When it comes to security, the threats to a web server are numerous. Therefore, it is vital that anyone involved in web hosting know the threats and have some knowledge of how to prevent and mitigate them. Intrusion detection systems can help stop intruders on a website or server before they have a chance to do any damage.
An intrusion can be as small as the password cracking of a single website or as large as a brute force attack that grants the intruder the server’s root password. An intrusion detection system (IDS) monitors a server for suspicious activity, keeps a log of it, and alerts a system administrator when its analysis determines the activity to be a threat.
By analyzing the patterns of incoming and outgoing traffic, an IDS can intercept threats in real time and determine if action is necessary. The following types of analysis may be employed:
- Profile-based analysis – With profile-based analysis, the IDS collects normal patterns of inbound and outbound traffic and creates a profile based on those patterns. It then monitors the real-time traffic and compares it to the profile, analyzing it for possible anomalies.
- Signature-based analysis – In a signature-based system, the IDS uses a database of past intrusion types to form a signature pattern of possible future intrusions. It then monitors traffic and sets off red flags when it finds patterns similar to those in the signature.
An intrusion detection system is great for catching security threats before they get out of hand, but it certainly will not stop the threat. For that you will need other security measures in place. Nevertheless, it is a very useful system monitoring tool and could save your websites from unnecessary down time.