Contextual Data Analysis: A Game Changer in UEBA
25.05.2023
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As cyber threats continue to evolve, it's becoming more challenging for organizations to protect themselves from security threats.
To stay ahead of cybercriminals, companies need advanced security tools like UEBA that can help detect anomalous behavior patterns that may indicate a security threat. However, the effectiveness of these tools largely depends on the quality and accuracy of the data they analyze.
In this blog post, we'll discuss how contextual data analysis can enhance UEBA analytics and why it's a game-changer for organizations.
UEBA (User and Entity Behavior Analytics) is a type of security analytics technology that helps organizations detect and respond to insider threats, cyber-attacks, and other common security risks.
UEBA solutions gather event logs from various data sources and use machine learning algorithms and statistical analysis to identify anomalous behavior patterns, such as unusual login activity or data access, that may indicate a security threat.
The development of UEBA technology is closely related to the development of UBA (User Behavior Analytics). UBA tools were initially designed to analyze user accounts’ behavior patterns to detect insider threats and identify vulnerabilities in an organization's security posture.
However, as the threat landscape has evolved, UBA has been expanded to include the analysis of entity behavior, such as **IoT devices, networks, **or third-party applications, as well as user behavior.
Contextual data analysis is a type of data analysis that takes into account the context in which data is generated, processed, and used. This approach enables analysts to better understand the meaning and implications of data they are analyzing by considering various factors, such as location, time, user identity, and device type.
For example, contextual data analysis might involve examining data about the customer journey in the context of a particular marketing campaign or analyzing financial data in the context of broader economic trends.
Contextual data analysis is becoming increasingly important in various fields, including cybersecurity, marketing, and healthcare.
In cybersecurity, contextual data analysis is a critical component of User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA) technology, enabling security teams to analyze user and entity behavior patterns within a specific context to identify potential security threats.
Contextual data analysis is not a new concept; it has been used in various fields for many years. However, with the increasing availability of big data and advanced analytical tools, contextual data analysis has become more sophisticated and widely used.
By leveraging contextual data analysis, UEBA tools can enhance their ability to detect anomalous behavior patterns accurately. Here are some ways contextual data can impact UEBA:
Contextual data analysis can significantly enhance the accuracy of UEBA tools by enabling them to analyze user behavior patterns within a specific context.
For instance, if a user logs in from a new device outside of their usual geographical location and attempts to access a sensitive file, UEBA can use behavior analytics to recognize this behavior as anomalous and alert the security team, even if the login credentials are correct.
This level of accuracy can help organizations detect and prevent security breaches before they cause significant damage.
Contextual data analysis can also help organizations respond more quickly to security incidents by providing detailed information about the context of a security event.
For example, if a user logs in from an unusual location and attempts to access a file that they don't usually access, UEBA tools can use contextual data analysis to quickly identify the root cause of the incident.
This information can enable security teams to promptly respond, contain the incident, and prevent further damage.
Contextual data analysis can also empower organizations to adopt a proactive approach to threat hunting. By analyzing user behavior patterns within a specific context, UEBA tools can identify potential security risks before they escalate into a more significant problem.
For instance, if a specific user starts downloading unusually large amounts of data or accessing sensitive files outside of their usual working hours, UEBA tools can use contextual data analysis to identify this behavior as risky and flag it for further investigation.
Contextual data analysis can also help organizations build more accurate user profiles, which can further enhance the effectiveness of UEBA tools.
By analyzing user behavior patterns within a specific context, UEBA tools can identify what constitutes normal behavior for each user. This information can enable organizations to identify anomalous behavior more accurately, reducing the number of false positives and allowing security teams to focus on genuine threats.
Also, UEBA can create risk scoring for each user based on their behavior. This risk scoring can be used to identify users with a high risk of causing a security incident and take appropriate action.
Contextual data analysis can also help organizations comply with various data protection regulations, such as GDPR and CCPA.
By analyzing user behavior patterns within a specific context, UEBA tools can identify when sensitive data is being accessed, who is accessing it, and from where.
This information can enable organizations to monitor compliance with data protection regulations and proactively identify potential violations.
Suppose a bank has implemented UEBA technology with contextual data analysis capabilities to monitor the behavior of its employees and customers accessing its online banking platform.
One day, the UEBA system detects an employee accessing the platform outside of business hours from an unusual location and performing transactions outside of their normal behavior patterns.
The UEBA data analysis & security system uses contextual data to analyze the employee's behavior patterns within the context of their role, department, and **access permissions. **
Based on this analysis, the UEBA system determines that the employee's behavior is anomalous and raises an alert, notifying the security analysts of a potential security threat.
The security team investigates the alert and discovers that the employee's account has been compromised by a cybercriminal who stole their credentials. The security team also uses the UEBA to analyze the behavior patterns of the compromised account within the context of the bank's overall network activity.
The UEBA identifies other anomalous behavior patterns associated with the compromised account, indicating that the cybercriminal may have accessed other parts of the bank's network.
The security team immediately disables the compromised account and prevents any further unauthorized access to the bank's online banking platform. They also initiate a forensic investigation to determine the extent of the breach and whether any sensitive data has been accessed.
Thanks to the UEBA system with contextual data analysis capabilities, the bank was able to detect potential security threats early, respond quickly, and prevent any data breaches.
UEBA with contextual data analysis provided the security team with valuable insights into user behavior patterns within the context of the bank's overall network activity, enabling them to identify and respond to potential security threats that may have gone unnoticed with traditional security measures.
At Logsign, we believe that digital transformation is the key to unlocking the limitless potential of organizations worldwide. However, with great power comes great responsibility.
As cyber threats continue to evolve and become more sophisticated, it's crucial to have a robust cybersecurity solution that can protect your digital assets and ensure business continuity.
That's why we are dedicated to providing comprehensive solutions that empower our clients to safeguard their cybersecurity posture with confidence. Our state-of-the-art Logsign UEBA is an integral part of Logsign’s SIEM platform.
With Logsign’s unified solution, you can rest assured that your organization is protected with built-in automated incident management and response with advanced data analytics, collection, and enrichment features, allowing you to detect and respond to security incidents decisively and in real time.
By partnering with Logsign, you are not just getting a powerful combination of advanced security features and ease of use. You are getting a team of experts who are passionate about helping you achieve your business goals while keeping your organization safe and secure.
We are committed to providing best-in-class cybersecurity solutions that are **tailored to your specific needs and challenges. **
So if you're ready to take the first step toward the digital landscape with confidence, try a live demo of Logsign SIEM and see it in action.
