What is Data mining?

Understanding Data mining

A decision-making technique that is based on a series of analytical techniques taken from the fields of mathematics, statistics, cybernetics, and genetics. Data mining involves analyzing large datasets to discover patterns, relationships, and insights that can inform decision-making. In security contexts, data mining helps identify anomalies, predict threats, and uncover hidden relationships in security events. Data mining techniques include classification, clustering, regression, and association analysis. Organizations implement data mining through specialized tools that analyze logs, network traffic, and user behavior for security intelligence as recommended in frameworks like NIST SP 800-150. For example, a cybersecurity team might use data mining techniques to analyze authentication logs and identify patterns indicating credential-based attacks, such as numerous failed login attempts across different accounts. Related terms: Big data analytics, Machine learning, Anomaly detection, Predictive analysis, Security analytics, SIEM, User and entity behavior analytics UEBA.