In the context of Microsoft Defender for Identity, what does monitoring user behavior help to detect?

Monitoring user behavior within Microsoft Defender for Identity is crucial for detecting patterns that may indicate insider threats. Insider threats can manifest in various ways, including unusual access to sensitive data, shifts in normal user activity, or attempts to exfiltrate data that wouldn't typically be accessed by the user. By analyzing user behavior over time, security teams can establish a baseline of normal activity for each user or group and identify any deviations from this established norm. Such deviations can signal potential malicious intents, whether intentional or unintentional, allowing organizations to take proactive steps to mitigate risks.

While other options, such as detecting malware installations, data loss, or unauthorized software installations, are important aspects of security monitoring, they are not primarily focused on user behavior analysis. Instead, they often rely on different tools and methods, such as endpoint protection or data loss prevention solutions, making the identification of insider threats through behavior monitoring a more targeted and effective use case for Microsoft Defender for Identity.