Understanding Wazuh: Architecture, Use Cases, and Applications

What is SIEM?

SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) is a cybersecurity solution that collects, analyzes, and correlates security data from various sources within an organization's IT infrastructure. It helps detect, investigate, and respond to security threats in real-time.

Key Functions of SIEM:

Log Collection – Aggregates logs and event data from servers, firewalls, endpoints, and applications.
Event Correlation – Analyzes logs to detect patterns and identify security incidents.
Threat Detection – Uses predefined rules, machine learning, and threat intelligence to identify suspicious activities.
Incident Response – Provides alerts, automation, and response capabilities to mitigate threats.
Compliance Reporting – Helps organizations comply with security regulations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS).

What is Wazuh's Architecture?

Wazuh follows a client-server model, and its architecture includes multiple components working together to collect, analyze, and visualize security data.

graph TD;
    A["Wazuh Agents"] -->|"Send logs & events"| B["Wazuh Server"];
    B -->|"Processes security data"| C["Wazuh Indexer (Elasticsearch)"];
    C -->|"Stores and indexes data"| D["Wazuh Dashboard (Kibana)"];
    B -->|"Handles rules & active responses"| E["Wazuh Manager"];
    E -->|"Manages security policies"| F["Filebeat (Optional)"];

1. Wazuh Agents (Data Collection)

Installed on endpoints (Windows, Linux, macOS, containers, cloud instances).
Collects security logs, file integrity monitoring (FIM) data, system events, vulnerability scans, and malware detections.
Sends logs to the Wazuh Server for processing.

2. Wazuh Server (Analysis & Processing)

Log Analysis Engine: Processes data from agents, applies rules, and generates alerts.
Threat Intelligence & Correlation: Uses rules, anomaly detection, and integrations to detect security incidents.
Vulnerability Detection: Scans endpoints for known vulnerabilities (CVE checks).

3. Wazuh Indexer (Elasticsearch)

Stores processed security events, logs, and alerts.
Enables fast searching and querying of security events.
Used for long-term storage of security logs.

4. Wazuh Dashboard (Kibana)

Provides a web-based UI for visualizing security events, alerts, and reports.
Users can configure rules, view dashboards, and investigate security incidents.

5. Wazuh Manager

Controls agent communication, rules, and policies.
Handles active response actions to mitigate security threats.

6. Filebeat (Optional)

Helps forward logs to Elasticsearch or external log storage systems.
Used in distributed or large-scale deployments.

Wazuh Deployment Models

Standalone Deployment: All components on a single server (small environments).
Distributed Deployment: Multiple Wazuh Servers process logs from multiple agents (enterprise environments).
Cloud Deployment: Supports AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and Kubernetes security monitoring.

Example Use Cases for Wazuh

1. Threat Detection & Incident Response

Scenario: An attacker tries to brute-force SSH credentials.

How Wazuh Helps:

Detects multiple failed SSH login attempts.
Blocks the attacker's IP using Active Response.
Notifies security teams via email or Slack.

Result: Prevents brute-force attacks and unauthorized access.

2. File Integrity Monitoring (FIM)

Scenario: A hacker modifies critical system files (e.g., /etc/passwd).

How Wazuh Helps:

Monitors sensitive files and generates alerts on unauthorized modifications.
Can restore the original file automatically.

Result: Prevents backdoor creation and maintains system integrity.

3. Ransomware Detection & Prevention

Scenario: Ransomware encrypts files and renames them with .locked.

How Wazuh Helps:

Detects mass file renaming or encryption.
Terminates the ransomware process before further damage.

Result: Stops ransomware attacks in their early stages.

4. Cloud Security Monitoring

Scenario: An AWS user creates an IAM user with Administrator privileges, violating security policies.

How Wazuh Helps:

Monitors AWS CloudTrail logs for security events.
Detects unauthorized IAM privilege escalations.
Alerts security teams for immediate action.

Result: Helps secure cloud environments and enforce access policies.

5. Vulnerability Detection & Patch Management

Scenario: A company has outdated software with known vulnerabilities.

How Wazuh Helps:

Scans installed software for known vulnerabilities (CVEs).
Provides a list of vulnerable software with recommended patches.

Result: Reduces security risks by identifying and fixing vulnerabilities.

6. Regulatory Compliance (GDPR, PCI DSS, HIPAA)

Scenario: A company handling credit card transactions needs to comply with PCI DSS security standards.

How Wazuh Helps:

Ensures log retention, access control, and network security monitoring.
Generates compliance reports for auditors.
Detects non-compliant configurations (e.g., weak passwords, outdated SSL certificates).

Result: Simplifies compliance and security auditing.

7. Network Intrusion Detection (IDS)

Scenario: A hacker attempts to scan open ports on a company’s network.

How Wazuh Helps:

Integrates with Suricata or Zeek for network traffic analysis.
Detects port scans, brute-force attacks, and DDoS attempts.
Blocks malicious IPs using Active Response.

Result: Enhances network security by identifying suspicious activities.

8. SIEM & Threat Intelligence Integration

Scenario: A company uses Splunk but wants to add endpoint security monitoring.

How Wazuh Helps:

Forwards security logs to Splunk, ELK, or Graylog.
Enhances SIEM with real-time endpoint detection.
Uses Threat Intelligence (AlienVault OTX, MISP, VirusTotal) for better detection.

Result: Strengthens security analytics with enhanced endpoint visibility.

Conclusion

Wazuh is a versatile, open-source SIEM and XDR solution that provides threat detection, compliance monitoring, and incident response across various IT environments. Whether securing cloud platforms, detecting ransomware, or enhancing SIEM capabilities, Wazuh offers robust security solutions for modern enterprises.

Would you like to explore Wazuh further? Let us know in the comments! 🚀