User and Entity Behavior Analytics: A Crucial Method in IAM

What is UEBA?

User and Entity Behavior Analytics(UEBA) is a method for analyzing the behavior of users and entities like devices or applications. It evolved from UBA (User Behavior Analytics), which Gartner first defined in 2014. By 2015, Gartner expanded the concept to include entities, as their behavior often ties to user actions, leading to more accurate threat detection.

UEBA focuses on detecting two main types of anomalies: account compromises (anomalous users) and legitimate users doing unauthorized things (user anomalies). It uses a combination of basic and advanced analytics, including machine learning, to profile users and entities, identifying behaviors that deviate from the norm.

Simply put, UEBA models normal and abnormal behavior within a network by analyzing large amounts of data. It sets baselines for typical activities, then uses big data and machine learning to detect deviations, helping to spot potential security threats and issue timely alerts.

How does UEBA develop?

The development of UEBA technology stems from the need to address internal threats in information security, which traditional defenses often overlook.

Traditional security methods, like firewalls and intrusion detection, mainly focus on external attacks and rely on known rules for threat detection. However, these methods have limitations: they miss the risks posed by internal threats, struggle with complex and concealed threats, and are prone to blind spots, delays, and bypasses.

UEBA emerged to overcome these challenges. Unlike traditional methods, UEBA doesn’t distinguish between internal and external threats. Instead, it analyzes all user and entity behavior—normal or abnormal—using big data, algorithms, and machine learning to continuously model behavioral baselines. This allows UEBA to detect deviations in real time and issue alerts.

By addressing the rigidity and visibility gaps of rule-based defenses, UEBA offers a more flexible and accurate approach to identifying and responding to security threats, making it essential for modern cybersecurity strategies.

How does Paraview leverage UEBA? 

Paraview Software began with a focus on digital identity security and committed 16 years to digital identity security, becoming a strong performer in this field. Based on this foundation, Paraview continually expanded the range of security products and capabilities designed to further strengthen the protection of enterprises' digital identities. For example, Paraview offers privileged account management systems, multi-factor authentication technology, and the UEBA technology discussed in this article.

In protecting digital identity security, enterprises need to analyze and assess the behavior of access identities to prevent abnormal accounts from logging in and gaining access. For instance, if a person's usual access patterns—such as location, device, and time—are consistent, but suddenly there is a change in the device, a significant difference in the timing, or even a different access path, Paraview’s IAM system will trigger additional strong authentication to verify the security and trustworthiness of the identity.

Currently, Paraview’s UEBA technology has been successfully integrated into the latest IAM system, addressing risks related to user login, bot access, and account registration. In the future, it will also provide security capabilities for mitigating API risks, privilege abuse risks, and sensitive file access risks.

Conclusion

This is just one example of Paraview’s capabilities in identity security solutions. To further enhance the protection of identity access, authentication, and permission control, Paraview has been continually refining its algorithms and strategy models. Additionally, Paraview's introduction of an "identity-first" integrated Zero-trust solution has further driven the company’s research and investment in UEBA technology.

Curious to learn more about how Paraview’s UEBA technology can secure your organization’s Identity and Access? Get in touch with us today and Let’s discuss our solutions for you!

‍