Nt1330 Unit 3 Assignment 1

Words: 451
Pages: 2

In the 21st century the development of telecommunications networks has taken giant leaps from circuit and packet switched networks towards all-IP based networks. This development has created a unified environment. When taken into account that threats are becoming more and more sophisticated it also means that the security systems have to become more intelligent. A "network intrusion detection system (NIDS)" monitors traffic on a network looking for suspicious activity, which could be an attack or unauthorized activity. A large NIDS server can be set up on a backbone network, to monitor all traffic; or smaller systems can be set up to monitor traffic for a particular server, switch, gateway, or router. In addition to monitoring incoming and outgoing network traffic, a NIDS server can also scan system files looking for unauthorized activity and to maintain data and file integrity. The NIDS server can also detect …show more content…
In addition to traffic monitoring, a NIDS server can also scan server log files and look for suspicious traffic or usage patterns that match a typical network compromise or a remote hacking attempt. The NIDS server can also server a proactive role instead of a protective or reactive function. Possible uses include scanning local firewalls or network servers for potential exploits, or for scanning live traffic to see what is actually going on. The important point to note that a NIDS server does not replace primary security such as firewalls, encryption, and other authentication methods. The NIDS server is a backup network integrity device. Neither system (primary or security and NIDS server) should replace common precaution (building physical security, corporate security policy, etc.). One of the major concerns is to