Wondering how much data is available on the Internet? There can never be real numbers on the amount of data available online, but there is a lot of sensitive data on the Internet. Such data is valuable to intruders and malicious actors who are ready to do anything to get their hands on it.
In fact, data breaches are increase, and likewise data breach cost. So your data must be protected under any circumstances. You may already be familiar with some data protection tools and measures. For example, you may have heard of SSL certificates, which are essential for data encryption. Encrypts communications exchanged between web browsers and client-server and blocks hackers and sniffers.
There are several reliable and inexpensive SSL certificates available today, such as Comodo. Positive SSL Certificates and RapidSSL Certificates. It is the most popular and effective data protection tool because SSL certificates prevail. But SSL certificates are a topic for another day. Today we will pay a lot of attention to another important data protection system – an intrusion detection system. Let’s start by defining what an intrusion detection system is.
What is an Intrusion Detection System (IDS)?
An intrusion detection system is a special kind of software designed specifically to monitor network traffic to detect system irregularities. Such malicious network activity can mark the beginning or end of a data exfiltration. Therefore, the primary purpose of an intrusion detection system is to detect and report network anomalies. Please note that intrusion detection systems, unlike intrusion prevention systems, do not prevent threats from occurring.
How does an intrusion detection system work?
As mentioned earlier, the main purpose of an intrusion detection system is to detect network anomalies and catch attackers before they do any real damage to your network. Intrusion detection systems can be host-based or network-based. As the name suggests, network-based intrusion detection systems reside on the network, whereas host-based intrusion detection systems reside on the client computer.
IDS works by looking for the signature of a known attack. It also analyzes system functions to discover deviations and these deviations are examined at the protocol layer. In the past, intrusion detection systems have proven effective at detecting threats such as domain name system poisoning and Christmas tree scans.
Users can implement intrusion detection systems as software applications or network appliances. There are also cloud-based intrusion detection systems designed specifically for cloud-based purposes.
Types of intrusion detection systems
There are several types of intrusion detection systems. Each type of IDS uses different methods to detect suspicious activity. Here are the types of intrusion detection systems you should know about.
- NS Network Intrusion Detection System (NIDS) It is primarily intended to detect intrusions across the entire network. NIDS monitors all traffic to and from all devices on the network and detects anomalies.
- NS Host Intrusion Detection System (HIDS) It usually detects intrusions through specific endpoints. For example, HIDS runs on every computer and device on the network. A significant advantage of host intrusion detection systems over network detection systems is that HIDS can detect anomalous network packets within an organization that it may not be able to detect at times. HIDS can also identify malicious traffic originating from a host. For example, you want to detect when a host is infected with malware and spread the malware across your network.
- NS Signature-based Intrusion Detection System (SIDS) It watches all traffic on your network and compares the traffic to attack signature databases or other known cybersecurity risks.
- NS Anomaly-Based Intrusion Detection System (AIDS) It is designed to pinpoint unknown cybersecurity attacks such as new malware attacks. The attack is compared to an established baseline. It uses machine learning techniques to develop reliable activity criteria, called trust models. Compare the new behavior with a validated trust model. A major drawback of AIDS is that it can sometimes raise false alarms whenever previously unknown but legitimate network traffic is identified as anomalous activity.
5 Best Intrusion Detection System (IDS) Tools
There are several IDS tools, but the most reliable are:
1. SolarWinds Security Event Manager
SolarWinds Security Event Manager is one of the best IDS tools. It ranks #1 on the list of best IDS tools because of its ability to consolidate real-time log data across an organization’s infrastructure. As a result, SolarWinds Security Event Manager can act as both a Network Intrusion Detection System (NIDS) and a Host-Based Intrusion Detection System (HIDS). This feature is the most effective IDS tool because it can detect various malicious attacks and protect your system from security threats. Additionally, SEM tools are designed to use both anomaly-based and signature-based intrusion detection techniques.
It achieves this by comparing the sequence of network traffic to a customized set of rules. Users can also perform high-level intrusion detection on all types of devices and operating systems such as Windows, macOS devices, and Linux. Therefore, the SEM tool is a powerful intrusion detection system tool that perfectly fits the needs of your organization.
2. McAfee
McAfee is another great IDS tool designed specifically to provide real-time risk awareness to both virtual and physical networks. Apply signature-based and anomaly-based intrusion prevention techniques. It also uses an emulation approach to detect and identify malicious activity and security threats.
Even more interesting of this IDS tool is its ability to correlate threat activity with application usage. This feature allows the tool to easily avoid network problems caused by cyber breaches. McAfee IDS tools also use SSL certificates to encrypt inbound and outbound data.
However, the fundamental strengths of McAfee IDS tools are their integration and extensibility capabilities. This feature allows you to develop virtual workloads and subscribe to other McAfee platforms for more advanced threat and antivirus protection.
3. Suricata
Suricata is a free IDS tool. It works on code-based platforms. It is designed primarily based on signature-based intrusion detection systems to detect real-time cybersecurity threats and other malicious system anomalies. As a result, the tool can quickly respond to imminent cyberattacks. The tool is also built to inspect multi-gigabyte traffic and detect protocols on a regular basis. Machine learning and artificial intelligence capabilities make it easy for tools to discriminate between erratic behavior and normal behavior.
However, while the Suricata IDS tool is a great free option to detect system anomalies, its lack of documentation was its major flaw. As such, this tool can become a victim of troubleshooting and it can be difficult for users to refer to the past and keep track of their work for the future.
4. Blue Mummy
Blumira is a security information and event management IDS tool designed primarily for on-premises and cloud-based threat detection on premises. It is an effective tool as it continuously monitors your IT infrastructure to detect malicious activity and misconfiguration. These threats can lead to data breaches and compliance violations. You can quickly respond to an attack in progress and block the attacker’s path.
Blumira also allows you to customize intrusion detection reports and automate options. It is also known for its easy-to-use and intuitive user interface.
5. Cisco Stealth Watch
Cisco Stealthwatch is an enterprise-based network intrusion detection system and host intrusion detection system. A great IDS tool to expand your business needs. By leveraging a scalable intrusion detection system, you can be well prepared to adopt a growing number of intrusion prevention tactics. It’s also a great tool because it can detect malware on encrypted networks without necessarily decrypting the network.
conclusion
IDS is an important component of protecting on-premises and cloud-based IT environments from cybersecurity threats. There are several intrusion detection systems currently available and you can choose from and work with. This article lists the top five dedicated intrusion detection systems and explains what intrusion detection is and some types of IDS.