General Knowledge Quiz

What is an Intrusion Detection System (IDS)?

• An IDS is an application that monitors network traffic and searches for known threats and suspicious or malicious activity.
• It sends alerts to IT and security teams when it detects any security risks and threats.
• Some IDS solutions can take action when they detect anomalous activity, such as blocking malicious or suspicious traffic.

What is an Intrusion in Cybersecurity?

• An intrusion is typically an attacker gaining unauthorized access to a device, network, or system.
• Cyber criminals use increasingly sophisticated techniques and tactics to infiltrate organizations without being discovered, including:
  • Address spoofing: Hiding the source of an attack using spoofed, misconfigured, and poorly secured proxy servers.
  • Fragmentation: Enabling attackers to bypass organizations' detection systems by fragmenting packets.
  • Pattern evasion: Adjusting attack architectures to avoid patterns that IDS solutions use to spot threats.
  • Coordinated attack: Allocating numerous hosts or ports to different attackers, making it difficult for the IDS to work out what is happening.

Types of Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS)

• Network intrusion detection system (NIDS): Monitor incoming and outgoing traffic at strategic points within an organization's network.
• Host intrusion detection system (HIDS): Installed on individual devices to detect packets coming from inside the business and additional malicious traffic that a NIDS solution cannot detect.
• Signature-based intrusion detection system (SIDS): Monitors all packets on an organization's network and compares them with attack signatures on a database of known threats.
• Anomaly-based intrusion detection system (AIDS): Monitors traffic on a network and compares it with a predefined baseline of "normal" behavior to detect anomalous activity.
• Perimeter intrusion detection system (PIDS): Placed on a network to detect intrusion attempts at the perimeter of organizations' critical infrastructures.
• Virtual machine-based intrusion detection system (VMIDS): Detects intrusions by monitoring virtual machines.
• Stack-based intrusion detection system (SBIDS): Integrated into an organization's Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) to watch packets as they move through the network.

How Does an Intrusion Detection System Work?

• IDS solutions monitor network traffic and detect anomalous activity.
• They are placed at strategic locations across a network or on devices themselves to analyze network traffic and recognize signs of a potential attack.
• IDS solutions work by looking for the signature of known attack types or detecting activity that deviates from a prescribed normal.
• They then alert or report these anomalies and potentially malicious actions to administrators.

Benefits of Intrusion Detection Systems

• IDS solutions provide an extra layer of protection, making them a critical element of an effective cybersecurity strategy.
• They help organizations understand risk, shape their security strategy, and achieve regulatory compliance.
• IDS solutions provide faster response times, enabling organizations to detect and prevent attackers more quickly.

Challenges of Intrusion Detection Systems

• False alarms (false positives): IDS solutions may identify potential threats that are not a true risk to the organization.
• False negatives: The IDS solution mistakes an actual security threat for legitimate traffic, allowing attackers to pass into the organization's network undetected.

Intrusion Detection System vs. Intrusion Prevention System

• IDS solutions monitor and detect known attacks and activity that deviates from a baseline normal.
• Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) go beyond this by blocking or preventing security risks.
• IPS solutions monitor networks for anomalies and malicious activity, then immediately record any threats and prevent the attack from doing damage.

What Is the Difference between a Firewall and IDS?

• IDS solutions are passive monitoring tools that identify possible threats and send out notifications to analysts.
• Firewalls analyze metadata contained in network packets and decide whether to allow or prohibit traffic based on pre-established rules.
• Firewalls create a barrier that stops certain traffic from crossing through, while IDS solutions focus on detecting and generating alerts about threats.

Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS)

What is an IDS?

• An IDS is an application that monitors network traffic and searches for known threats and suspicious or malicious activity.
• It sends alerts to IT and security teams when it detects any security risks and threats.

Types of IDS

• Network Intrusion Detection System (NIDS): monitors incoming and outgoing traffic to detect malicious and suspicious traffic.
• Host Intrusion Detection System (HIDS): installed on individual devices to detect packets from inside the business and additional malicious traffic.
• Signature-based Intrusion Detection System (SIDS): monitors packets on a network and compares them with attack signatures on a database of known threats.
• Anomaly-based Intrusion Detection System (AIDS): monitors traffic on a network and compares it with a predefined baseline of "normal" behavior.
• Perimeter Intrusion Detection System (PIDS): detects intrusion attempts at the perimeter of organizations' critical infrastructures.
• Virtual Machine-based Intrusion Detection System (VMIDS): detects intrusions by monitoring virtual machines.
• Stack-based Intrusion Detection System (SBIDS): integrated into an organization's TCP/IP, monitoring packets as they move through the network.

How does an IDS work?

• IDS solutions excel in monitoring network traffic and detecting anomalous activity.
• They are placed at strategic locations across a network or on devices to analyze network traffic and recognize signs of a potential attack.
• IDS solutions work by looking for the signature of known attack types or detecting activity that deviates from a prescribed normal.

Benefits of IDS

• Understanding risk: IDS helps businesses understand the number of attacks being targeted at them and the type and level of sophistication of risks they face.
• Shaping security strategy: IDS helps organizations establish and evolve a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy.
• Regulatory compliance: IDS provides visibility on what is happening across networks, easing the process of meeting regulations.
• Faster response times: IDS solutions initiate immediate alerts, allowing organizations to discover and prevent attackers more quickly.

Challenges of IDS

• False alarms: IDS solutions may identify potential threats that are not a true risk to the organization.
• False negatives: IDS solutions may mistake an actual security threat for legitimate traffic.

IDS vs. IPS

• IDS solutions are limited to monitoring and detection of known attacks and activity that deviates from a baseline normal.
• Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) goes beyond IDS by blocking or preventing security risks.
• IPS solutions help businesses take a more proactive cybersecurity approach and mitigate threats as soon as possible.

Firewall vs. IDS

• IDS: passive monitoring tools that identify possible threats and send out notifications to analysts.
• Firewall: analyzes metadata contained in network packets and decides whether to allow or prohibit traffic into or out of the network based on pre-established rules.