A robust intrusion prevention system (IPS) is crucial for enhancing cybersecurity. Built to detect and block potential threats actively, an IPS responds before harm can be caused to a system or the wider company. Understanding the role of an IPS in your organization's comprehensive cybersecurity strategy will help protect it against sophisticated attacks and unseen vulnerabilities.
What Is an IPS?
At its core, an IPS is a network security device or application that monitors an organization's online traffic to detect and prevent threats to the system. This proactive form of security is distinct from an intrusion detection system (IDS), which strictly identifies suspicious activity but is unable to respond.
How Does an IPS Work?
An IPS will either look for an attack signature, perhaps a sequence of code from known malware, detect anomalies, or prevent set policy violations. After identifying a threat, an IPS will take action by blocking malicious traffic, removing malicious content, triggering other security devices, and enforcing security policies.
Proactivity is the key to effective security, and exactly what an IPS offers. In addition to real-time threat detection and responses, an IPS is able to be given pre-configured rules for responding to an issue. This might be blocking traffic, notifying management, or resetting the connection entirely. Through proactive response, an IPS helps reduce the risk of data breaches and minimizes potential damage from cyber incidents.
The Different Types of IPS Solutions
There are a few types of IPS solutions available, including network-based, host-based, and hybrid systems. A network-based system protects a wider computer network, while a host-based system only protects a single device. A network-based system is likely more beneficial for a large company, while a host-based system may benefit a remote work scenario best. A hybrid system uses both anomaly-based and signature-based detection methods, addressing each of its shortcomings.
Installation and Implementation
The installation of an IPS system will involve defining how the network is segmented and what kind of solution is needed for each section. It will require significant time, resources, and investment, but the incorporation of an IPS will significantly benefit company security. In conjunction with a firewall, which filters initial traffic, an IPS is able to analyze the filtered traffic for potential threats better. An IPS is a robust solution, but it is only one of the layers necessary for cybersecurity in business.
IPS implementation does come with its challenges, including false positives, impact on network performance, and regular maintenance. Testing an IPS before installing is a good way to determine whether it will disrupt network traffic, and implementing blacklists and whitelists will limit what an IPS filters for. Regularly updating, tuning, and monitoring an IPS are all necessary practices for proper implementation.
An Observable Impact on Business
Despite initial difficulties with IPS implementations, companies that adopt IPS solutions have observed remarkable effects, citing a greater edge over the competition and increased customer satisfaction.
Mr. Chris Alberding, Sr. Director of SASE, SSE, SD-WAN, and Security at Windstream Enterprise, adopted Cato Networks' solution and had this to say: "We can bring a solution to a customer that's a true 360° view of product capabilities and services that, ultimately, can deliver a better customer experience. We've seen customer interests far greater than prior product launches."
The Future of IPS Technology
As the digital landscape continues to grow and change, IPS solutions have demonstrated their effectiveness at protecting businesses and thereby enhancing their capabilities. With the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, while there are concerns over new cybersecurity threats on the horizon, IPS solutions have also adopted AI to enhance security features. AI is being used to more quickly identify patterns of attack and signs of malicious code than ever before, improving threat detection overall.
