IT and security teams dig through dashboards, menus, and logs to solve a myriad of problems. Unfortunately, they all use non-standardized data labels which makes the job that much more tedious and time-consuming.
Each role in and around security operations has its own specific needs. A SOC analyst needs to understand the context of alerts. Network engineers need to understand what caused access or performance issues. Incident responders may need to contain a rogue device. Auditors need proof that policies are being enforced.
Every anomaly, authentication failure, or policy violation adds another line to streams of data that need to be manually parsed to answer simple questions. For example, the query “What caused the spike in failed authentications last night” might look like:
Querying datasets and enriching the results requires knowledge of a specific query language. Reconciling device data creates friction and fatigue. The result? Slower investigations. Missed correlations. A waste of time on noise.
When alert fatigue and operational team burnout is rampant, every efficiency that helps improve incident containment, investigation time, and Mean Time to Repair is worth understanding.
Enter Natural Language Search.
Natural Language Search Changes the Equation
Natural Language Search powered by Generative AI transforms analysis and investigations by allowing analysts to query systems in plain English. The system interprets intent, retrieves data from multiple sources, and explains data relationships in human terms.
Natural language search bridges the gap between security analysts and data. Hunting, triage, and response become guided conversations. They allow teams to focus on taking action without the distraction of infrastructure and network noise.
Forescout Cloud: Smarter, Faster, More Accessible Log Analysis
The Forescout Cloud supports natural language search using Generative AI, making log analysis fast and intuitive. Users prompt the system with questions in plain English and receive accurate, relevant results in seconds. This capability moves IT and SOC operations from reactive log and data miners to interactive reasoners who deliver obvious and measurable gains in investigative efficiency and correlation accuracy. Here’s how.
No Specialized Knowledge or Syntax Required
Traditional query languages can slow down workflows because they require specialized knowledge and ordering. Natural Language Search quickly translates plain English queries into complex syntax that is correctly constructed. Whether investigating indicators of compromise (IOCs), analyzing detections, reviewing audit logs, or digging into case details, your staff can focus on solving problems rather than coding queries.
Leverage Conversational Intelligence
At the heart of this capability is Generative AI, which brings conversational intelligence to threat data. This feature transforms how teams interact:
- No more syntax headaches: Forget complex KQL commands. Just type what you need.
- Faster investigations: Reduce time spent crafting queries and accelerate threat hunting.
- Broader accessibility: Team members who aren’t query language experts can be more effective.
With natural language search, any user gains access to an intuitive and powerful tool.
How to Use Natural Language Search With Threat and Asset Data
Natural Language Search isn’t limited to one type of information. It spans multiple critical areas of security operations:
Threat Data
By applying AI to threat data search, analysts can uncover patterns and relationships in logs and indicators far faster and with greater precision. Instead of crafting structured queries, users can type questions like:
- “Show me detections related to phishing in the last 24 hours”
- “List all enrichments for ransomware cases this month”
The system intelligently interprets these queries and delivers relevant results, making threat hunting and incident investigation more intuitive than ever.
Take a look at how it works, here:
Asset Data
Resilience depends as much on managing assets as it does on detecting threats. Natural Language Search connects detection to context, turning asset inventories and threat data into a single investigative surface. With this unified view, analysts can ask intuitive questions that cut across data silos, moving seamlessly from an indicator to the affected asset without writing a single query.
Users can investigate asset inventories with questions like these:
- “Show all unmanaged devices added last week”
- “Show all medical devices seen in the last 2 days”
- “List assets with outdated antivirus software”
The Forescout Cloud helps collapse hours of manual correlation into moments of clarity, helping teams detect, understand, and act faster.
Work With an Intuitive, Easy-to-Navigate Interface
Natural Language Search is just one part of the Forescout Cloud’s comprehensive approach to log analysis. Combined with other modes, including Simple, Builder, and Advanced, it offers unmatched flexibility for users with different preferences and expertise levels. Analysts can switch between modes as needed to use:
- Time filters for precise data ranges
- Saved queries for repeatable workflows
- Visualizations for better insights
- Export options for reporting and collaboration.
By supporting multiple modes of interaction, the Forescout Cloud delivers value to both veteran analysts and newcomers alike.
Protect Your Organization with the Forescout Cloud
Security teams no longer need to drown in logs or wrestle with complex syntax. Natural language search powered by Forescout’s Generative AI turns investigation into a conversation, unifying data, automating correlation, and delivering context-rich answers in seconds. With Forescout Cloud, analysts move from reactive log mining to proactive reasoning, accelerating threat detection and asset intelligence while reducing fatigue and investigation time. It’s not just easier search: it’s smarter, faster, and built for modern security challenges. To get started:
- Enable Forescout Generative AI under your account’s Features tab.
- Start typing queries in plain language.
- Explore data results with ease.
Use natural language search to generate variance explanations and narrative rollups directly from the data, with citations to the queries that produced each claim. Offer what-if and impact checks and make it easier for users to open a ticket, isolate a device, or run a scan.