IDS & IPS

IDS stands for intrusion detection system, and IPS stands for intrusion prevention system.

They are both cybersecurity technologies that help organizations detect, analyze, and respond to security threats before they harm business operations

IDS and IPS have different objectives and functions

IDS

An IDS monitors network traffic and analyzes it for signs of intrusion, such as malicious packets, unusual requests, or known attack patterns.

When an IDS detects a potential threat, it sends an alert to the security team or another system, but it does not take any action to stop the attack.

An IDS is a passive system that only observes and reports

IPS

An IPS also monitors network traffic and analyzes it for signs of intrusion, but it also takes action to prevent or block the attack.

When an IPS detects a potential threat, it responds based on predefined rules or policies, such as dropping malicious packets, terminating connections, or quarantining files.

An IPS is an active system that intervenes and controls.

There are different types of IDS and IPS systems, depending on where they are deployed and how they detect threats.

Network-based IDS/IPS (NIDS/NIPS): These systems are installed at strategic points on the network, such as routers, switches, or firewalls, and monitor all network traffic that passes through them. They can detect threats that target the network layer or the application layer of the OSI model

Host-based IDS/IPS (HIDS/HIPS): These systems are installed on individual hosts or devices on the network, such as servers, workstations, or mobile devices, and monitor the activity on those hosts. They can detect threats that target the host itself, such as malware, unauthorized access, or configuration changes

Signature-based IDS/IPS: These systems use a database of signatures or patterns of known threats to identify them. They can detect threats that match the signatures exactly, but they may miss new or unknown threats that have different signatures

Anomaly-based IDS/IPS: These systems use a baseline of normal behavior of the network or the host to identify deviations or anomalies. They can detect new or unknown threats that do not match the normal behavior, but they may generate false positives if the behavior changes for legitimate reasons

Benefits of IDS/IPS

A central view of potential threats across the entire IT environment
Real-time threat detection and response
Advanced threat intelligence and analysis
Regulatory compliance auditing and reporting
Greater transparency and visibility into user, application, and device activity

Challenges with IDS/IPS

High cost and complexity of deployment and maintenance
Performance impact on network traffic or host resources
False positives or false negatives that may affect security effectiveness
Tuning and updating requirements to keep up with evolving threats
Coordination and integration with other security tools and processes

Here are some IDS/IPS devices and software

IDS devices

Cisco Firepower NGIPS: This is a network-based intrusion prevention system (IPS) device that provides threat detection, analysis, and response capabilities. It can be deployed as a physical or virtual appliance, or integrated with Cisco Firepower NGFW

Fortinet FortiGate: This is a next-generation firewall (NGFW) device that also offers intrusion prevention system (IPS) functionality. It can detect and block known and unknown threats, as well as provide application control, web filtering, VPN, and sandboxing

Juniper Networks IDP Series: This is a network-based intrusion detection and prevention system (IDPS) device that provides comprehensive threat protection and visibility. It can detect and block attacks such as worms, Trojans, spyware, and phishing. It also offers granular policy management, centralized reporting, and forensic analysis

McAfee Network Security Sensor: This is a network-based intrusion detection and prevention system (IDPS) device that delivers advanced threat detection and prevention. It can identify and stop zero-day attacks, advanced persistent threats (APTs), ransomware, botnets, and encrypted attacks. It also offers behavioral analysis, threat intelligence, cloud integration, and automation

Tripwire Enterprise: This is a host-based intrusion detection system (HIDS) device that monitors the activity on individual hosts or devices. It can detect malware, unauthorized access, configuration changes, and file integrity issues. It also offers compliance management, risk assessment, and remediation

IPS devices

Cisco Secure Firewall: This is a next-generation firewall (NGFW) device that also offers intrusion prevention system (IPS) functionality. It can detect and block known and unknown threats, as well as provide application control, web filtering, VPN, and sandboxing

Fortinet FortiGate: This is another NGFW device that also offers IPS functionality. It can protect against exploits, malware, botnets, and ransomware, as well as provide network segmentation, traffic shaping, and cloud integration

Trend Micro TippingPoint: This is a network-based intrusion prevention system (NIPS) device that uses threat intelligence and machine learning to identify and stop advanced threats. It can also provide network segmentation, traffic inspection, and vulnerability management

IDS/IPS software

Snort: This is an open-source network-based intrusion detection system (IDS) software that performs real-time traffic analysis and packet logging. It can detect various attacks and probes, such as buffer overflows, stealth port scans, CGI attacks, and OS fingerprinting

OSSEC: This is an open-source host-based intrusion detection system (HIDS) software that monitors the activity on individual hosts or devices. It can detect malware, unauthorized access, configuration changes, and file integrity issues

Suricata: This is an open-source network-based intrusion detection and prevention system (IDPS) software that uses rules, signature language, and anomaly detection to identify complex threats. It also offers security analytics, threat hunting, and network monitoring

Bro: This is an open-source network-based intrusion detection system (NIDS) software that analyzes network traffic and generates high-level logs of the events. It can detect intrusions, malware, policy violations, and network anomalie