Cribl integrates CardinalOps: new capabilities for modernizing SIEM

For many years, the market followed the same model: more event logs, more tools, more detection rules, and consequently, a higher level of security. In practice, this approach led to a different outcome. Organizations ended up with more complex infrastructures, higher costs, and significant operational burdens, but failed to ensure that their detection mechanisms were indeed operational.

That’s why Cribl is focusing on rethinking the very architecture of cybersecurity operations. We believe that customers need a platform that doesn’t require centralizing all data and paying for its storage and indexing. Instead, they expect a more open approach that allows the gradual modernization of existing infrastructure without being tied to a single vendor.

Before acquiring CardinalOps, the Cribl platform already supported the full telemetry lifecycle. It allows collecting, analyzing, transforming, routing, storing, and utilizing telemetry data across various environments.

The platform is characterized by its openness and independence from specific vendors. Clients can work with different security tools without having to reshape their entire infrastructure around a single solution.

A vital part of this architecture is the federated approach to data management. Instead of moving all telemetry to a single centralized repository, the platform allows searching and analyzing where the data already resides. This helps reduce costs, avoid data duplication, and retains infrastructure flexibility. CardinalOps capabilities are now being integrated into this foundation.

CardinalOps uses AI for continuous evaluation and improvement of threat detection mechanisms. The solution matches existing protection means against actual cyber adversary tactics and techniques, helping organizations objectively assess coverage levels and identify gaps.

The platform automates detection engineering processes, finds faulty or excessively “noisy” rules, identifies missing detection mechanisms, and helps make better use of existing security tools. Combined with Cribl’s capabilities for enterprise-scale telemetry management, CardinalOps ensures continuous quality control of detection, helping to quickly turn telemetry data into actionable insights and enhance the overall level of cyber defense.

CardinalOps helps to:

• assess threat coverage levels;
• identify detection mechanism gaps;
• detect faulty rules;
• find rules that create excessive informational noise;
• automate significant parts of detection engineering processes;
• enhance the efficiency of existing protection means.

Cribl notes that this component was the missing link between telemetry and the tangible results of SOC performance.

CardinalOps is not a new SIEM and does not replace it as a standalone product. Instead, the solution adds one of the key functional components of modern cybersecurity operations—continuous detection engineering.

Combined with the Cribl telemetry platform, this forms a complete operational cycle: from data collection and optimization to continuous improvement of detection mechanisms. This approach is what Cribl refers to as the beginning of a new generation of open, modular SIEM based on the customer’s existing telemetry infrastructure.

Enhancing coverage without creating a new closed platform

One of CardinalOps’ key features is the continuous analysis of detection coverage levels according to the MITRE ATT&CK framework.

The solution automatically matches existing rules with attack techniques, identifies gaps, checks the functionality of rules, and provides recommendations for creating new detection mechanisms. It supports work with implemented SIEM and EDR solutions, allowing organizations to improve protection efficiency without abandoning existing tools.

As a result, cybersecurity teams gain a more comprehensive view of their security posture, can quickly identify vulnerabilities, and assess how well their detection mechanisms comply with contemporary threats.

Cost reduction without losing effectiveness

Another principle that Cribl considers fundamentally important is optimizing data processing costs. The company emphasizes that integrating CardinalOps does not mean a need to collect even more telemetry or move all information to a new centralized repository.

On the contrary, data processing is suggested before it starts incurring additional costs. Telemetry can be routed according to specific use cases—for threat detection, event correlation, investigations, compliance requirements, or future AI services.

At the same time, CardinalOps helps ensure that the detection mechanisms using this data remain effective even after changes in infrastructure or information sources. Thus, organizations no longer have to choose between resource savings and protection quality.

Cribl calls the acquisition of CardinalOps one of the key steps in developing its AI Platform for Telemetry. The company aims to provide an open architecture combining telemetry management, continuous detection engineering, and the ability to utilize existing customer infrastructure.

Integration of CardinalOps technologies has already begun. In the foreseeable future, it is set to form a full-fledged open alternative to traditional SIEM architectures, built on principles of modularity, federated data management, and vendor independence. This will enable organizations to modernize their cybersecurity operations more effectively, reducing infrastructure complexity, optimizing costs, and enhancing detection quality against modern threats.

iITD is the official distributor of Cribl, assisting partners and customers in implementing modern solutions for telemetry management and cybersecurity operations modernization.

Our team is ready to demonstrate the Cribl platform’s capabilities, discuss new CardinalOps features, and help evaluate how the solution can strengthen your specific infrastructure.