Network Anomaly Detection: Methods, Systems and Tools

Network anomaly detection is an important and dynamic research area. Many network intrusion detection methods and systems (NIDS) have been proposed in the literature. In this paper, we provide a structured and comprehensive overview of various facets of network anomaly detection so that a researcher can become quickly familiar with every aspect of network anomaly detection. We present attacks normally encountered by network intrusion detection systems. We categorize existing network anomaly detection methods and systems based on the underlying computational techniques used. Within this framework, we briefly describe and compare a large number of network anomaly detection methods and systems. In addition, we also discuss tools that can be used by network defenders and datasets that researchers in network anomaly detection can use. We also highlight research directions in network anomaly detection.