ServiceNow Security Operations (SecOps): Comprehensive Guide

Comprehensive Guide to ServiceNow Security Operations (SecOps)

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ServiceNow Security Operations (SecOps) is a suite of applications designed to enhance an organization's security posture by streamlining and automating incident and vulnerability management. By integrating security responses with IT operations, SecOps enables efficient threat detection, prioritization, and remediation.

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Key Components of ServiceNow SecOps

1. Security Incident Response (SIR)
   
   Manages the lifecycle of security incidents from detection to resolution. Integrates with an organization's existing security tools, including firewalls, endpoint security products, or Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) solutions to collect and prioritize security incidents.

• Features:
  
  • Integrates with 3rd party threat detection and Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) solutions
  • Prioritizes incidents based on business impact
  • Enriches Incidents in tandem with Threat Intelligence Automation and Workflows
  • Improves collaboration between IT, End Users, and Security Teams

2. Vulnerability Response (VR)
   
   Identifies, prioritizes, and remediates vulnerabilities within the IT environment.

• Features:
  
  • Integrates with National Vulnerability Database (NVD) and third-party vulnerability scanners
  • Seamless integration with other ServiceNow functionality
  • Container Vulnerability Response addresses container vulnerability
  • Application Vulnerability Response addresses identified risks
  • Compares policies to defined test criteria to identify configuration gaps
  • Prioritize configuration compliance issues using the Configuration Management Database
  • Automatically correlate policies and test to configuration items

3. Threat Intelligence
   
   Enriches security incidents with external threat data to provide context and enhance response strategies.

• Features:
  
  • Collates intelligence from multiple external feeds
  • Automatically connect indicators or observed compromises for a Security Incident (enrichment)
  • Seamlessly integrates with Security Incident Response Management and Vulnerability Response Management

Workflow, Orchestration, and Data Enrichment

A step-by-step process flow showing how Workflow Triggers initiate Orchestration Workflows to retrieve data from external networks. The retrieved data is then processed through Data Enrichment steps to enhance security operations with relevant contextual information.

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Workflow Triggers track tables for record changes that match a defined condition. When this condition is met, the Workflow Trigger will generally trigger a Security Operations Orchestration Workflow. Security Operations Orchestration Workflows will generally interrogate an external network to retrieve additional information about a Configuration Item, such as all processes currently running on a Windows machine.

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This additional data is usually in the form of JSON or XML and is passed through a Data Enrichment Map to map that JSON/XML data into Enrichment tables, which are linked to the original Security Operations table.

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Note: Security Support Orchestration is a separate paid plugin.

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Workflow Triggers

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Workflows are normally triggered by a table interaction: when a record is inserted or updated in a single table and (optionally) that record meets a certain condition. Workflow Triggers allow for a workflow to be triggered on a different set of conditions other than those defined in the workflow.

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Workflows can be triggered multiple times on the same record each time the Workflow Trigger condition becomes true - this would not be possible using a standard workflow condition, as the workflow would run only the first time the condition was met.

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Workflow triggers can contain both conditions and Filter Groups; if a Workflow trigger contains both, then both criteria must match in order for the Workflow to run.

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Orchestration

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ServiceNow Orchestration extends the workflow engine to manage processes and automate processes outside of a ServiceNow instance. Users can interact with and retrieve data from Windows or UNIX-based systems and environments using activity packs and workflows in the Security Operations Orchestration. Security Operations Orchestration saves time by eliminating manual processes and obtaining contextual information to remediate incidents. The Security Operations products have standard activity packs and workflows that are included and activated in each of the plugins (Security Incident Response Orchestration, Threat Intelligence Orchestration, Vulnerability Response Orchestration).

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Data Enrichment

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Many organizations cite a lack of enriched security data as an obstacle to efficient investigation and prevention of Security Incidents. Indeed, the lack of enriched security data is an obstacle to effective and efficient investigation and prevention of security incidents. Historically this data would have been collected manually by Security Incident Response Teams (SIRT) or Technical Support teams. 

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ServiceNow provides four Enrichment Data tables:

• Firewall
• Malware
• Network Statistics
• Running Processes 

ServiceNow leverages Orchestration Workflows and other tools to automate this data collection, enriching security incidents with relevant contextual information from other sources.

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Implementation Best Practices

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A successful SecOps deployment requires meticulous planning and adherence to best practices:

• Define Clear Objectives: Establish specific business outcomes you aim to achieve with SecOps, such as reducing incident response times or improving vulnerability management efficiency.
• Engage Stakeholders: Involve all relevant parties, including IT, security teams, and executive leadership, to ensure alignment and support throughout the implementation process.
• Phased Deployment: Implement SecOps modules in stages, starting with foundational components like Security Incident Response, followed by Vulnerability Response and Threat Intelligence. This approach allows for manageable adoption and integration.
• Continuous Training: Invest in ongoing training for your teams to stay abreast of the latest features and best practices. ServiceNow offers various training resources to support this need.

Integration Strategies

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Integrating SecOps with existing tools and processes is crucial for a cohesive security environment:

• SIEM Integration: Connect your Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems to SecOps to enable automatic incident creation and enrichment, facilitating faster response times.
• Vulnerability Scanners: Integrate with tools like Tenable or Qualys to import vulnerability data directly into SecOps, streamlining the vulnerability management process.
• Collaboration Platforms: Leverage integrations with platforms such as Microsoft Teams or Slack to enhance communication and collaboration during incident response activities.

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Insight by
Dvir Shimon Sasson
Director of Security Research at Reco

Dvir is a Professional Mountains Mover, Dynamic and experienced cybersecurity specialist capable in technical cyber activities and strategic governance. Dvir is a Professional Mountains Mover, Dynamic and experienced cybersecurity specialist capable in technical cyber activities and strategic governance.

Expert Insight:

ServiceNow SecOps streamlines security management and response. Here are some key strategies to maximize its effectiveness:

• Automation for Efficiency: SecOps integrates security tools into an automated response engine, enabling faster threat prioritization and resolution.
• Threat Intelligence Integration: Connecting SecOps with threat intelligence feeds and SIEM systems enhances incident context, improving response times and decision-making.
• Collaboration Between Security & IT: A unified platform fosters communication between teams, ensuring coordinated threat management.
• Continuous Learning & Adaptation: Staying engaged with the ServiceNow Community and security webinars helps organizations stay ahead of evolving threats.
• Tracking KPIs for Improvement: Monitoring key metrics like Mean Time to Detect (MTTD) and Mean Time to Respond (MTTR) helps refine security operations.

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Conclusion

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ServiceNow Security Operations (SecOps) provides a powerful suite of tools to enhance an organization’s cybersecurity posture. By integrating security response with IT operations, automating workflows, and leveraging threat intelligence, organizations can reduce response times and mitigate risks effectively.

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To maximize the benefits of SecOps:

• Ensure proper integration with SIEM and vulnerability scanners.
• Continuously monitor and refine workflows.
• Stay updated with ServiceNow releases and best practices.
• Train security teams to adapt to new threats and challenges.

By implementing these strategies, IT administrators can strengthen their security operations and create a more resilient IT environment.