Intrusion detection using sequences of system calls
Steven A. Hofmeyr, Stephanie Forrest, Anil Somayaji · Journal of Computer Security · 1998
A method is introduced for detecting intrusions at the level of privileged processes. Evidence is given that short sequences of system calls executed by running processes are a good discriminator between normal and abnormal operating characteristics of several common UNIX programs. Normal behavior is collected in two ways: Synthetically, by exercising as many normal modes of usage of a program as possible, and in a live user environment by tracing the actual execution of the program. In the former case several types of intrusive behavior were studied; in the latter case, results were analyzed for false positives.