Introduction
Intrusion Detection Systems [IDS] and Intrusion Prevention Systems [IPS] are two of the most important tools in any cybersecurity strategy. However, they aren’t always used properly or fully understood by companies. It’s important to understand the differences between these two cybersecurity tools, so you can make the right decisions for your company. To understand the differences between Intrusion Detection Systems and Intrusion Prevention Systems, first it’s important to know what they do.
Intrusion Detection System [IDS]:
Intrusion Detection System [IDS] is a network security system that monitors the traffic flowing into or out of a system and alerts administrators to any unusual activity.
Intrusion Prevention Systems [IPS] are specialised Intrusion Detection Systems that not only detect attacks but also attempt to block them.
Intrusion Prevention System [IPS]:
An Intrusion Prevention System [IPS] is a network security system that monitors network traffic and detects malicious activity. It differs from an intrusion detection system in that it blocks or mitigates attacks before they cause damage.
What’s the relationship between IDS and IPS?
The Intrusion Detection System [IDS] analyses network traffic and compares it to a database of known malicious activity. When the IDS finds something that matches its database, it sends alerts to security personnel who can then take steps to contain or stop the attack.
The Intrusion Prevention System [IPS] works similarly, but instead of just sending an alert that there may be an intruder, it actually blocks intruders from accessing your network by blocking any traffic matching its signature database.
Key differences between IDS and IPS
The key difference between IDS and IPS is that IDS is a passive detection system, while IPS is an active Intrusion Prevention System.
IDS analyses network traffic to identify suspicious activities such as port scanning, denial of service attacks, or worm propagation. It monitors the traffic flow from one point in the network to another by looking at the header of each packet-based communication on your network. An IDS can detect any unauthorised activity that occurs within its own network boundaries, which are called attack signatures or alert rules.
IPS acts as a firewall between hosts on your internal network and outside networks like Internet Service Providers [ISPs]. When it detects suspicious activity on your internal host computers it automatically blocks it before it can affect other systems or networks connected to yours
Summarising the Differences
You’ve seen how IDS and IPS differ from a technical standpoint. But what does this mean for your organisation?
If you’re concerned about the security of your network, here are some key takeaways:
- An IDS is passive. It watches, but doesn’t interfere with traffic on the network. This can be helpful in identifying attacks that would otherwise go undetected by an IPS, which may block them before they have time to infect your system or steal information from it (or both). However, because it’s not actively blocking anything itself, an IDS may not prevent all intrusions or damage from occurring.
- Because an IPS is active rather than passive and will actually block traffic based on its ruleset, it’s able to proactively prevent malicious activity before it causes any damage or loss of data at all. This makes it more effective at preventing attacks than an IDS alone—and since no one likes having their personal data stolen or their company’s proprietary information intercepted by hackers trying to hack into their systems/servers/etc., we’d say that means investing in an IPS has potential benefits for everyone involved (except maybe those hackers).
Conclusion
You have now learned the differences between an IDS and an IPS. As you can see from this article, these two systems work together to protect a network from threats. The IDS is passive and only detects intrusions after they occur while the IPS actively prevents them before they happen.
To sum up: if you want a system that just detects intrusions after they occur, then install an IDS. However, if you want to prevent intrusions before they happen, then install an IPS instead of or along with your IDS!
In general, IDS and IPS both play important roles in any company’s cybersecurity strategy. The main difference between the two is that while an Intrusion Detection System is a detection system, an Intrusion Prevention System actually prevents attacks from taking place.
This makes them complementary to each other: you can use both together or in tandem to improve your overall security posture.
In general, IDS and IPS both play important roles in any company’s cybersecurity strategy.
The main difference between the two is that an IDS only detects attacks and doesn’t try to stop them from happening again. An IPS can detect and block attacks, but only after they’ve happened once already. The best way for companies to protect themselves against intrusion attacks? Make sure you have both kinds of security systems!
