IDS and IPS both help keep malicious actors from entering your servers. Both scan incoming data against known patterns of attack and flag suspicious traffic. Early behavior-based IDS alerted you when something unexpected happened, which slowed productivity and led to false positives. Today, most networks deploy host-based IDS and network-wide IPS to provide granular coverage and prevent false negatives.
Detection
Both IDS and IPS are a category of tools used to detect attacks on your network. Both systems compare network traffic and packets against a database of cyber threats. They also both monitor activity and report suspicious activity to network admins. However, the IPS goes one step further than just monitoring and detecting attacks by taking action to prevent them from actually happening. The IPS does this by comparing the current attack against a previous version of the same kind of attack, and if there is a match, then it will stop that activity and flag the movement as a threat to the administrator. This is known as signature-based detection. This method has some limitations, though. For example, new attacks can take a while to get added to the existing signatures. This can mean that some spells can progress and damage before detection. Another limitation of this type of detection is that it can be prone to false positives and false negatives, where the system misidentifies normal network activity as an attacker. This can impact the efficiency of an organization as it will often generate alerts about non-threats. This may also have the effect of slowing down the overall speed of the network. The IPS can solve this by using automated features that help to prioritize the most important threats and reduce the number of false positives.
Response
As the name suggests, between IDS vs IPS, IPS monitors and controls network infrastructure, whereas IDS is more like an intrusion detection system that watches. Generally, both types of solutions work by detecting threats that attempt to enter the network. They compare incoming network traffic against a database of known cyber attack signatures or pre-determined normal network behavior models to do this. IDS identifies these potential threats by monitoring network traffic through sensors. When the sensors place suspicious activity, they notify a security team. This allows the team to assess the situation and take further action. On the other hand, an IPS solution takes direct action to stop an attack in its tracks. The steps an IPS takes depend on the type of threat and the policies in place. IPS solutions can block traffic or limit access to the network, for example, by limiting the number of IP addresses an attacker can use.
An IPS can also improve security by learning to recognize certain attack patterns and reduce the number of false alarms it triggers. However, a successful IPS solution still requires regular tuning. It’s important to note that an IPS cannot compensate for weak identification and authentication mechanisms or weaknesses in network protocols. It can also be difficult to detect encrypted packets.
Prevention
Although they differ, IDS and IPS systems monitor the network, identify threats, and alert IT teams. They also log activity and prevent attackers from exploiting vulnerabilities. Both methods are essential to network security and should be integrated into every organization’s IT infrastructure. IDS works by scanning network traffic and packets for common cyber attack patterns. It compares these patterns against a database of known threat signatures or a ‘normal’ network behavior baseline model. This monitoring is done passively without changing the packets, so it does not affect network performance. Some IDS tools can also be learned, meaning they can adapt and improve over time.
A good IDS system should be able to avoid false positive errors where the tool detects a threat that is not occurring. However, it’s equally important for an IDS to be able to react quickly to real threats to prevent them from damaging the company and its reputation. Unlike IDS, a passive detection tool, an IPS system controls the network’s traffic and blocks packet delivery. It does this by analyzing the contents of each box and identifying malicious activities. This action is often used to stop an attack before it can damage the corporate IT environment and wreak havoc across the business and its customers.
Integration
IDS systems monitor network activity to detect unauthorized activities. They do this by comparing data packets against a database of known cyber threats. They flag offending packets and alert security administrators. This allows them to catch attacks before they cause any damage or spread throughout the network. Security teams can then take various actions depending on their threat model and company goals. They can create a log, send a message to pagers and consoles, or communicate with routers and firewalls to stop the threat in its tracks. IPS systems automatically scan networks for threatening data packets and prevent their delivery into the network. They can also protect hosts by tracking running processes, examining system logs, and monitoring device activity. They use machine learning to understand patterns and emerging threats better and minimize false positives. However, IPS solutions are susceptible to many of the same attack types they are designed to protect against. For example, suppose an attacker coordinates low-bandwidth network scanning across multiple devices or IP addresses or uses proxy servers to hide their true identity. In that case, identifying the attack can be difficult for an IDS or IPS. They can also rely too much on the IP attribute, which can be faked or scrambled by an adversary. Additionally, they often won’t process encrypted packets.
