Expanding QRadar User Behavior Analytics with Entity Context
Security teams have relied on User Behavior Analytics (UBA) to detect unusual activity tied to user accounts. It’s helped identify compromised credentials, privilege misuse, and insider threats. But users don’t operate in isolation. They interact with devices, servers, and networks. These interactions carry risk too.
IBM QRadar is now expanding UBA into User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA). The addition of Entity brings a more complete view of behavior across your environment.
The Foundation Built by User Behavior Analytics
UBA has been effective at surfacing threats that traditional rule-based systems might miss. By building baselines of normal user behavior, it can detect when something changes, like a login from an unusual location or access to a system outside a user’s typical pattern.
These insights have helped security teams:
UBA has been a strong foundation. Now it’s time to build on it.
The Shift to Entity Awareness
With the addition of entity context, QRadar UEBA now tracks and scores user and now also adds tracking of the devices and assets they interact with. This includes IP addresses, hostnames, and critical infrastructure.
This broader view helps analysts:
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Detect unusual behavior tied to devices
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See how users and entities are connected
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Investigate threats with more context
For example, if a device starts making failed login attempts and accessing sensitive systems, UEBA can flag it, even if the user account looks normal at first glance.
Strengthening Detection with Entity Risk Scoring
Entities often show signs of compromise before a user account does. A device might be probing internal systems, or a server might be accessed at odd hours. These signals can be early indicators of lateral movement or malware activity.
By scoring entities alongside users, QRadar UEBA helps teams:
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Prioritize investigations based on combined risk
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Trace the full path of a potential threat
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Reduce blind spots in detection
Linking Behavior Across the Environment
QRadar UEBA builds risk profiles using existing event and flow data. It applies both machine learning and rule-based logic to detect patterns that don’t fit expected behavior.
Entities are automatically discovered from logs and flows. They’re linked to user identities, so analysts can see who interacted with what, and when.
The dashboards now include both User Monitoring and Entity Monitoring, giving teams a unified view of risk across people and infrastructure.
A Day in the SOC
An analyst starts their shift and checks the UEBA dashboard. Everything looks normal at first. Then a device’s risk score begins to rise. It’s not critical yet, but it stands out.
Soon, the score climbs higher. The system shows failed VPN logins, attempts to use a disabled account, and access to a sensitive database. At the same time, two users linked to the device also show increased risk.
The analyst connects the dots. The users and the device are involved in the same activity. The database server is now flagged as high risk too. This looks like a compromised account trying to move laterally.
With the evidence in hand, the analyst escalates the case. What could have taken hours now takes minutes.
More Context, More Confidence
IBM QRadar UEBA enhances detection with additional layers of context that help analysts make faster, more informed decisions.
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Vulnerability Awareness: UEBA integrates with supported scanners like Qualys to pull in vulnerability data. When a risky device is flagged, analysts can immediately see if it has known unpatched vulnerabilities that could be exploited.
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Geo-Location Insight: Devices are mapped to their geographic locations, which helps analysts understand where risky activity is occurring and whether it aligns with expected behavior.
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Offense Generation for Entities: UEBA now generates offenses not only for users but also for entities. Analysts can view and respond to these offenses separately, improving triage and response workflows.
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Asset Awareness: QRadar’s Asset Database tracks discovered devices in the environment. As new assets are deployed, they are automatically added and monitored by UEBA for anomalous activity.
The new capabilities are already generating excitement in early access. Be among the first to experience them when UEBA 5.0.0.0 becomes generally available on the app exchange on July 31, 2025.
In addition to our recent app releases (Investigation Assistant and UEBA) we’re proud to share that IBM QRadar SIEM has been recognized with a 2025 TrustRadius Top Rated Award. This recognition is based entirely on customer feedback and reflects the value users continue to find in the platform. We’re deeply grateful to everyone who took the time to share their experiences and insights. Your feedback helps others understand the impact of QRadar, and shapes how we continue to improve the product. This recognition is a shared achievement, and we’re committed to carrying this standard of excellence forward. Read their full list of top products (including 18 other IBM products) here.
On July 15th, we hosted and IBM Security Day in Atlanta, Ga, bringing together security professionals from across the Southeast for a dynamic afternoon of discussion and collaboration. We explored the current state of AI and quantum security threats, shared insights on emerging challenges, and exchanged ideas on how to stay ahead. We closed with a deep dive into QRadar’s latest innovations, including AI-powered features like Investigation Assistant and UEBA. Thanks to everyone who joined us in Atlanta for a meaningful exchange of ideas and a fresh look at how QRadar is evolving to meet today’s security challenges! If you are interested in attending a QRadar event, please take a look at our event calendar.
Upcoming Events
IBM QRadar Monthly: Introducing User & Entity Behavior Analytics
Date: July 31st, 2025 10 AM EST
Where: Online Webinar
Description: Join us as we introduce UEBA 5.0.0, where we focus on the power of entity-based analytics and how combining entities with user behavior enhances threat detection. We’ll explore categorized use cases, walk through real-world scenarios, and showcase a live demo.
Register Here