Building a Bulletproof Splunk Environment with STIG Controls 

David Cheever, Team Lead, MDR Advanced Services

What are STIGs? 

Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) are standardized guidelines developed by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) to enhance the cybersecurity posture of various technologies. These guidelines prescribe specific technical controls and configuration settings designed to minimize security risks. While initially developed for Department of Defense (DoD) systems, STIGs have become a valuable resource across industries, offering a practical, prescriptive approach to hardening IT environments. STIGs offer a set of security configuration controls for Splunk that help administrators harden their deployments against vulnerabilities and improve overall security posture. 

Why Use STIGs to Secure Splunk? 

Given that Splunk often handles critical security and operational data, it becomes a prime target for attackers. Applying STIGs to Splunk deployments offers several key advantages: 

  • Enhanced Security Posture: Aligning Splunk with STIG guidelines helps reduce risk and minimize potential attack surfaces. 
  • Operational Efficiency: Hardened Splunk environments are less vulnerable to disruptions from misconfigurations or exploits, ensuring reliable performance and proactive risk mitigation.  
  • Proven Best Practices: STIGs are based on industry-recognized security standards, designed to provide a robust defense against evolving cyber threats. 
  • Regulatory Compliance: For organizations in highly regulated industries such as government and the defense sector, applying STIGs ensures Splunk configurations meet strict compliance standards. 

Overview of Key STIG Controls 

The STIGs for Splunk provide a robust framework for securing your deployment, addressing key areas crucial for maintaining a strong security posture. These guidelines cover a wide range of configurations, including: 

  • Access Controls: Implementing role-based access and robust authentication mechanisms to safeguard against unauthorized access to sensitive data. 
  • Audit Trails: Configuring detailed audit logs to ensure traceability of all activities, with proactive alerts for any disruptions in communication.
  • Backup and Recovery: Conducting routine backups of Splunk configurations and logs, validating these backups to guarantee data integrity and compliance with organizational standards. 
  • Data Encryption: Encrypting sensitive data both at rest and in transit, providing a strong defense against potential data breaches. 
  • Safeguarding Data: Ensuring the reliability of log data stored in indexes by preventing unauthorized alterations and maintaining the authenticity of stored information. 
  • System Integrity: Enforcing regular patching schedules, secure logging practices, and continuous monitoring for any unauthorized system changes. 

Applying STIGs to Your Splunk Deployment 

The following steps will help you assess, maintain, and continuously improve your Splunk deployment’s security posture in alignment with STIG requirements. 

  • Baseline Assessment: Start by evaluating your current Splunk deployment against the relevant STIG checklists. This will help identify gaps and prioritize remediation efforts. 
  • Continuous Monitoring: STIG compliance is not a one-time effort. Regularly audit configurations and update settings in response to new threats or updates to the STIG guidelines. 
  • Leverage Splunk: Use Splunk itself to monitor the security of the deployment, creating alerts for deviations from STIG compliance. 
  • Review the STIG Documentation: Familiarize yourself with the full STIG documentation for Splunk Enterprise, which is available on STIG Viewer and DoD Cyber Exchange. 

Conclusion  

Implementing STIGs for Splunk deployments is an essential step in ensuring the security and reliability of your infrastructure. By following these comprehensive guidelines, organizations can build a robust security foundation that not only protects sensitive data but also supports seamless operational performance. If you need assistance implementing STIGs for your Splunk environment, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at TekStream – we’re here to help! 

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About the Author

Dave Cheever is an experienced IT professional with nearly a decade of industry experience working primarily in cybersecurity. He also serves part-time with the Air Force National Guard, supporting various government entities such as the National Security Agency and USCYBERCOM. 

Dave recently obtained his master’s degree in Cybersecurity from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. He also holds various industry certifications such as CISSP and has also acquired various Splunk certifications to include Splunk Core Consultant certification and Accredited ES Implementation. Dave resides near Plymouth Massachusetts, America’s hometown.