Cyber attacks are happening daily, and therefore our methods need to evolve too. Hackers no longer rely on predictable tactics, and static security systems often fail to catch these sophisticated threats. So, how can you ensure your network stays protected against the unknown? Behavioral analysis is the answer. As this advanced method focuses on the behavior patterns rather than well-known attack signatures. So even the most lethal threats can be detected. Darktrace behavioral monitoring powered with AI is used to identify abnormal activity, stop cyberattacks in their tracks, and secure your network like never before.
Wondering how this works and why it’s so good? So let’s explore the network threat detection benefits of behavioral analysis and how Darktrace is changing the game.
What is Behavioral Analysis in Network Detection?
Behavioral analysis is a technique that focuses on what people, applications, and devices doing in a network. Whereas, instead of hunting for known attack signatures or dedicated malicious activities, it looks for what constitutes normal behavior.
As an example, say an employee’s device generally uploads a small amount of data but suddenly starts sending gigabytes at midnight. So security systems can use behavioral analysis to detect such anomalies early even if the anomalies don’t appear to follow known attack patterns.
Why is that Behavioral Analysis is important?
Currently, traditional security systems are based on predefined rules and known threats in a database. While these systems are helpful, they have limitations:
1. Miss Unknown Threats
Modern attack methods do not match any existing traditional threat signatures. Therefore, attackers use modern methods. However, behavioral analysis can‘t catch these unknown threats unless it can detect unusual activity.
2. Struggle with Insider Threats
Different from the outside threats there are internal cyber threats. Behavioral analysis can catch suspicious activity from employees or compromised accounts by monitoring user behavior.
3. They React Slowly
Rule-based systems may take time to detect an attack if that attack changes its pattern. So based on behavioral analysis, real-time identification is possible since the system concentrates on changes.
How Darktrace Company Contributes to Behavioral Analysis
Darktrace specializes in AI for behavioral analysis in tackling network security. It actively scans each and every corner of your network; while learning normal behavior over a period of time. But when anything out of the norm happens, Darktrace picks it and raises an alert.
Here’s how Darktrace uses behavioral analysis to protect your network:
1. AI-Powered Learning
Darktrace’s AI learns what is usual activity in your network. Therefore, it gets the habits of every device, user, and application. Thus, then it’s able to understand even minor differences within a system or an organization to identify a potential threat.
2. Real-Time Threat Detection
Darktrace doesn’t look for an attack that has a good match to one of the signatures available. However, the action revolves around tasks in real-time wherein the process involves the analysis of behaviors. For example, if something looks fishy in a device attempting to connect to other systems then an alert is immediately generated.
3. Industry Adjustability to Emerging Threats
Potential threats are ever-changing and verification time is never zero hence, attackers are always shifting to square one. That’s why Darktrace uses behavioral analysis to detect changes in such tactics and can recognize new types of threats.
4. Visualizing Network Behavior
Darktrace shows information in the form of graphics on how the network is behaving, and this makes it easy to identify the origin of threats. Hence, these are graphical models that exemplify how extensive and dangerous an attack is.
Benefits of Behavioral Analysis in Network Detection
Network detection and threat prevention have the benefits of knowing what is occurring in behavioral terms. Let’s discuss these above-mentioned benefits.
1. Early Threat Detection
Behavioral analysis can detect threats before they are too late. If you detect that something should not be happening early then you can stop an attacker in their tracks. Moreover, it helps reduce the possibility of a data breach and reduces the possibility of downtime in case of a major attack.
For example, behavioral analysis will flag a device that starts to communicate with a different server as suspicious. It provides your team with time to investigate and take action.
2. Detection of Unknown Threats
Traditional methods for detecting zero-day attacks or previously unseen malware often fail. So behavioral analysis plays on the patterns rather than the signatures which is an extremely powerful approach to combat those evolving threats.
3. Better Visibility into Insider Threats
Not all threats are coming from hackers. There are also risks from employees with malicious intent or compromised accounts. So for a user, it uses behavioral analysis to monitor the activity and then display an insider threat before it escalates.
4. Reduced False Positives
Dealing with false positive alerts for non-threatening activities is one of the biggest challenges in cybersecurity. Therefore, Darktrace’s behavioral analysis helps avoid this issue by learning what’s normal for your network so that your alerts are not only more accurate but more actionable.
5. Improved Response Capabilities
Behavioral analysis not only detects but also allows for faster responses. However the darktrace’s automated systems can isolate compromised devices, block unwanted activity, and even disarm bad threats without human intervention.
How Darktrace Behavioral Monitoring Works
Darktrace’s behavioral monitoring relies on a combination of advanced AI and machine learning. So here’s a step-by-step look at how it works:
1. Learning the Baseline
The first time you deploy Darktrace, it starts by analyzing your network to define the normal behavior as a baseline. As this involves analyzing:
- Traffic patterns
- User Activity
- Device interactions
As your network evolves, this baseline increases continuously and is updated regularly.
2. Behavior Analysis in Real Time
Darktrace monitors your network once the baseline is established. Then later we compare how current activity differs from the base case.
Say for example a user is suddenly logged in from a weird location, or a device is suddenly scanning other systems, Darktrace will not be happy with that, it will flag that as an anomaly.
3. Triggering Alerts
Darktrace alerts your security team if any tool detects unusual behavior. For example, these alerts contain information about the anomaly, such as whether or not a device or user has been affected, as well as the corresponding risk level.
4. Autonomous Response
Darktrace can also alert your team and automatically take action. In the labor of love known as Autonomous Response, the compromised devices are isolated, suspicious activity is blocked, and threats are not permitted to spread.
Real-World Use Cases
Behavioral analysis is not just theory, it works. So here are some examples of how Darktrace’s behavioral monitoring has helped organizations:
1. Detecting Ransomware Attacks
In its early stages, Darktrace was able to detect a ransomware attack. A device was having unusual file encryption activity and an alert was immediately raised. Hence, this early detection enabled the organization to contain the attack before it did significant damage.
2. Preventing Data Exfiltration
Someone was transferring sensitive files out of an employee’s account that had been compromised. Such behavior was flagged as being abnormal and it automatically blocked the transfer. Thus, preventing a potential data breach.
3. Identifying Insider Threats
Darktrace detected unusual login patterns from an employee’s account, including attempts outside working hours. Upon investigation, the organization discovered the account had been compromised. This quick detection enabled the team to secure the account before any damage occurred.
Conclusion
However, behavioral analysis of networking traffic helps in the proactive identification and stopping of cyber threats. Darktrace behavioral monitoring with its AI-driven capabilities gives you unbelievable insight as to what your network is doing, and how to detect and respond quickly when there may be a threat.
Moreover, behavioral analysis helps you protect your network from malware you don’t know about, from stopping insider threats to thwarting data breaches. But with Darktrace, you’re not just securing your network, you’re preparing your organization for the attacks of tomorrow.
Is your network prepared for the next generation in cybersecurity? Darktrace and behavioral analysis can keep you ahead of the curve and make systems safe.
