Detection-as-Code: The New Standard for Cloud SIEM

Security teams today face an immense challenge: threats evolve faster than they can be manually captured and managed in SIEM systems. New cloud services, microservice architectures, and dynamic infrastructures mean that detection rules need constant updates. Yet traditional SIEMs are cumbersome, inflexible, and rely heavily on static rule management.

The solution: Detection-as-Code.
Instead of relying on manual configuration, modern organisations adopt an approach where detection rules are treated like software code – version-controlled, testable, and fully automatable. In this blog, we explain what Detection-as-Code is, why traditional SIEMs are struggling, and how this approach can future-proof your security strategy.

What is Detection-as-Code?

Detection-as-Code is a modern security approach where detection rules are no longer maintained via graphical interfaces but written as code – for example, in YAML. These rules are stored in Git repositories, versioned, and follow the same lifecycle as software: pull requests, peer reviews, automated testing, and deployment through pipelines.

Datadog provides a Detection Rules API that allows organisations to automate the management of detection rules. This means security teams can manage changes via Git, run tests, and deploy rules directly to Datadog Cloud SIEM.

Key benefits include:

• Engineering standards applied to security: Rules are handled like application code – with branches, reviews, and testing.
  
  
• Transparency: Every change is documented and traceable.
  
  
• Collaboration: Security teams can work hand-in-hand with DevOps and development teams using the same workflows and tools.
  
  

With the strong integration in Datadog, Detection-as-Code fits seamlessly into DevSecOps strategies.

Why Traditional SIEMs Are Reaching Their Limits

Legacy SIEMs were designed for a more static IT world: a few servers, monolithic applications, and predictable network boundaries. Today’s environments look very different:

• Cloud-native architectures: Organisations operate hundreds of microservices in containers or serverless environments, with constant change.
  
  
• Data volume & complexity: Modern SIEMs must handle billions of log lines daily, pushing traditional systems to performance and cost limits.
  
  
• Slow rule management: Updating or creating new rules in traditional SIEMs can take days or even weeks – unacceptable during zero-day exploits or active attack campaigns.
  
  
• Lack of automation: While DevOps teams rely on CI/CD, many security processes are still manual and rigid.
  
  

This creates delays and blind spots. Detection-as-Code addresses these gaps by introducing automation, version control, and pipeline integration – enabling security rules to evolve as quickly as the infrastructure itself.

The Benefits of a Code-based Detection Approach

Scalability: Teams can collaboratively develop, version, and roll out rules globally.

Reusability: Rules can be modular and applied across different environments.

Automation: New rules go through CI/CD pipelines, improving quality and speed.

Compliance: Every change is tracked and auditable – invaluable for regulatory requirements.

CI/CD for Security Detection Rules

One of the biggest advantages of Detection-as-Code lies in automation. Rules can be treated like software artefacts – tested and deployed through CI/CD pipelines. This increases speed, reliability, and overall efficiency.

A typical workflow looks like this:

1. Write a rule in YAML.
   
   
2. Store it in Git and submit a pull request for review.
   
   
3. Run automated tests.
   
   
4. Deploy the rule automatically to the SIEM.
   
   
5. Monitor effectiveness and adjust where necessary.
   
   

Example: How Detection-as-Code Works with Datadog

Datadog has fully integrated Detection-as-Code into its Cloud SIEM. Rules are defined in YAML, versioned in Git, and can be rolled out automatically through the Detection Rules API.

This enables organisations to manage their security processes with the same tools and workflows used by DevOps teams. Security changes can go live within minutes – not days or weeks.

Next Steps

Detection-as-Code is the future of threat detection. Organisations that continue to rely on manual rule management within legacy SIEMs risk inefficiency, higher costs, and even missed threats.

As a Datadog Partner, we will help you adopt Detection-as-Code and transform your SIEM into a scalable, automated, and future-proof solution.

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