Rethinking Detection Engineering for Security Teams

This white paper addresses the evolving challenges faced by modern security teams in detection engineering. It outlines how detection engineering must adapt to the rapidly changing threat landscape, which includes an increase in data, technologies, and attack surfaces. The authors discuss the issues of maintaining a detection library, noting that detections often become ineffective over time due to changes within environments and adversary behaviors. The paper emphasizes the need for a life cycle engineering approach rather than viewing detection as a static configuration. Key challenges identified include maintenance debt, a lack of runtime telemetry, and insufficient testing and validation practices. The authors argue for the adoption of Detection-as-Code (DaC) as a methodology to improve governance, version control, and collaboration within detection processes. By treating detections as evolving artifacts subject to engineering discipline, the paper suggests that organizations can enhance their detection capabilities and address common operational weaknesses, ultimately leading to more effective security outcomes.