Network behavior anomaly detection explained

Network behavior anomaly detection (NBAD) is a security technique that provides network security threat detection. It is a complementary technology to systems that detect security threats based on packet signatures.^[1]

NBAD is the continuous monitoring of a network for unusual events or trends. NBAD is an integral part of network behavior analysis (NBA), which offers security in addition to that provided by traditional anti-threat applications such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, antivirus software and spyware-detection software.

Description

Most security monitoring systems utilize a signature-based approach to detect threats. They generally monitor packets on the network and look for patterns in the packets which match their database of signatures representing pre-identified known security threats. NBAD-based systems are particularly helpful in detecting security threat vectors in two instances where signature-based systems cannot: (i) new zero-day attacks, and (ii) when the threat traffic is encrypted such as the command and control channel for certain Botnets.

An NBAD program tracks critical network characteristics in real time and generates an alarm if a strange event or trend is detected that could indicate the presence of a threat. Large-scale examples of such characteristics include traffic volume, bandwidth use and protocol use.

NBAD solutions can also monitor the behavior of individual network subscribers. In order for NBAD to be optimally effective, a baseline of normal network or user behavior must be established over a period of time. Once certain parameters have been defined as normal, any departure from one or more of them is flagged as anomalous.

NBAD technology/techniques are applied in a number of network and security monitoring domains including: (i) Log analysis (ii) Packet inspection systems (iii) Flow monitoring systems and (iv) Route analytics.

NBAD has also been described as outlier detection, novelty detection, deviation detection and exception mining.^[2]

Popular threat detections within NBAD

• Payload Anomaly Detection
• Protocol Anomaly: MAC Spoofing
• Protocol Anomaly: IP Spoofing
• Protocol Anomaly: TCP/UDP Fanout
• Protocol Anomaly: IP Fanout
• Protocol Anomaly: Duplicate IP
• Protocol Anomaly: Duplicate MAC
• Virus Detection
• Bandwidth Anomaly Detection
• Connection Rate Detection

Commercial products

• Palo Alto Networks – Cortex XDR^[3]
• Darktrace^[4] - AI Enterprise Immune System | Antigena Autonomous Response
• Allot Communications^[5] – Allot Communications DDoS Protection
• Arbor Networks NSI^[6] – Arbor Network Security Intelligence
• Cisco – Stealthwatch^[7] (formerly Lancope StealthWatch)
• IBM – QRadar (since 2003)
• Enterasys Networks – Enterasys Dragon^[8]
• Exinda – Inbuilt (Application Performance Score (APS), Application Performance Metric (APM), SLA, and Adaptive Response)
• ExtraHop Networks - Reveal(x)^[9]
• Flowmon Networks^[10] – Flowmon ADS
• FlowNBA – NetFlow
• Juniper Networks – STRM
• Fidelis Cybersecurity – Network Security
• Lastline^[11]
• McAfee – McAfee Network Threat Behavior Analysis
• HP ProCurve – Network Immunity Manager
• Riverbed Technology – Riverbed Cascade^[12]
• Sourcefire – Sourcefire 3D^[13]
• Symantec – Symantec Advanced Threat Protection^[14]
• GREYCORTEX – Mendel^[15] (formerly TrustPort Threat Intelligence)
• Vectra AI^[16]
• ZOHO Corporation – ManageEngine NetFlow Analyzer's Advanced Security Analytics Module^[17]
• Microsoft Corp – Windows Defender ATP and Advanced Threat Analytics
• Vehere - PacketWorker Network Detection and Response ^[18]

See also

• User behavior analytics

Notes and References

1. Web site: Hein . Daniel . 2019-05-15 . Network Behavior Analysis and Anomaly Detection: The Basics . 2022-06-27 . Best Network Monitoring Vendors, Software, Tools and Performance Solutions . en-US.
2. Ahmed . Mohiuddin . 2016 . A survey of network anomaly detection techniques . Journal of Network and Computer Applications . 60 . 19–31 . 10.1016/j.jnca.2015.11.016 . Elsevier.
3. Web site: 2021-08-24 . Palo Alto Networks Cortex XDR 3.0 automates threat detection and investigation across cloud environments . 2022-08-12 . Help Net Security . en-US.
4. Web site: Daws . Ryan . 2022-03-10 . Darktrace adds 70 ML models to its AI cybersecurity platform . 2022-08-12 . AI News . en-GB.
5. Web site: DDoS Security & Protection Software: Secure Your Network.
6. Web site: Arbor DDoS Solutions – NETSCOUT. NETSCOUT.
7. Web site: 2019-01-23 . How to block online threats and ransomware attacks with Cisco Stealthwatch . 2022-08-24 . Business Review . ro.
8. News: Heath . Thomas . 2012-09-23 . Tenable enters partnership with In-Q-Tel . en-US . Washington Post . 2022-09-13 . 0190-8286.
9. Web site: 2022-03-24 . ExtraHop Reveal(x) 360 for AWS detects malicious activity across workloads . 2022-08-18 . Help Net Security . en-US.
10. Web site: Flowmon ADS – Kyberbezpečnostní nástroj pro detekci nežádoucích anomálií.
11. Web site: Whittaker . Zack . 2020-06-04 . VMware acquires network security firm Lastline, said to lay off 40% of staff . 2022-10-11 . TechCrunch . en-US.
12. News: Overly . Steven . 2012-10-29 . Opnet Technologies to be bought for $1B . 2022-08-18 . Washington Post . en-US.
13. Web site: Snyder . Joel . 2008-01-21 . How we tested Sourcefire's 3D System . 2022-09-13 . Network World . en.
14. Web site: Ot . Anina . 2022-03-25 . How Endpoint Protection is Used by Finastra, Motortech, Bladex, Spicerhaart, and Connecticut Water: Case Studies . 2022-10-06 . Enterprise Storage Forum . en-US.
15. Web site: GreyCortex Advanced Network Traffic Analysis. www.greycortex.com. 2016-06-29.
16. Web site: Hageman . Mitchell . 2022-09-05 . Vectra AI attributes significant growth to expansion and new innovations . 2022-09-20 . IT Brief Australia . en.
17. Web site: NetFlow Traffic Analyzer Real-Time NetFlow Analysis - ManageEngine NetFlow Analyzer . 2022-09-20 . www.manageengine.com.
18. Web site: Goled. Shraddha. 2021-04-03. Hackers Are Having A Field Day Post Pandemic: Praveen Jaiswal, Vehere. 2021-05-17. Analytics India Magazine. en-US.