Best IDS Software

Intrusion in the network will do long-term damage in your network security and to your sensitive data. Below you will see some of the best ids systems and its tools for this job.

IDS is monitoring the network traffic for any suspicious and unusual activity. IDS then will send the alert to the network administrator. When you are detecting the anomalous activity and then you need to report to the network administrator. IDS software is doing this all on behalf of the network administrator. Some of the IDS software is taking action depending on the rules when any malicious activity is detected. Ex. When certain incoming traffic is blocked.

We are not getting into the details of each of the tools which are shown below, but in short, there would be the summary for each that is explained and reviewed.

SolarWinds Security

This will analyze the logs on OS like Windows, Mac OS, Unix, and Linux systems. It is managing the data which has been collected in real-time. This is the IDS coming with 700 rules for shutting down the malicious activity. This is a very important tool for improving security, achieving compliance, and responding to the events.

IDS System

Other known software is as below:

  • Crowdstrike Falcon
  • Snort
  • ManageEngine
  • Sagan
  • OSSEC
  • Zeek
  • Suricata
  • AIDE
  • Security Onion
  • Samhain
  • OpenWIPS-NG
  • Fail2Ban

Types of IDS-Provide

IDS are having 2 main types:

HIDS

- This is a Host-based Intrusion Detection System that will examine the events on the network as compared to traffic on the network.

NIDS

- This is a Network-based Intrusion Detection System which will examine all the traffic on the network.

IDS systems are very important for the security of the network. These systems are very easy to use and most of them are having the best IDS in the market. All the IDS have been given free for use. There are some of the best ids systems which are available for install and you can start protecting your network from any threat. These tools are available for all major OS like Windows, Mac, and Linux.

HIDS vs NIDS

NIDS is having a lot more monitoring then compared to HIDS. All the attacks are handled very easily by NIDS. HIDS is only able to notice is anything is happening wrong in the network. If there is any change in the settings or any new file then HIDS can notice that easily. So, both NIDS and HIDS are essential for fully protecting your network.

NIDS is installed mostly on the stand-alone equipment so it will not drag down the processor in the servers. HIDS activities are very aggressive when compared with NIDS. Functions of HIDS are very lightweight and it will not take much processing of the daemon on the computer. It will not burn up the CPU much. HIDS is also not generating any extra traffic on the network.

Detection Methods

All the IDS are using these two modes of the operation, some are using one but most of them are using both.

Signature-based IDS

This method is looking at the message and the checksum authentication. This detection method was used by NIDS and HIDS both. HIDS will look into the log and the config files for any unwanted rewrites. Whereas in NIDS the checksums are captured for the packets and the authentication of the integrity of the messages on the systems like SHA1.

NIDS will also include the signatures of the database which are known by the packets sources which are carrying any malicious activity. Hackers are not just sitting on the computers and trying to just crack the password. They are making use of the automated procedures which have been supplied by well-known hacker tools.

Anomaly based IDS

This detection system will look for any unexpected and unusual patterns. This can be implemented by both NIDS and HIDS. Sometimes in HIDS this would work on the ports and signify the scanning of the ports.

A range of traffic patterns are determined and when the traffic moves out of that range that alert is generated.

How to Choose IDS method

NIDS are having the capability of recording the standard behavior and then it will adjust the boundaries on its own.

Both the detection method is very easy to set up and operate in HIDS than in NIDS.

Signature-based detection methods are very fast than other detection methods.

An anomaly-based detection method is very costly and requires a lot of effort to develop.

Related Resources:

SIEM

Difference Between IDS and IPS

Ransomware Attack