What is Snort?
Snort is an open source network intrusion detection system (NIDS) that can audit network traffic in real-time. Snort is a packet sniffer, a packet logger, and a network intrusion detection system.
Snort as I mentioned before is an open source software which means it can be configured and complied on most operating systems. Snort has been ported over to Microsoft Windows operating systems also, but it's bread and butter is back on the UNIX/Linux side of the house. Most Linux distributions now include Snort as part of their install package, and though it may not be enabled by default, normally it is on the installation CD's or DVD's.
Should I run Snort if I have a firewall?
I believe that yes you should run a NDIS even with a firewall. Firewalls help to block packets coming in to your system, however if you are running different servers or services that require the firewall to let them through you are letting a large amount of data go un-audited. Snort has the ability to see trends in incoming data and identify them as a threat and take appropriate action on your system. Snort gives you the ability to see if you are being port scanned, or to see if someone is trying to abuse well known backdoors or problems in well known daemons. Running services and applications that help you to protect your system is always a good idea. Many system administrators run a firewall, snort, and a data file integrity checker (often Tripwire).
How does snort actually work?
Snort generally is running as a background application and it is constantly packet sniffing all the information passing through your network interface card (NIC). The data is then sorted by various preprocessors that basically sort the packet data in to different categories. Once the data has been sorted out it is run through the rules, or the detection phase. As Snort detects trends in the data it applies the rules and actions them appropriately. The final stages are logging the rule infractions and if configured alerting the system administration team in real-time as the infraction occurs.
Is Snort difficult to configure and use?
Snort, as mentioned before now often comes bundled or available through rpm's in most Linux distributions. The hard part of running snort is if you decide to create your own original rules which can get extremely complex. However, luckily for us you can download up to date rule sets for free off the Snort website (you must signup for the free registration).
For extra ease of use there are many different applications and log parsers which have been designed to work with Snort. These applications can create websites based on the data Snort has logged or help you identify trends or possibly security threats on your system.
Ken Dennis
http://KenDennis-RSS.homeip.net/
We live in a post-industrial age where information is the... Read More
Simply put, fleet maintenance allows companies to monitor and maintain... Read More
After almost two decades of existence, Quark has become the... Read More
Looks like Microsoft Great Plains becomes more... Read More
Handling character strings in Java is supported through two final... Read More
What is Groupware?Have you ever had to manage document collaboration... Read More
Sometimes your PC will start acting strange for no apparent... Read More
MS CRM is very close to document workflow automation, including... Read More
Microsoft Word is one of the most popular office applications... Read More
If you are to buy a HelpDesk & Asset Management... Read More
People often ask me: What image file formats will Photoshop... Read More
You turn on your computer, and it doesn't look quite... Read More
Combining Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains ERP with non-Microsoft Business... Read More
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a strategy and processes used... Read More
DBxtra is a powerful query and reporting tool that hides... Read More
When it comes to screenplay software each screenwriter needs to... Read More
Microsoft Great Plains is main Microsoft Business Solutions accounting package... Read More
Need help making sense of algebra? Have algebra lectures in... Read More
While I was in college, if you would have asked... Read More
Microsoft Great Plains fits to majority of horizontals and retail... Read More
After seeing many people complain about their weak Internet security... Read More
Writing software manuals is boring, isn't it? We often think:... Read More
Microsoft bought Navision, Denmark based software development company, along with... Read More
Is Photoshop CS2 worth the upgrade? You bet it is!... Read More
Finding the best spyware removers to detect and remove spyware... Read More
Enabling Chinese input is quick and easy, there are only... Read More
Just stress testing one of the latest Linux distributions. Been... Read More
If you use Microsoft Outlook (or similar applications) for e-mailing,... Read More
The first thing that you will notice about Linux Red... Read More
Which Type of Shop Can Rely On A Home Built... Read More
Each Industry and market niche has business specific and unique... Read More
In 2004 Oracle, Inc. made its new step toward J2EE... Read More
In today's business world it's all but impossible to escape... Read More
The fact that a software tester is a most infamous... Read More
Microsoft PowerPoint has dramatically changed the way in which academic... Read More
Innovative Maintenance Systems (IMS) is one company that offers solutions... Read More
Manufacturing in the USA is far away down from mid... Read More
I completed an experiment recently. I wanted to find out... Read More
As you probably know, when Microsoft purchased Great Plains Software... Read More
TikiWiki is open source software - it is written in... Read More
Software development is a risky business.Many software developers are barely... Read More
There is many things more frustrating than surfing a website... Read More
Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains, former Great Plains Software Dynamics... Read More
The cornerstone of successful automated office systems is the ability... Read More
Icons are used everywhere; right from software applications, to internet... Read More
Microsoft Client Relation Management system (Microsoft CRM) and Microsoft RMS... Read More
Microsoft CRM is CRM application, maintained and supported by Microsoft... Read More
Microsoft Great Plains is now standard mid-market ERP application, serving... Read More
In the early days of the personal computer, we're talking... Read More
Microsoft Great Plains is main Microsoft Business Solutions accounting package... Read More
You would like to protect your documents, wouldn't you? Reasons... Read More
Microsoft Retail Management (RMS) and Microsoft Great Plains are retail... Read More
Microsoft Business Solutions Navision is main ERP application for European,... Read More
Whether you have used Microsoft Word for years, have just... Read More
When it comes to screenplay software each screenwriter needs to... Read More
Hey Guys! Don't raise your eyebrows or fear by hearing... Read More
Find out why Spyware Removal from computers is important and... Read More
With so many Microsoft Windows related viruses, errors, and other... Read More
Microsoft Business Solutions is now in process of creating so... Read More
It is possible that if one avoided all sources of... Read More
Currently Microsoft Business Solutions is on the way of creating... Read More
I have always regretted how Microsoft price gouges and rips... Read More
ERP Consulting industry is on the way to serve clients... Read More
You turn on your computer, and it doesn't look quite... Read More
Since technology changes so quickly, it is hard to begin... Read More
The most important benefit of XML is its simplicity. Though... Read More
Software |