An Intrusion Detection System (IDS) is like a security guard for computer networks. Its main job is to watch out for any suspicious activities or potential attacks on a computer or network.
Detecting Threats:
- IDS is designed to find vulnerabilities or weaknesses in a computer system or network.
- It looks for signs of someone trying to exploit these weaknesses to break into the system. Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS):
- IPS is like an upgraded version of IDS. It not only detects threats but also has the ability to stop them.
- It can block potential attacks, making it more powerful than traditional IDS.
Out-of-Band Placement:
- IDS doesn’t actively participate in the direct flow of information. It sits on the sidelines, watching the network traffic but not directly influencing it.
Traffic Analysis:
- IDS uses a copy of the network traffic (like a duplicate stream) to analyze for any suspicious behavior.
- It doesn’t disrupt the actual communication but observes a duplicate to avoid causing issues.
Reporting to Administrators:
- When IDS finds something fishy, it reports the findings to a human administrator.
- However, it doesn’t automatically fix the problem; it relies on a person to take action.
Not Perfect for Prevention:
- IDS is not foolproof; attackers can be very quick in exploiting vulnerabilities once they’re inside the network.
- It’s better at detecting and alerting than actively stopping attacks in real-time.