IP Library Granted Patent US 10,645,109
Granted Patent B1
US 10,645,109 · App. 15/940,673 · Granted May 5, 2020

System, method, and computer program for detection of anomalous user network activity based on multiple data sources

Inventors: Derek Lin (San Mateo, CA); Qiaona Hu (Emerald Hills, CA); Domingo Mihovilovic (Menlo Park, CA); Sylvain Gil (San Francisco, CA); Barry Steiman (San Ramon, CA)
Assignee: Exabeam, Inc.
H04L63/1425G06F16/285G06F21/554G06N5/047
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,645,109
App. No.
15/940,673
Granted
May 5, 2020
Kind
B1
Abstract

The present disclosure relates a system, method, and computer program for detecting anomalous user network activity based on multiple data sources. The system extracts user event data for n days from multiple data sources to create a baseline behavior model that reflects the user's daily volume and type of IT events. In creating the model, the system addresses data heterogeneity in multi-source logs by categorizing raw events into meta events. Thus, baseline behavior model captures the user's daily meta-event pattern and volume of IT meta events over n days. The model is created using a dimension reduction technique. The system detects any anomalous pattern and volume changes in a user's IT behavior on day n by comparing user meta-event activity on day n to the baseline behavior model. A score normalization scheme allows identification of a global threshold to flag current anomalous activity in the user population.

Claims (82)

1. A method, performed by a computer system, for detecting anomalous IT pattern and volume event behavior for a user during a period of time based on multiple data sources, the method comprising:

creating a baseline behavior model P that captures a user's daily pattern and volume of IT meta events over n days based on multiple data sources, wherein creating the baseline behavior model comprises:

receiving raw event logs from multiple data sources for a period of n days from days 0 to n−1;

categorizing raw event logs into meta events using an event taxonomy;

for each of the days 0 to n−1, creating a vector with a weighted count of each unique meta event observed that day;

creating a matrix, M, with the vectors for days 0 to n−1; and

modeling the data in the matrix (M) from day 0 to day n−1 using a dimension reduction technique to create the resulting baseline behavior model P;

determining whether there are anomalous pattern and volume changes in a user's IT behavior on day n using the baseline behavior model P, wherein the determining step comprises:

creating a vector, f n , with a weighted count of each unique meta event observed on day n;

scoring the activity vector f n by measuring the magnitude of its reconstruction error as the difference between f n and f n PP T ;

normalizing the reconstruction error; and

comparing the normalized reconstruction error to an anomaly threshold;

in response to the normalized reconstruction error satisfying the anomaly threshold, concluding that the user's meta event behavior on day n is anomalous and elevating a risk assessment associated with the user's IT activities on day n; and

in response to the normalized reconstruction error not satisfying the anomaly threshold, updating the baseline behavior model with the user's meta event activity from day n.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dimension reduction technique is Principal Component Analysis (PCA).

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the baseline behavior model P is the top K eigenvectors of M T M.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein normalizing the reconstruction error comprises dividing the reconstruction error by the sum of all eigenvalues in the baseline behavior model P.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein elevating the risk assessment comprises adding points to a risk score for the user's logon session.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the events include a plurality of the following: log-on events, account-creation events, account-deletion events, account-password-change events, and events relates to access of machines, documents, and applications.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the threshold is set so that the normalized reconstruction error is above the threshold for between 0.4% and 0.6% of users in the network.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a computer program, that, when executed by a computer system, enables the computer system to perform the following method for detecting anomalous IT pattern and volume event behavior for a user during a period of time based on multiple data sources, the method comprising:

creating a baseline behavior model P that captures a user's daily pattern and volume of IT meta events over n days based on multiple data sources, wherein creating the baseline behavior model comprises:

receiving raw event logs from multiple data sources for a period of n days from days 0 to n−1;

categorizing raw event logs into meta events using an event taxonomy;

for each of the days 0 to n−1, creating a vector with a weighted count of each unique meta event observed that day;

creating a matrix, M, with the vectors for days 0 to n−1; and

modeling the data in the matrix (M) from day 0 to day n−1 using a dimension reduction technique to create the resulting baseline behavior model P;

determining whether there are anomalous pattern and volume changes in a user's IT behavior on day n using the baseline behavior model P, wherein the determining step comprises:

creating a vector, f n , with a weighted count of each unique meta event observed on day n;

scoring the activity vector f n by measuring the magnitude of its reconstruction error as the difference between f n and f n PP T ;

normalizing the reconstruction error; and

comparing the normalized reconstruction error to an anomaly threshold;

in response to the normalized reconstruction error satisfying the anomaly threshold, concluding that the user's meta event behavior on day n is anomalous and elevating a risk assessment associated with the user's IT activities on day n; and

in response to the normalized reconstruction error not satisfying the anomaly threshold, updating the baseline behavior model with the user's meta event activity from day n.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the dimension reduction technique is Principal Component Analysis (PCA).

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the baseline behavior model P is the top K eigenvectors of M T M.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein normalizing the reconstruction error comprises dividing the reconstruction error by the sum of all eigenvalues in the baseline behavior model P.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein elevating the risk assessment comprises adding points to a risk score for the user's logon session.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the events include a plurality of the following: log-on events, account-creation events, account-deletion events, account-password-change events, and events relates to access of machines, documents, and applications.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the threshold is set so that the normalized reconstruction error is above the threshold for between 0.4% and 0.6% of users in the network.

