Machine Learning for

Network Anomaly
Detection
Ifham Aakil
70141110
Mohamed Shammas
70141109

Engr. Abeera
Department of Computer Engineering
Outline
 Introduction
 Literature Review
 Problem Statement
 Aims and Objectives
 Methodology
 Expected Outcomes and Applications
 Estimated Budget
 Gantt Chart
 References

04/24/2025 2
Machine Learning for Network Anomaly Detection
Introduction
 Problem:
The rapid growth of networked systems increases risks of
anomalies, including security threats and performance issues.
Traditional methods struggle with the scale and complexity of
modern networks.
 Challenges in Traditional Methods:
o Static, rule-based systems fail to adapt to dynamic networks.
o High false positives and poor scalability reduce effectiveness.
 Why Machine Learning?
o Provides adaptive, scalable solutions for real-time detection.
o Analyzes large data volumes to detect known and unknown
anomalies with greater accuracy and efficiency.

04/24/2025 3
Machine Learning for Network Anomaly Detection
Literature Review
Traditional approaches, such as signature-based and rule-based detection methods,
are limited in their ability to identify zero-day attacks and novel anomalies. These
systems rely heavily on predefined rules and known attack signatures, making them
inflexible to the dynamic nature of modern network environments [1]. Machine
learning has emerged as a promising alternative, enabling the identification of
patterns and deviations in network traffic without prior knowledge of specific attack
signatures. Supervised learning techniques, such as Support Vector Machines (SVM)
and Random Forest, have been extensively used for intrusion detection systems
(IDS). However, their reliance on labeled datasets often limits their applicability in real-
world scenarios [2]. Unsupervised learning algorithms, such as clustering and
anomaly detection models, address these limitations by leveraging unlabeled data.
Among these, the Isolation Forest algorithm has gained significant attention due to its
efficiency and effectiveness in detecting outliers in high-dimensional datasets [3]. This
model isolates anomalies by recursively partitioning the data, providing a robust and
scalable solution for anomaly detection in network traffic. Recent studies highlight the
importance of preprocessing in enhancing the performance of machine learning
models. Techniques such as one-hot encoding for categorical variables,
standardization of numerical features, and handling missing data are critical for
ensuring the reliability of the detection system [4]. Additionally, visualization of
anomalies offers insights into network behavior, aiding in the interpretation of
detection results and facilitating real-time decision-making [5].
04/24/2025 4
Machine Learning for Network Anomaly Detection
Problem Statement

 Problem:
Modern networks face massive traffic volumes and are highly
vulnerable to cyberattacks, intrusions, and performance issues.
Traditional detection methods struggle to identify evolving threats,
leading to breaches and outages.

 Focus:
Use Machine Learning to enhance network anomaly detection by
improving accuracy, reducing false positives, and strengthening
network resilience.

04/24/2025 5

Machine Learning for Network Anomaly Detection

 Objectives:
o Automate feature extraction to reduce detection time.
o Improve accuracy for known and unknown threats.
o Minimize false positives for reliable alerts.
o Develop scalable solutions for large network traffic.

04/24/2025 6
Machine Learning for Network Anomaly Detection
 Methodology

Data Data Data

Model Training
and Optimization Model Evaluation
and Tuning

Model
Deployment

04/24/2025 7
Machine Learning for Network Anomaly Detection
Expected Outcomes and
Applications
 Expected Outcomes:
o High-accuracy ML model with low false positives.
o Insights into network behavior and anomalies.

 Applications:
o Industries: Secure enterprise networks, prevent breaches.
o ISPs: Scalable traffic management and anomaly detection.
o Government: Protect national infrastructure networks.
o Healthcare: Safeguard sensitive patient data.
o Smart Homes: Defend IoT devices from cyber threats.

04/24/2025 8
Machine Learning for Network Anomaly Detection
Estimated Budget

•Hardware Resources: Cloud or local servers for model training: Rs.0

•Software Tools: Python libraries (e.g., Scikit-learn, TensorFlow): Free

•Datasets: Open-source datasets: Rs.0

•Miscellaneous: Internet and documentation: Minimal cost

•Total Estimated Budget: Rs.0

04/24/2025 9
Machine Learning for Network Anomaly Detection
Gantt Chart
2024| 2025

Sr. Tasks Oct Nov Dec Jan

1 Literature review
2 Identification of methodology

3 Software/hardware requirements

4 Preparation of project proposal

5 Development of initial prototype

6 System implementation/integration
7 Project testing/verification
8 Improvement in project design
9 Project report writing and submission

10 Final presentation and demonstration

04/24/2025 10
Machine Learning for Network Anomaly Detection
References
[1] A.Patcha and J.-M.Park, "An overview of anomaly detection techniques:
Existing solutions and latest technological trends," Computer Networks, vol. 51,
no. 12, pp. 3448–3470, 2007.
[2] M. Tavallaee, E. Bagheri, W. Lu, and A. A. Ghorbani, "A detailed analysis of
the KDD CUP 99 data set," in Proceedings of the 2009 IEEE Symposium on
Computational Intelligence for Security and Defense Applications (CISDA),
Ottawa, ON, Canada, Jul. 2009, pp. 1–6.
[3] F. T. Liu, K. M. Ting, and Z.-H. Zhou, "Isolation Forest," in Proceedings of the
2008 Eighth IEEE International Conference on Data Mining (ICDM), Pisa, Italy,
Dec. 2008, pp. 413–422.
[4] I. Goodfellow, Y. Bengio, and A.Courville, Deep Learning, MIT Press, 2016,
pp. 367–394.
[5] V. Chandola, A. Banerjee, and V. Kumar, "Anomaly detection: A survey,"
ACM Computing Surveys (CSUR), vol. 41, no. 3, pp. 1–58, Jul. 2009.

04/24/2025 11
Machine Learning for Network Anomaly Detection
04/24/2025 12
Machine Learning for Network Anomaly Detection
04/24/2025 13
Machine Learning for Network Anomaly Detection