detect anomalous behavior, FortiWeb adapts to application usage patterns.

FortiWeb integrates with other Fortinet products for a cohesive security architecture and is available in various deployment modes, including on-premises, virtual, and cloud. The platform offers API protection, bot mitigation, and built-in vulnerability scanning.

Source: Fortinet

Fortinet SOAR

Fortinet SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response) improves security operations by automating repetitive tasks and orchestrating incident response workflows. By integrating with a range of security tools, it helps security teams simplify investigations and respond to incidents faster. It features customizable playbooks for common security events.

Fortinet SOAR is useful for large organizations with complex security environments, as it centralizes alerts from multiple sources and reduces alert fatigue. The solution empowers analysts by automating triage and response.

Source: Fortinet

FortiXDR

FortiXDR (extended detection and response) is Fortinet’s platform for cross-layered detection and automated response. FortiXDR unifies data across endpoints, network devices, and the cloud to provide a holistic view of the security landscape. Leveraging AI-driven analytics, it identifies complex attack patterns that may not be visible through isolated monitoring systems.

The solution automates threat detection and response processes, reducing mean time to detection and remediation. With FortiXDR, security teams benefit from correlated insights and coordinated response capabilities.

Source: Fortinet

FortiGuard MDR

FortiGuard MDR (managed detection and response) is a managed security service that combines human expertise with Fortinet’s technology to provide 24/7 threat monitoring, detection, and response. This service is suitable for organizations that need security coverage but lack the in-house resources to maintain a dedicated security operations center (SOC).

FortiGuard MDR leverages FortiGuard Labs’ threat intelligence and Fortinet’s suite of security products to detect and mitigate threats in real time. The service includes proactive threat hunting, incident investigation, and expert remediation advice.

Source: Fortinet

FortiGuard SOC as a Service

FortiGuard SOC as a Service (SOCaaS) is a cloud-based security operations center solution, focusing on continuous monitoring, threat detection, and incident response. It is designed as a turnkey service to provide organizations with visibility and management over security infrastructure without an in-house SOC team.

The service integrates with Fortinet’s Security Fabric to unify security event monitoring across network, endpoint, and application layers. It uses FortiGuard Threat Intelligence Services and AI-based analytics to potentially detect and respond to threats. FortiGuard SOCaaS analysts provide monitoring, incident triage, and escalation to address threats.

FortiAnalyzer

FortiAnalyzer is Fortinet’s log management and security analytics platform, aimed at providing organizations with threat detection, event correlation, and automated incident response. Integrated with the Fortinet Security Fabric, it offers a console for monitoring security events across the network.

The platform is intended to improve network visibility by aggregating and analyzing logs from Fortinet products such as FortiGate, FortiClient, FortiWeb, and FortiEDR. Security teams can use predefined event handlers and correlation rules to help detect advanced persistent threats (APTs) and indicators of compromise (IOCs). FortiAnalyzer also supports automated workflows and playbooks.

FortiAnalyzer is available as a hardware appliance, virtual machine (VM), or cloud-based service. It also supports third-party log forwarding and integration.

FortiSIEM Limitations 

Despite its comprehensive feature set, FortiSIEM has certain limitations that may affect its usability and effectiveness. These limitations were reported by users on the G2 platform:

• Limited customization in technical support responses: Some users feel that FortiSIEM’s support relies on generic, automated responses, which can lack the depth needed for complex issues and user training.
• Delayed technical support: Users have reported significant delays in receiving resolutions from Fortinet’s support team.
• Outdated user interface: The web UI is often described as outdated and difficult to use.
• Frequent false positives: FortiSIEM tends to generate a high number of false positives, creating noise that complicates threat detection. It does offer the possibility of rule fine-tuning, but the process is complex and time-consuming
• Compatibility challenges: FortiSIEM can be difficult to integrate with other network infrastructure products, limiting its adaptability in heterogeneous environments.
• High resource consumption: The platform is resource-intensive, requiring substantial network and system resources to run effectively, which may strain smaller IT environments.
• Complex configuration and steep learning curve: While generally configurable, initial setup and fine-tuning can be confusing, even for experienced users. This results in a longer learning curve and added setup time.
• Intermittent system lag: Users have observed that FortiSIEM may experience lags, especially when generating reports or refreshing the server console, which can slow down analysis and reporting processes.

Notable FortiSIEM Competitors and Alternatives 

1. Exabeam

Exabeam’s Security Operations Platform provides a cloud-native solution focused on threat detection, investigation, and response (TDIR). It leverages behavioral analytics and automation to identify and address security threats across various environments.