15. A computer system for detecting anomalous IT pattern and volume event behavior for a user during a period of time based on multiple data sources the system comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more memory units coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the one or more memory units store instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform the operations of:

creating a baseline behavior model P that captures a user's daily pattern and volume of IT meta events over n days based on multiple data sources, wherein creating the baseline behavior model comprises:

receiving raw event logs from multiple data sources for a period of n days from days 0 to n−1;

categorizing raw event logs into meta events using an event taxonomy;

for each of the days 0 to n−1, creating a vector with a weighted count of each unique meta event observed that day;

creating a matrix, M, with the vectors for days 0 to n−1; and

modeling the data in the matrix (M) from day 0 to day n−1 using a dimension reduction technique to create the resulting baseline behavior model P;

determining whether there are anomalous pattern and volume changes in a user's IT behavior on day n using the baseline behavior model P, wherein the determining step comprises:

creating a vector, f n , with a weighted count of each unique meta event observed on day n;

scoring the activity vector f n by measuring the magnitude of its reconstruction error as the difference between f n and f n PP T ;

normalizing the reconstruction error; and

comparing the normalized reconstruction error to an anomaly threshold;

in response to the normalized reconstruction error satisfying the anomaly threshold, concluding that the user's meta event behavior on day n is anomalous and elevating a risk assessment associated with the user's IT activities on day n; and

in response to the normalized reconstruction error not satisfying the anomaly threshold, updating the baseline behavior model with the user's meta event activity from day n.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the dimension reduction technique is Principal Component Analysis (PCA).

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the baseline behavior model P is the top K eigenvectors of M T M.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein normalizing the reconstruction error comprises dividing the reconstruction error by the sum of all eigenvalues in the baseline behavior model P.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein elevating the risk assessment comprises adding points to a risk score for the user's logon session.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the events include a plurality of the following: log-on events, account-creation events, account-deletion events, account-password-change events, and events relates to access of machines, documents, and applications.

21. The method of claim 15 , wherein the threshold is set so that the normalized reconstruction error is above the threshold for between 0.4% and 0.6% of users in the network.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a computer program, that, when executed by a computer system, enables the computer system to perform the following method for detecting anomalous IT pattern and volume event behavior for a user during a period of time based on multiple data sources, the method comprising:

creating a baseline behavior model P that captures a user's periodic pattern and volume of IT meta events over n periods based on multiple data sources, wherein creating the baseline behavior model comprises:

receiving raw event logs from multiple data sources for n periods from periods 0 to n−1;

categorizing raw event logs into meta events using an event taxonomy;

for each of the periods 0 to n−1, creating a vector with a weighted count of each unique meta event observed during that period;

creating a matrix, M, with the vectors for periods 0 to n−1; and

modeling the data in the matrix (M) from day 0 to day n−1 using a dimension reduction technique to create the resulting baseline behavior model P;

determining whether there are anomalous pattern and volume changes in a user's IT behavior during period n using the baseline behavior model P, wherein the determining step comprises:

creating a vector, f n , with a weighted count of each unique meta event observed during period n;

scoring the activity vector f n by measuring the magnitude of its reconstruction error as the difference between f n and f n PP T ;

normalizing the reconstruction error; and

comparing the normalized reconstruction error to an anomaly threshold;

in response to the normalized reconstruction error satisfying the anomaly threshold, concluding that the user's meta event behavior during period n is anomalous and elevating a risk assessment associated with the user's IT activities during period n; and

in response to the normalized reconstruction error not satisfying the anomaly threshold, updating the baseline behavior model with the user's meta event activity from period n.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the dimension reduction technique is Principal Component Analysis (PCA).

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the baseline behavior model P is the top K eigenvectors of M T M.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24 , wherein normalizing the reconstruction error comprises dividing the reconstruction error by the sum of all eigenvalues in the baseline behavior model P.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein elevating the risk assessment comprises adding points to a risk score for the user's logon session.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the events include a plurality of the following: log-on events, account-creation events, account-deletion events, account-password-change events, and events relates to access of machines, documents, and applications.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the threshold is set so that the normalized reconstruction error is above the threshold for between 0.4% and 0.6% of users in the network.

Assignments (4)
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS AT REEL/FRAME NO. 063649/0076 Recorded Jul 8, 2024
From: BLUE OWL TECHNOLOGY FINANCE CORP. (FORMERLY OWL ROCK TECHNOLOGY FINANCE CORP.)
To: EXABEAM, INC.
Reel/Frame 068217/0795 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 3, 2024
From: LOGRHYTHM, INC.; EXABEAM, INC.
To: 26N DL SERVICING LP, AS THE COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 068105/0797 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 15, 2023
From: EXABEAM, INC.
To: OWL ROCK TECHNOLOGY FINANCE CORP., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AND COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 063649/0076 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 24, 2018
From: LIN, DEREK; HU, QIAONA; MIHOVILOVIC, DOMINGO; GIL, SYLVAIN; STEIMAN, BARRY
To: EXABEAM, INC.
Reel/Frame 045895/0103 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 62479566 · Mar 31, 2017
Cited By (9)
US 12,199,996 US 12,238,127 US 12,314,287 US 12,341,800 US 12,399,984 US 12,506,763 US 12,537,835 US 12,621,333 US 12,717,925