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An Intrusion Detection System (IDS) is software that monitors various networks or systems for malicious threats or cybersecurity vulnerabilities. In this blog, we will look at the Intrusion Detection System.
About the Intrusion Detection System
IDS monitors network traffic or system behavior for harmful patterns that may severely threaten your network. Since there’s a reasonable reliance on digital technology in the modern world, there’s also a high increase in cyber threats.
IDS is available for you to detect and keep a check on these threats or vulnerabilities.
Because of the high dependence on digital systems and interconnected networks, monitoring cybersecurity vulnerabilities has become essential. Anybody who ignores it may get exploited by the attackers.
Types of Intrusion Detection System
An Intrusion Detection System has three main types. You can choose the one that matches your organization’s needs or network preferences.
Each of these serves a specific function, and figuring out which is perfect for your security system relies on your information about them.
1. Host-Based IDS
As its name suggests, a Host-based intrusion detection system monitors the infrastructure of the device to which it is installed. With the help of integrated intrusion signatures, it detects suspicious or malicious activities that could be proven to be harmful to your network.
In this type of IDS, there’s continuous monitoring of the host device involved, which includes checking the applications installed and the systems attached to it. This way, it plays a crucial role in detecting any vulnerabilities or threats to your network.
A host-based intrusion detection system:
- Evaluates the incoming and outgoing traffic on the device on which it is installed.
- Makes a signature-based detection method effective by comparing the signatures of the particular network traffic against the database of notorious malicious signatures.
- Continuously scrutinizes critical files.
- Alerts you regarding any malicious threat that it has detected.
2. Network-Based IDS
A network-based intrusion detection system monitors your system for any malicious or suspicious activities that can cause network security problems and then reports it to you.
There are specific data points like application data, statistics, and even packet headers from which the NIDS examines the data.
This examination enables it to detect malicious traffic or activities inside your network.
Not only this, but security breaches are also detected with the help of this NIDS system.
There are numerous functions that a network-based intrusion detection system performs:
- It monitors the whole network and detects both known and unknown malware threats.
- If a threat has been detected, NIDS immediately shuts down the network to prevent further damage to the system.
- The continuous monitoring of the network with NIDS enables it to prevent hackers from invading your system and blocking it on time.
- NIDS disconnects automatically from the overall network if any particular device attached to your network is compromised due to a malware attack. This way, a hacker won’t be able to infect the rest of your network by using the compromised device as a vector.
3. Hybrid-Based Intrusion Detection System
Cyber attacks have significantly evolved and use various updated methods to attack networks. A single IDS only does little to detect malicious threats. That’s where HIDS comes into the scene.
In this type of system, two or more detection models are combined, and they work together to detect and monitor as many threats as possible.
Usually, the host agent and the network information are connected to have a clear and complete view of the network. A hybrid-based intrusion detection system:
- It can conveniently detect a reasonable number of threats by combining network and host-level monitoring. NIDS is perfect for identifying network-based attacks, while HIDS keeps a check on host-level activities. The combination provides a more elaborate and solid view of potential threats.
- It can better identify vulnerabilities that indicate advanced and subtle attacks, including zero-day exploits.
- It never stops working, ensuring that even if one component stops working, the other can continue monitoring your network by effectively monitoring it despite the circumstances.
How does the Network Intrusion Detection System work?
There’s no single or similar way of detecting threats or malicious attacks with the help of an intrusion detection system. The methods vary from type to type, and each course is practical in its unique sense.
Signature-Based Intrusion Detection System
One of the most effective ways of detecting intrusion is with the help of signature-based methods. Numerous viruses, malware, and threats have attacked various organizations.
Now, these threats can be seen through their indicators of compromise.
IOC can be described as specific repetitive behavioral patterns that the known threats follow, e.g., malicious domains, file hashes, etc.
In a signature-based method, there’s a list of known threats and their IOCs that are compared against the incoming traffic to find any sort of suspicious behavior.
Anomaly-Based Intrusion Detection System
The anomaly-based intrusion detection method focuses on irregular patterns that are not normal in a system. In this method, machine learning is used to train the system about a normalized baseline.
A baseline is a standard that indicates how a system behaves typically. The detection system recognizes this baseline and compares all the network activity to this particular baseline.
If anything out of the ordinary happens in the network that doesn’t relate to the baseline, this detection method alerts you instantly.
An irregularity detected by the anomaly-based method can be many things, including unauthorized access to a new device, logging in of a particular agent after work hours, etc.
What are the Benefits of Using an Intrusion Detection System?
Numerous reasons make intrusion detection systems worthy of your investment.
Threat Detection
The most essential function of an intrusion detection system is the threat detection. There are no limits to what kind of threats it can detect. These threats are known, haunting the IT world for ages, and the unknown ones have newly stepped into it.
