SIEM & Detection Engineering
Transforming Your SIEM from a Log Aggregator into a Detection System with ATT&CK-Mapped Rules, Alert Tuning, and Automation
Most SIEMs are expensive log aggregators. They collect data, store it, and generate alerts from vendor-default rules that were never tuned for the environment. The result is predictable: high alert volume, low true-positive rates, and detection coverage that does not map to the threats that actually matter to the organization.
This engagement transforms the SIEM into a detection system. Starting with a log source inventory and gap analysis, we map current detection coverage against MITRE ATT&CK for three priority tactics, develop up to 20 custom detection rules, tune 15 existing rules to reduce false positives, and design up to 5 SOAR playbooks for automated enrichment and response.
The engagement is platform-agnostic — Splunk, Microsoft Sentinel, CrowdStrike LogScale, Google SecOps, Elastic, or other platforms. Every detection rule includes validation testing to confirm it fires correctly and does not generate excessive noise. The detection-as-code methodology enables version control, peer review, and CI/CD for detection rules going forward.
Who This Is For
Ideal clients for this engagement.
The Problem
What this engagement addresses.
Vendor-Default Detection Rules
Out-of-the-box rules generate alerts for every environment, not your environment. They miss organization-specific threats and fire on benign activity that is normal in your infrastructure. No one has tuned them because no one owns detection engineering.
Unknown ATT&CK Coverage
Leadership asks what techniques the SOC can detect, and no one can answer. There is no mapping between detection rules and ATT&CK techniques, and no visibility into coverage gaps against priority threat actors.
Log Sources Without Detection Value
The SIEM ingests terabytes of data, but critical log sources are missing or misconfigured. Expensive storage is consumed by logs that no detection rule references, while high-value sources like authentication events, command-line logging, or DNS queries are absent.
Alert Fatigue
Analysts spend shifts closing false positives instead of investigating real threats. Noisy rules are disabled rather than tuned, creating silent detection gaps that no one tracks.
No Detection Lifecycle
Detection rules are created ad hoc with no version control, no peer review, no testing, and no retirement process. Rules drift, break after infrastructure changes, and accumulate without governance.
Deliverables
What you receive.
Log Source Inventory & Gap Analysis
Complete inventory of current log sources with coverage assessment against critical assets and ATT&CK data source requirements. Prioritized list of missing or misconfigured sources with onboarding recommendations.
ATT&CK Coverage Map
Current and target detection coverage mapped to MITRE ATT&CK for three priority tactics selected based on the organization's threat profile. Visual heat map showing coverage, gaps, and improvement targets.
Custom Detection Rules (Up to 20)
Purpose-built detection rules for priority ATT&CK techniques. Each rule includes detection logic, data source requirements, expected false-positive profile, triage instructions, validation test results, and ATT&CK mapping. Written for the organization's SIEM platform.
Alert Tuning for Existing Rules (15 Rules)
Systematic tuning of 15 high-noise existing rules — whitelist development, threshold adjustment, correlation refinement, and severity recalibration. Each tuning change documented with rationale and expected impact on alert volume.
SOAR Playbook Designs (Up to 5)
Automated response playbook designs for high-volume alert types. Includes enrichment steps, decision logic, containment actions, and notification workflows. Platform-specific implementation guidance included.
Detection-as-Code Methodology
Process documentation and tooling recommendations for managing detection rules as code — version control, peer review, testing, deployment, and retirement. Enables a sustainable detection engineering practice after the engagement ends.
Methodology
How the engagement works.
Inventory & Assessment
Week 1
- Log source inventory and gap analysis
- Current detection rule inventory and quality review
- ATT&CK coverage mapping for current state
- Priority tactic selection based on threat profile
- Alert volume and false-positive analysis for tuning candidates
Detection Development & Tuning
Weeks 2 – 4
- Custom detection rule development for priority ATT&CK techniques
- Alert tuning for 15 existing high-noise rules
- SOAR playbook design for automated response workflows
- Validation testing for all new and tuned rules
- Detection-as-code methodology documentation
Validation & Knowledge Transfer
Weeks 5 – 6
- End-to-end validation of new detection rules in environment
- ATT&CK coverage map delivery — current versus target state
- Knowledge transfer on detection rule maintenance and tuning methodology
- SOAR playbook implementation support
- Debrief and ongoing detection engineering recommendations
Engagement Tiers
Scoped to your architecture.
Core
Single SIEM platform, 2 priority ATT&CK tactics. 10 custom detection rules, tuning for 10 existing rules, 2 SOAR playbook designs.
- Log source inventory and gap analysis
- ATT&CK coverage map for 2 tactics
- 10 custom detection rules
- 10 existing rule tuning
- 2 SOAR playbook designs
- Detection-as-code methodology
Standard
Single SIEM platform, 3 priority ATT&CK tactics. 20 custom detection rules, tuning for 15 existing rules, 5 SOAR playbook designs.
- Everything in Core
- 20 custom detection rules
- 15 existing rule tuning
- 3 ATT&CK tactic coverage
- 5 SOAR playbook designs
- Validation testing for all rules
Extended
Multi-platform or complex SIEM environment. Full ATT&CK tactic coverage based on threat profile. Extended rule development and cross-platform correlation.
- Everything in Standard
- Extended ATT&CK tactic coverage
- Cross-platform detection correlation
- Advanced threat hunting queries
- Detection engineering program design
Prerequisites
- SIEM platform deployed and ingesting logs
- Access to SIEM for detection rule review and deployment (or configuration exports)
- Identified log sources and network architecture documentation
- SOC or security team available for knowledge transfer
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions.
Which SIEM platforms do you support?
The engagement is platform-agnostic. We have delivered detection engineering on Splunk, Microsoft Sentinel, CrowdStrike LogScale, Google SecOps (Chronicle), Elastic Security, and others. Detection logic is developed in a platform-independent format and then implemented in the target platform's query language.
Can you work with our existing detection rules instead of replacing them?
Yes. The engagement includes tuning for 15 existing rules alongside new rule development. We do not replace rules that work — we tune the noisy ones, identify the gaps, and fill them with purpose-built detections. The goal is a coherent detection library, not a wholesale replacement.
What is detection-as-code and do we need it?
Detection-as-code means managing detection rules like software — version control, peer review, automated testing, and CI/CD deployment. If you have more than a handful of detection rules and more than one person maintaining them, you need it. Without it, rules drift, break silently, and accumulate without governance.
Related Offerings
Often paired with this engagement.
Security Operations Assessment
If you are unsure where your detection gaps are, the assessment provides the maturity baseline and prioritized gap analysis to scope this engagement.
SOC Build & Transformation
Full SOC build for organizations that need the operating model, not just detection rules — tiers, roles, shifts, playbooks, and maturation roadmap.
Security Tool Evaluation
Vendor-independent SIEM selection if you are evaluating platforms before investing in detection engineering.
Attack Surface Management
External asset discovery feeds that inform detection rule priorities — you cannot detect attacks against assets you do not know about.
Ready to discuss this engagement?
30-minute discovery call. We will discuss your application architecture, your specific concerns, and whether this assessment is the right fit.