Key Features:

• Behavioral analytics: Utilizes User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA) to establish normal activity patterns and detect deviations, such as insider threats or compromised accounts.
• Automated TDIR workflows: Automates the creation of incident timelines and correlates security events, aiming to reduce manual investigation efforts.
• Cloud-native scalability: Designed to handle high volumes of security data, supporting rapid ingestion and efficient querying for large-scale deployments.
• Extensive integrations: Connects with numerous third-party security tools and data sources, enabling data collection from diverse environments.
• Generative AI assistance: Incorporates generative AI capabilities to assist security analysts with natural language queries and summarizing investigation data.

Source: Exabeam

2. Splunk Enterprise

Splunk Enterprise is a platform for searching, analyzing, and visualizing data from across an organization. It can handle large volumes of data from diverse sources.

Key features of Splunk Enterprise:

• End-to-end visibility: Enables visibility across all data sources, from edge devices to the cloud.
• Data exploration and analysis: Provides capabilities to explore data from any source within an organization.
• Custom dashboards and visualizations: Users can build personalized dashboards and visualizations.
• Unified hybrid experience: Supports data access and monitoring across on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments.
• Machine learning and AI integration: Leverages AI and machine learning for predictive analytics, enabling proactive security measures and better business outcomes.

Source: Splunk 

3. IBM Security QRadar SIEM

IBM Security QRadar SIEM is a security information and event management platform that helps improve the efficiency of security operations centers (SOCs) through AI, automation, and integrated threat intelligence. It provides analysts with tools that prioritize high-risk threats, simplify incident correlation, and reduce repetitive tasks.

Key features of IBM Security QRadar SIEM:

• Risk-based alert prioritization: Utilizes AI-driven risk scoring to prioritize alerts based on severity, so analysts can focus on the most critical cases.
• Incident correlation and automation: Aggregates related alerts in one view, reducing false positives and automating case creation to streamline SOC workflows.
• Threat detection: Supports threat hunting and detection for advanced threats like ransomware, leveraging IBM X-Force^® Threat Intelligence and network analytics.
• User behavior analytics (UBA): Uses behavior-based analytics to detect insider threats and anomalies within user activities.
• Extensive integrations: Offers over 700 prebuilt integrations and extensions, ensuring interoperability with existing security tools and data sources.

Source: IBM

4. Securonix Unified Defense SIEM

Securonix Unified Defense SIEM is a cloud-native security information and event management solution that simplifies threat detection, investigation, and response (TDIR) for enterprises. Built on Snowflake’s scalable Data Cloud, it enables organizations to manage large data volumes while providing up to 365 days of searchable data.

Key features of Securonix Unified Defense SIEM:

• Scalable data cloud storage: Utilizes Snowflake’s Data Cloud to handle extensive data requirements with a single-tier storage model.
• Unified TDIR interface: Combines SIEM and SOAR capabilities into a single interface.
• Threat content-as-a-service: Offers continuously updated threat detection content curated by Securonix Threat Labs.
• Collaborative threat defense: Supports collaborative intelligence sharing and autonomous threat sweeps.
• Autonomous threat sweeper (ATS): Enables proactive environment scanning for potential compromises.

Source: Securonix

5. Rapid7 InsightIDR

Rapid7 InsightIDR is a next-generation SIEM for cloud-first and hybrid environments, providing a scalable and agile solution for modern threat detection and response. By combining behavioral detections, analytics, and expert-vetted threat intelligence, InsightIDR offers a high-fidelity view of an organization’s attack surface.

Key features of Rapid7 InsightIDR:

• Behavioral analytics and threat intelligence: Uses AI-driven behavioral detections and continuously updated threat intelligence.
• Incident response: Provides high-context investigative timelines, detailing attack techniques, impact, and response recommendations.
• Cloud-ready scalability: Designed for rapid deployment, InsightIDR quickly transforms disparate data into actionable insights.
• User and entity behavior analytics (UEBA): Detects anomalies in user and entity behavior, increasing visibility into potential insider threats and unusual activity patterns.
• Alignment with MITRE ATT&CK Framework: Maps detections to the MITRE ATT&CK framework, providing SOC teams with an organized view of tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) associated with known threats.

Source: Rapid7 

Learn more in our detailed guide to Fortinet competitors 

Conclusion 

FortiSIEM is a comprehensive SIEM solution that provides security monitoring, incident detection, and compliance management. Its integrated platform unifies security and performance monitoring, offering a versatile option for diverse organizations. While FortiSIEM provides real-time analytics, automated network discovery, and scalability, potential users should consider factors like setup complexity and resource demands. In some cases, it might be preferable to consider alternative SIEM solutions.