Question: Are monitoring systems protected, access-controlled, and backed up to preserve integrity of logs and alerts?
Why This Matters
If attackers can tamper with the monitoring stack, detections fail silently. Protecting SIEM and log infrastructure maintains the chain of custody for evidence and regulatory assurance.
Maturity
0 — Unaware
No access control; anyone can modify or delete logs.
No access control; anyone can modify or delete logs.
1 — Ad Hoc
Console password only; no role separation.
Console password only; no role separation.
2 — Defined
RBAC applied; log-retention policy created.
RBAC applied; log-retention policy created.
3 — Managed
Immutable storage or WORM backups; audit trail enabled.
Immutable storage or WORM backups; audit trail enabled.
4 — Integrated
Segregation of duties enforced; tamper detection alerts SOC.
Segregation of duties enforced; tamper detection alerts SOC.
5 — Optimized
Continuous integrity validation and automated backup verification.
Continuous integrity validation and automated backup verification.
How to Level Up
| From → To | Actions |
|---|---|
| 0 → 1 | Restrict SIEM admin rights; enable strong passwords + MFA. |
| 1 → 2 | Create RBAC roles (analyst, engineer, auditor); apply least privilege. |
| 2 → 3 | Enable WORM or object-lock backups; store off-platform copy. |
| 3 → 4 | Add integrity hash validation and alerting. |
| 4 → 5 | Automate backup verification and anomaly detection on deletions. |
Enablers
- People: SIEM admin, compliance lead, auditor.
- Process: Access-review cadence, backup-validation checklist.
- Technology: RBAC SIEM, object-lock storage (MinIO/S3 versioning), hash validation scripts.
Evidence
- Access control matrix.
- Backup and restore logs.
- Integrity check reports.
KPIs
- % of SIEM users with least privilege.
- Time to detect tampering.
- Backup success rate %.
Low-Cost / Open-Source Options (MSME)
| Purpose | Tool | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Immutable storage | MinIO versioning / WORM | S3-compatible object-lock. |
| Access control | Wazuh RBAC | Granular roles for analysts. |
| Integrity check | Tripwire Open / Auditbeat | Detect unauthorized changes. |
Common Pitfalls
- Shared SIEM admin accounts.
- Backups stored on same host.
- No verification of restore process.
Compliance Mapping
| Standard | Clauses / Notes |
|---|---|
| ISO/IEC 27001:2022 | A.8.16 (Log Protection) / A.5.23 |
| CERT-In 2022 | Monitoring Infrastructure Security |
| DPDP Act 2023 | Sec 9 (Safeguards) / Sec 10 (Accountability) |
| NIST CSF 2.0 | PR.DS-06 / DE.CM-03 |
| NIRMATA Mapping | MD-Q05 anchors integrity of monitoring systems. |