After every 40 seconds, a company faces a ransomware attack somewhere in the world, according to Cybersecurity Ventures. Facing such an attack can leave your business processes in jeopardy, not to mention the chances that you will lose multiple customers. Other cybersecurity issues such as being hacked and data breaches can further lead to the ruin of your business.
Investing in the right security infrastructure is a sure way to steer away from such inconveniences, and intrusion detection software (IDS) can be a valuable tool. It can help to differentiate between authorized and unauthorized system access to reduce the chances of a cyber-attack. However, the success of integrating the software with your system depends on the choice you make. cyber-attack. However, the success of integrating the software with your system depends on the choice you make.
Here are a few guidelines to pick the best software for you:
Active vs. Passive
Your logs can tell you volumes about who is accessing your network system regardless of whether you are using apache logging techniques or others. With active IDS, threats can be dealt with automatically since the system can be set to react to particular threats in a certain manner. The downside of this system is that it can perceive the access by authorized personnel as an attack depending on the set filters.
On the other hand, passive IDS only works to detect an intrusion. The system will alert your security personnel to initiate the required defense mechanism. This system has a downside in that the success of battling an attack will depend on the haste at which your operator responds to it.
Network-Based Vs. Host-Based
A network-based system requires you to use sensors, a separate management system, and an interface management card. This system is typically set up on a specific network segment where it can be used to monitor the traffic flowing from that segment. While this allows for multiple devices to be linked to that particular segment, the option comes bundled with extra ownership expenses such as power consumption and the maintenance cost.
In a host-based system, software needs to be installed in the individual systems. It gauges the health of the host and reports any discrepancies to the operator. Although the software has to be installed in multiple devices, it calls for lower initial installation and long-term cost since no physical infrastructure needs to set up.
Knowledge-Based Vs. Behavior-Based
A knowledge-based system draws its information from a database containing the profiles of past attacks. The database also contains details about current attacks which will help your IDS to determine whether the attempted access is authorized or not. It has a reduced chance of raising a false alarm, but the system needs to be updated once new threats arise.
On the other hand, behavior-based systems work by analyzing the normal behavior of your systems and raise an alarm once it notices something out of the ordinary. This will be great for the ever-changing threat landscape since newer threats will not be overlooked. On the flip side, it can raise false alarms in case of an intentional change in the normal patterns.
Open Source vs. Commercial Software
Open source software will provide you with cost benefits, especially if you are a startup, according to Forbes. You can then customize the software and maintain it according to your needs. You can also receive updates from the community of developers as they aim to customize the code of their IDS to make it more efficient for use.
Commercial software is a little bit more expensive than the former, but you will enjoy one-on-one support with the developing company. Since the software’s code is less known by the general public, it is tougher to have it hacked than the open source option. Lastly, most companies offer software customizability to make using their software comfortable.
Conclusion
Customers expect nothing but quality services from you without compromising their data. Luckily, an IDS system can help you improve your security. Choose the intrusion software option that suits you best to safeguard your interests.