Is Behaviour-Based Security the Missing Link in Your Cyber Strategy?

In a world where cyber threats are constant and complex, traditional defences are no longer enough. Attackers don’t always break in—they log in. Sometimes, they use stolen credentials. Other times, it’s employees—knowingly or unknowingly—who cause harm. This is where behaviour-based security comes into play.

It doesn’t rely solely on known malware signatures or predefined rules. Instead, it observes how users behave and flags anything that looks unusual. In short, it learns what’s “normal”—then alerts you when something isn’t. 

Why behaviour-based security matters? 

Imagine a staff member accessing systems from a new location, downloading a bulk of sensitive files at midnight, and forwarding them to a personal email. A traditional firewall may not see this as a problem. But behaviour-based security, powered by analytics, will. 

This approach is often enabled by User and Entity Behaviour Analytics (UEBA). These systems use machine learning to develop behavioural baselines. They track login patterns, application usage, file access, and more. When behaviour deviates from the baseline, it triggers an alert. 

This is a game-changer for insider threat detection, where the attacker behaves like a trusted user, because sometimes, they are one. 

What are UEBA tools and how do they work? 

UEBA tools are security platforms designed to detect anomalies in user and system behaviour. They work differently from traditional rule-based systems, which need known attack signatures to respond. UEBA systems learn from the environment. They study behavioural trends over time and detect when something unusual occurs. 

They look at a wide range of signals, such as: 

• Unusual login times or locations 

• Excessive access to confidential files 

• Lateral movement between departments or servers 

• Use of admin privileges without prior activity 

Because of this broad scope, UEBA tools are especially useful for detecting zero-day threats, compromised accounts, and insider risks. 

Two industry-leading UEBA tools are Exabeam and Splunk UBA. 

Exabeam: Smart detection with contextual insight 

Exabeam is a top-tier UEBA solution used by large enterprises across banking, healthcare, manufacturing, and retail sectors. It excels at correlating behaviour across multiple systems and presenting it in a single, digestible timeline. 

How it works: 

• Exabeam collects logs from identity providers, cloud apps, endpoints, and SIEM tools. 

• It builds a behavioural baseline per user, server, and device. 

• It detects anomalies like off-hours access or data exfiltration. 

• It creates a narrative timeline so SOC analysts can follow the trail with clarity. 

Where it shines: 

Exabeam is particularly good at reducing noise. Instead of overwhelming teams with dozens of minor alerts, it bundles related behaviours into a story. This contextual view speeds up decision-making and reduces analyst fatigue. 

It is also strong in insider threat detection, whether it’s a rogue employee or someone using stolen credentials. Because it knows what “normal” looks like, even small deviations stand out. 

Challenges: 

To perform optimally, Exabeam requires rich data sources. If logs are incomplete or misconfigured, detection accuracy drops. Continuous tuning and data hygiene are key to its success. 

Splunk UBA: Deep analytics with enterprise muscle 

Splunk UBA builds on Splunk’s robust data-processing platform. It’s suited for large-scale environments where speed, depth, and customisation matter. 

How it works: 

• Splunk UBA ingests data from both Splunk and third-party tools. 

• It analyses behaviour across users, endpoints, and systems. 

• It assigns risk scores based on detected anomalies and correlates events into high-risk narratives. 

• Analysts view this via rich dashboards and visualisations. 

Where it excels: 

It’s ideal for organisations already invested in Splunk. Its UEBA layer is a natural extension of the Splunk ecosystem. Its detection models can be tailored to specific industries, making it a strong fit for banks, healthcare providers, and telecoms. 

Challenges: 

Splunk UBA can be complex to configure. Customisation is a strength, but it requires a skilled team to get the most out of it. However, the long-term payoff in visibility and control is substantial. 

Case Study: MUFG Union Bank and Exabeam 

MUFG Union Bank, based in California, USA, faced growing challenges with its Data Loss Prevention (DLP) system. It produced many false positives, wasting valuable analyst time and increasing the risk of missing real threats. 

The bank integrated Exabeam’s UEBA platform to improve visibility and reduce noise. Exabeam established behavioural baselines for each user and entity across their environment. The system raised high-fidelity alerts when unusual patterns emerged, such as sudden file transfers or privilege abuse. 

Crucially, Exabeam correlated these behaviours into coherent timelines. This helped analysts understand events in context rather than piecing together separate logs. 

The result: MUFG Union Bank improved detection of insider threats, dramatically reduced false positives, and streamlined its SOC operations—without increasing headcount. 

When to use behaviour-based security 

Behaviour-based security is not a silver bullet, but it adds a vital detection layer. It’s especially useful when: 

• Attackers use valid credentials (common in phishing or credential stuffing attacks) 

• Environments are cloud-first or hybrid, with diverse access patterns 

• Organisations are in regulated industries (finance, government, healthcare) 

• Companies have distributed workforces, making traditional baselines harder to define 

• You want to move away from reactive alerting to proactive, context-aware response 

Human analysts still matter 

Even with powerful anomaly detection, humans remain at the centre. UEBA highlights abnormal activity, but analysts decide what’s malicious and what’s just unusual. 

For example, a flagged file transfer could be a backup—or data theft. Only context, judgement, and business knowledge can say for sure. 

The best SOCs blend smart automation with skilled analysts. Let tools like Exabeam or Splunk UBA do the heavy lifting. Let people do the thinking. 

Distilled 

Behaviour-based security isn’t just another buzzword. It’s a powerful way to spot threats traditional tools miss. UEBA tools like Exabeam and Splunk UBA help detect risks early, reduce noise, and improve focus. In a world where even insiders can be a threat, knowing what “normal” looks like might be your sharpest edge.