The necessity of data security is of critical importance in the modern world. For this reason, many technologies can be preferred to monitor the security of corporate networks, detect problems, solve them and take precautions. IPS and IDS methods are one of these technologies. Failure to monitor threats in corporate networks and not taking precautions leads to serious risks. You can read the rest of our article for more information on the use of IPS and IDS.
What is IPS?
IPS is a network security tool that detects unauthorized access to a network and monitors possible malicious activity. These tools can be hardware or software. (Intrusion Prevention System) IPS also has the ability to prevent detected attacks, unlike IDS. The question “What is IPS?” can be answered as “a system that intervenes in attacks in real time.” When the IPS system detects an attack, it takes action and prevents attacks from harming the network. In this way, when the two systems are used together, IDS detects attacks, while IPS prevents attacks and provides comprehensive protection.
What are the Types of IPS?
There are 4 different types of IPS used today. These are;
- Network-based intrusion prevention system (NIPS)
- Wireless intrusion prevention system (WIPS)
- Network behavior analysis (NBA)
- It may be listed as host-based intrusion prevention system (HIPS).
NIPS analyzes the entire network for protocol activity, while WIPS monitors wireless network protocols and checks the network for suspicious traffic. It is also NBA’s job to provide anomalous traffic analysis and check for anomalous traffic flow, such as certain forms of malware and policy violations. HIPS is a software package that scans a host and the events occurring within that host to check for suspicious behavior.
What is IDS?
IDS stands for (Intrusion Detection System) and can be translated into Turkish as Attack Detection System. It is a type of attack prevention system. IDS stands for Intrusion Detection System, which means attack detection system, and IDS prevents the attacks it detects. IDS can also intervene in these attacks instantly. It automatically intervenes in an action defined as an attack and prevents it from causing further damage to the network. It keeps log records of potential attacks it detects on the network. It analyzes network traffic regularly. It records the anomalies it detects.
What are the Types of IDS?
There are different types of IDS with different features. These are;
- NIDS (Network Based IDS) monitors network traffic and detects attacks.
- HIDS (Host Based IDS) can detect attacks on devices by monitoring all activities of a device.
How Do IPS and IDS Systems Work?
These are systems that work to monitor network traffic when there are unauthorized or suspicious entries into a network, and to flag and analyze these attacks. Preventing unauthorized entries, detecting unauthorized entries, and stopping detected attacks are possible with IPS and IDS systems working together. First, let’s look at how IPS and IDS work when used together:
- Three detection methodologies are used to detect events.
- Possible events are identified using the signature method. This is one of the most basic detection methods. A comparison of signatures or signature packets is performed.
- In order to detect a planted anomaly, it compares the current attack with software that has been previously marked as dangerous. This detection method is very important for the healthy detection of threats whose security status is unknown.
- Accepted profiles for security protocol activities are also compared with current events.
- If the anomaly is identified as a threat or attack, the IPS closes the connection, session or traffic to prevent the threat traffic from entering the device and reaching its target.
Differences Between IPS and IDS
While IPS and IDS do not do exactly the same job, both solutions serve the same purpose. Both systems monitor networks. They monitor network traffic and data flow between devices and servers. However, the goals and scope of the capabilities of the two systems are different. When a potential threat is detected, only IPS can take the necessary action. However, both systems can provide discovery and alerts for action. Depending on the detection system used by an IPS or IDS system, both systems detect potentially suspicious behavior and work to reduce the number of false positives. Both systems have similar technologies for learning about attacks and threats. They also keep logs for monitoring and analysis. This allows performance measurements and reporting.
The main difference between IPS and IDS is that IDS is a monitoring system, while IPS is a control system. Both systems read network packets and compare the network content with a database of defined threats or basic actions. However, IDS cannot modify network packets. In addition, IPS can cut off transmission according to packet content, using the same method that a firewall does with the IP address. In addition, IPS types, which are classified according to different types of use and features, are more in number and features than IDS types.
IPS and IDS Usage Areas
In basic security architectures, IPS and IDS usually work together with the firewall. It is located behind the firewall. It works together with the firewall to increase the level of security. It can also catch threats that the firewall alone cannot catch and prevent. On the other hand, it constantly monitors the network. As a result of continuous monitoring, it can take precautionary actions, including reporting and attack prevention. The devices using this network can be hardware, software or a virtual server.
Benefits of Using IPS and IDS
There are significant advantages to using IDS and IPS systems that monitor all traffic on the network to identify any malicious activity. In order to bypass the firewall on the network, an attacker first detects a vulnerability in the device or software and exploits this vulnerability. IPS and IDS identify actions taken to exploit these vulnerabilities and block attacks without affecting any endpoints on the network. One of the most important contributions of IPS and IDS systems is that they can work both on the network and in data centers. In this way, they can provide comprehensive protection.
Institutions allocate a certain budget for cybersecurity management, which is increasingly important. There are many tools and software that protect against malware and attacks. However, by using IDS and IPS technologies together, you will have a system that can cover security management to a significant extent.
After the IPS and IDS configuration and installation processes are completed, there is usually no need for manpower. Thanks to this automation feature of IPS and IDS, you can make quick decisions while improving network security controls, usually without the need for a team.
You can work in compliance with many different tools and standards while using IPS and IDS. They are systems that are compatible with many standards and documents required to protect your sensitive data.
It can be configured to support the implementation of information security policies. You can also configure the system you use to suit the level of protection. For example; if you are using a single operating system, you can make settings that will block network traffic from other operating systems.
IDS does not have the ability to prevent threats like IPS, but it is ideal for use in industrial control systems (ICS) or critical infrastructures where outages are expected to be minimal. It detects problems and transfers them to teams responsible for security, such as the SOC team. In this way, it provides enough time to answer questions such as “Is an outage really necessary?”, “Should network traffic be stopped?”
IPS has become a more important requirement as malware grows faster and more complex. Therefore, IPS is ideal for environments where any intrusion could cause serious damage, such as databases containing sensitive data.
There are many advantages to using IPS and IDS. When choosing the right system, it is necessary to evaluate the balance of usability and protection level in detail. Before choosing the right system, you can review our Bootcamp training and blog page for more information.
