Network Behavior Analysis (NBA) is a method of enhancing the security of a proprietary network by monitoring traffic and noting unusual actions or departures from normal operation. An NBA solution offers protection for a network in addition to that provided by traditional anti-threat applications such as firewalls, antivirus software and spyware-detection programs.

An NBA program passively monitors the communications between hosts and clients in real time and flags unknown, new or unusual patterns that could indicate the presence of threats. An NBA program can also monitor and record trends in bandwidth and protocol use. These functions can minimize the time and labor involved in locating and resolving problems. An effective NBA solution may proactively forestall serious security breaches and render complex and time-consuming disaster-recovery procedures unnecessary.

An NBA solution is not effective on its own. It should be used in addition to conventional firewalls and solutions for the detection, blocking and removal of malware.