What is necessary for anomaly-based monitoring to be effective?

For anomaly-based monitoring to be effective, having a defined security baseline is crucial. This baseline serves as a reference point for normal network behavior, allowing security systems to detect deviations from the norm. When an organization establishes what constitutes typical activity—such as user behavior, network traffic patterns, and system performance—anomaly-based monitoring can more accurately identify unusual events that may indicate a security threat.

Without a well-defined baseline, it becomes challenging to discern what qualifies as an anomaly, leading to potential false positives or missed threats. In essence, the effectiveness of anomaly detection hinges on the clear understanding of what normal looks like, enabling it to flag anything that stands out as suspicious or unexpected.