IDS vs IPS, Comparison In Details

Intrusion detection system (IDS)

An intrusion detection system (IDS) is a hardware appliance or software application that monitors traffic moving on networks and through systems to search for suspicious activity and known threats, when such activity is discovered it generates alerts. Based upon these alerts, a security operations center (SOC) analyst or incident responder can investigate and analyze the issue and take the appropriate actions to mitigate the threat.

IDS security technologies are ‘passive’ in nature rather than ‘active’ in nature. This means that they are designed to generate alerts on suspicious activity and does not take any action to prevent the organization network, and for this reason IDS deployed alongside intrusion prevention systems (IPS) which are ‘active’ in nature and take necessary action to prevent the internal network. Read more about IDS click here.

Types Intrusion detection system (IDS)

Network Based IDS: network-based IDS solution is designed to monitor an entire secured internal network. NIDS is deployed at a calculated point or points within the network, where it can monitor inbound and outbound traffic to and from all the devices on the internal network. Once an attack is identified or suspicious behavior is observed, the alert can be sent to the administrator (SOC Analyst) for further investigation and analyses. SOC analyst will take proper action on the alerts to mitigate the risk.
Host Based IDS: Host-based intrusion detection systems help organizations to monitor processes and applications running on endpoint devices such as servers and workstations and HIDS also monitors the incoming and outgoing packets from the endpoint devices. Host-based intrusion detection systems are commonly deployed with network-based intrusion detection systems (NIDS) and SIEM solutions, which aggregate and analyse security events from multiple sources.

Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

An intrusion prevention system (IPS) is an automated network security device (which can be a hardware or software) is used to identify malicious activity, record detected threats, report detected threats and take preventative action to stop a threat from doing damage. An IPS tool can be used to continually monitor network traffic in real time.

Intrusion prevention system (IPS) is more advance as compared to an intrusion detection system (IDS), which simply detects malicious or suspicious activity but cannot take action against it just generate an alarm and inform to administrator. While Intrusion prevention systems are able to detect malicious or suspicious activity and take necessary action to stop it. Read more about IPS click here.

Types Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

Network-based Intrusion Prevention System (NIPS): A network-based intrusion prevention system (NIPS) solution is designed to monitor an entire internal private network. NIPS is installed only at strategic points or points within the network, where it can monitor inbound and outbound traffic to and from all the devices on the internal network. If anything suspicious found in traffic. NIPS takes necessary action to prevent from it.
Host-based Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS): Host-based intrusion prevention system (HIPS) is installed on an endpoint devices (such as workstation & Server) and to monitor processes and applications running on endpoint devices and HIPS also monitors the incoming and outgoing packets from the endpoint devices. If any malware or suspicious activity found in endpoint or host devices. HIPS takes necessary action to prevent from it.
Wireless Intrusion Prevention System (WIPS): This type of IPS simply scans a wireless network for unauthorized access and kicks unauthorized devices off the network. Basically WIPS monitors a wireless network for suspicious traffic by analyzing wireless networking protocols such as Wi-fi, Bluetooth/Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), LORA-WAN, Sigfox, Near-Field Communication (NFC), 4G/5G, Zigbee etc.
Network behavior analysis (NBA): Network behavior analysis (NBA) examines network traffic to identify threats or malicious activity that generates strange traffic flows. The most common threats being distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks and policy violation. If any suspicious traffic is detected in network. Network behavior analysis (NBA) immediately takes necessary action to prevent your network.