Palo Alto Networks (PANW) Certified Cybersecurity Entry-level Technician (PCCET) Practice Exam

What is the primary role of a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system?

1. Data Encryption

2. Network Traffic Monitoring

3. Log Collection and Analysis

4. User Authentication

The correct answer is: Log Collection and Analysis

The primary role of a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system is log collection and analysis. SIEM systems are designed to aggregate log data from various sources across an organization’s IT infrastructure, including servers, network devices, security appliances, and applications. This collection enables security teams to have a centralized view of security events, which facilitates the identification of anomalies and potential threats. Additionally, SIEM systems apply real-time analysis of the collected logs to detect security incidents, alerts security personnel, and help in compliance reporting. The correlation of data from multiple logs allows for a more comprehensive understanding of security events, enabling faster incident response and enhanced threat detection capabilities. This centralized collection and analysis are pivotal in modern cybersecurity strategies, which rely heavily on monitoring and responding to events as they occur. In contrast, the other options refer to different functionalities within the cybersecurity landscape: data encryption focuses on protecting data privacy, network traffic monitoring pertains to observing and analyzing network data flows, and user authentication is about verifying identities to prevent unauthorized access. Each of these functions plays a role in an organization's overall security posture, but none capture the primary function of a SIEM system as distinctly as log collection and analysis does.