SIEM Fatigue Isn’t a Technology Problem, It’s a Strategy Problem

Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) tools are some of the most significant investments security teams make. Yet many organizations continue to have the same issues year after year: too many alerts, overlooking high-impact threats, and weeding through tangled workflows. 

It’s tempting to blame the platform. But what if the issue isn’t the tool? 

What if alert fatigue, blind spots, and inefficiencies are not a technical failure, but symptoms of deeper misalignments between your technology, your team, and your strategic priorities? 

That’s where most SIEM struggles begin. 

Three Core Misalignments Behind SIEM Struggles

Organizations often treat SIEM like a product problem. But the root causes of SIEM underperformance are often strategic, not technical. Based on the insights from the SANS infographic, Beyond the Tool – Building a Smarter SIEM Operation, we can break these down into three areas: 

1. Visibility and Data Gaps

Most SIEM platforms are only as powerful as the data they ingest, and too many operate with incomplete or irrelevant data. If your visibility doesn’t include cloud-native services, mobile endpoints, or lateral movement patterns, your detection logic will have blind spots. 

What this means: The platform isn’t the limitation. It’s a misalignment between what your team needs to see and what’s actually being collected and normalized. 

2. Workflow and Integration Friction

Even robust SIEM platforms can fail when they sit in silos. Poor integration with security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR), ticketing systems, or threat intelligence feeds slows teams down rather than enabling effective detection. 

What this means: Inefficiencies aren’t just technical, they’re architectural. Teams end up working around the SIEM tool instead of with it, which leads to redundant work and response delays. 

3. People and Process Misalignment

This is where many SIEM deployments break down. Detection engineers often build rules without including responders in the development. SOC analysts struggle with unclear triage guidance. Managers push metrics that prioritize speed instead of precision. 

This all culminates in a misaligned detection strategy that leads to burnout, misfires, and lack of trust in the platform. 

Bridging the Gaps with Smarter Strategy and Skilled Teams

The good news is that these are solvable problems. Organizations that realign their SIEM operation around skills, collaboration, and process maturity don’t just reduce friction, they increase outcomes. According to a 2025 IDC study sponsored by SANS, companies that invest in this type of transformation see: 

• 4.2x faster threat detection 
• 51.6% faster threat response 
• 43.8% faster threat remediation 

(Source: IDC White Paper, Sponsored by SANS, “The Business Value of SANS,” doc # EUR15329152, June 2025) 

This isn’t about buying a better tool. It’s about building better processes. And that’s where SANS comes in. 

Don’t Replace Your SIEM. Rethink How You Use It.

SANS equips security leaders and practitioners to optimize the SIEM platforms they already own by investing in: 

• Relevant, role-based training that connects detection logic to real-world attacker behavior 
• Practical resources that address both operational complexity and team collaboration 
• Strategic frameworks for aligning security capabilities with business risk 

Stop chasing marginal gains through product swaps. Instead, build the internal capability to make your current investments work harder and smarter. 

Ready to Move from Tool-Centric to Outcome-Centric?

Your SIEM isn’t just a tool, it’s a reflection of your security culture. Let’s build one worth trusting.  

The SANS SIEM Optimization Hub is your go-to resource for shifting from frustration to transformation. 

• Helpful checklists 
• Strategic guides 
• Targeted training opportunities 
• Access to the full Beyond the Tool infographic 

Explore the SIEM Resource Hub today.