What is Isolation Forest?
Isolation Forest stands as a formidable anomaly detection algorithm renowned for its efficiency and versatility. Anomaly detection is the backbone of data analysis to identify patterns or events that deviate significantly from the norm in a dataset. Isolation forest operates by isolating anomalies within a dataset through a process of recursive partitioning.
- Unlike traditional methods that rely on proximity measures, Isolation Forest takes a unique approach by randomly selecting features and splitting them along random values until individual data points are isolated.
- This “isolating” process is responsible for creating partitions or “trees” that aim to separate anomalies from normal observations.
- Anomalies, being fewer in number and further from the norm, typically require fewer splits to isolate, making them easier to detect.
By leveraging the concept of isolation, this algorithm efficiently distinguishes between normal and abnormal behavior, facilitating prompt action to mitigate potential risks or exploit valuable insights hidden within data anomalies.
Isolation Forest Algorithm with Example
In the diagram, “Input Dataset” is at the top. This dataset is then split into two branches, labeled “Normal with uncommon” and “Outliers.”
The “Normal with uncommon” branch splits again, until it reaches a label of “Normal.” This suggests that data points that are classified as normal may have some unusual characteristics.
The “Outliers” branch reaches a label of “Outliers” more quickly, suggesting that outliers can be identified relatively easily using Isolation Forest.
What is Isolation Forest?
Isolation forest is a state-of-the-art anomaly detection algorithm which is very famous for its efficiency and simplicity. By removing anomalies from a dataset using binary partitioning, it quickly identifies outliers with minimal computational overhead, making it the way to go for anomalies in areas ranging from cybersecurity to finance. In this article, we are going to explore the fundamentals of Isolation Forest algorithm.
Table of Content
- What is Isolation Forest?
- How Isolation forest Algorithm Works?
- Implementation with Isolation Forest
- Advantages of Isolation Forest
- Limitations of Isolation Forest
Contact Us