June 10, 2020
An Intrusion Detection System, or IDS, is a critical part of your organization’s IT infrastructure. As cyberattacks continue to evolve with new ways of breaching your defenses and compromising your entire system, an IDS can make a significant difference between your company being protected or being completely shut down in the wake of a malicious attack or an employee falling for a phishing scam. Here’s a brief overview of IDS detection types and how each one can be of benefit to you.
Network Intrusion Detection Systems (NIDS)
A NIDS is a detection system that analyzes incoming network traffic. It features a packet sniffer that performs this operation. While different NIDS may vary, they almost always come with a configurable “rule-based” way of detecting anything suspicious — similarly to how many virus and malware scanners can be customized.
High-end enterprise-grade solutions typically come in the form of a network kit with the NIDS program built-in. This kit would then be installed on the specific piece of hardware that you need to protect. It’s a great protection method, provided that the device you’re installing it on has a high enough clock speed to prevent it from causing your network to lag.
Host Intrusion Detection Systems (HIDS)
A HIDS is a detection system that monitors important system files that are critical to your machine’s operating system. It differs from a NIDS in that a HIDS analyzes the machine itself rather than the network. It routinely monitors the admin file data and automatically backs up the machine’s configuration settings. That way, in the event the machine is compromised by a virus or other malware, the user can restore everything to a time marker from before the attack occurred.
Ideally, a HIDS should be installed on every device connected to your network. A distributed HIDS platform can be cloned onto every machine and then monitored from one centralized location so that you don’t have to go from one device to another in order to see the information or make configuration changes. You’ll be able to see and control everything from one spot.
Which IDS Is Best?
If we’re being honest, you need both. In a nutshell, a Network Intrusion Detection System is preventative, and a Host Intrusion Detection System is responsive. A NIDS allows you to monitor and intercept cyberattacks in real-time. And if something does get through, a HIDS will ideally allow you to recover from the attack.
As cyberattacks continue to become more sophisticated, so too does prevention and response need to evolve to keep pace. Constant vigilance is required, and that can get understandably tiresome — especially when you’re trying to focus on simply running your business or reaching your organization’s goals. At Rimstorm, our aim is to shoulder that responsibility for you. Give us a call today and see how we can help!