Timely Warnings
Another plus point of using IDS is the timely warnings that it gives you. The threats, vulnerabilities, and attacks cannot get out of hand, as you’ll know about them instantly.
This saves you from many issues you may have faced if the threat had gotten out of hand.
Compliance
The IDS system continuously monitors your security system and provides timely reports. It enables organizations or companies to meet regulatory compliance requirements efficiently.
Customization
Another fantastic thing about an intrusion detection system is that you can customize it and set it in a way that only detects the kind of threats you want it to. This way, you can customize it to detect common attacks on your organization.
Network Visibility
Since an IDS system monitors the incoming network traffic religiously, that’s why you have a thorough report on how your network operates and which part of it requires extra attention. This helps you improve the overall functionality of your network.
Awareness
With the help of an intrusion detection system, one can raise awareness regarding the importance of cybersecurity in their organization. It also helps people know about various cyber threats and ways to deal with them.
What are the Cons of an Intrusion Detection System?
Although an IDS helps create an extra layer of protection for your network, some disadvantages come with it, too.
False Positives
Since the IDS is designed to alert you about anything different from your network’s everyday functioning, it even tags legitimate activities as suspicious.
These false positives create an environment of frustration and anxiety among the cybersecurity department of an organization.
This can also lead to a need for more awareness of the real threats at hand as the team is busy dealing with the false alarms.
Complex to Use
Unlike an antivirus or a firewall, an intrusion detection system is challenging to handle or operate. If you’re not an IT expert, you won’t be able to manage it at all.
You’ll need to hire specialists who know how to effectively use IDS, which can increase your deployment and operational costs.
Resource Intensive
Since an intrusion detection system integrated into your network works continuously, it uses many computational resources. This can strain your network and slow the system’s overall working, especially if your organization is in a high-traffic environment.
Regular Maintenance
Most Intrusion detection systems need regular maintenance and timely updates to deal with new and potentially harmful threats. You must do it to ensure the IDS can detect the loopholes in your system, which will bring you nothing but frustration.
Blind Spots
Although the primary function of IDS is to detect potential threats to your network, sometimes it fails to perform its tasks because of encryption. In other words, sometimes, it cannot identify the encrypted traffic that puts your network at risk.
Lack of Response
An IDS alone won’t be able to handle the threats that can harm your system. You need to integrate it with other security tools to eliminate the threats detected by IDS fully.
What are the Best Practices for Implementing IDS?
You can make the most of an intrusion detection system if you use it wisely.
Right Type
You need to thoroughly study your network and its requirements to determine which type of IDS will do the right job. From Host-based IDS to Hybrid ones, you need to find the right match for your network that can help you detect the threats.
Tuning
Regular maintenance and updates of your IDS are a must. You need to tune it now and then so that it can put an end to the false alarms and keep the malicious attackers away from your network. Regular tuning can help improve threat accuracy, precisely what you need.
Network Segmentation
With the help of network segmentation, you can only introduce those parts of your system to the IDS that are prone to threats and vulnerabilities. This method can reduce the continuous detection alarms and also help you focus on the real issues in a much more transparent manner.
Security Tools
An IDS can only work effectively when tackling cyber vulnerabilities. Integrating it with other security tools, such as firewalls, can enhance the overall security of your system.
Update Signatures
Make sure to religiously update the signatures and list of threats in the intrusion detection system so that it can effectively identify the latest vulnerabilities or cyber issues.
Alternatives to Intrusion Detection System
- Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) – These systems detect and actively prevent or block identified threats.
- Firewalls – It’s known that Network firewalls filter and monitor traffic based on pre-established security rules, which helps prevent unauthorized access.
- Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) – SIEM solutions collect and analyze log data from different devices across an organization to provide a broader view of security events.
- User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA) – This analyzes patterns of user behavior to identify unusual activities that could indicate a security threat.
- Honeypots are simulated systems or networks that lure attackers to provide information about their methods without exposing natural systems.
- Deception Technology involves planting traps in the form of decoy systems or data to deceive the attackers and detect their presence in your system.
- Application-layer firewalls – With the help of these, you can have granular control over traffic regarding a specific application.
- VPNs – A reliable VPN like PureVPN provides highly reliable and secretive encryption and secure communication channels to protect the data being transferred from one network to the other. It makes it more challenging for attackers to figure out what’s happening inside a system.
Protect Your Network With An Intrusion Detection System
In a nutshell, an IDS is a wise choice when it comes to protecting your network against cyber attacks in a timely and effective way. You can make the most out of this fantastic system by customizing it according to the requirements of your network.
An intrusion detection system’s wide range of benefits cannot be taken for granted. It helps organizations identify unauthorized access, data breaches, malware intrusions, and other security incidents in real time.
Anas Hasan
October 30, 2023
6 months ago
