Experiment 9
Experiment 9
Aim:
To configure and test the SNORT Intrusion Detection System.
Theory:
Snort is a widely used open-source network intrusion detection and prevention system
(IDS/IPS) that helps monitor network traffic for signs of malicious activity. Developed
originally by Sourcefire and now owned by Cisco, Snort analyses packet data in real time to
detect various types of network threats, including Denial of Service (DoS) attacks, port
scans, buffer overflows, and attempts to exploit vulnerabilities. It uses a combination of
techniques such as protocol analysis, content matching, and signature-based detection to
identify suspicious patterns in network traffic, making it an effective tool for both identifying
and preventing potential security breaches.
At the core of Snort's functionality is its rule-based configuration system. Snort’s detection
capabilities are driven by rules that define specific patterns or signatures of malicious
activity within network traffic. These rules are highly customizable, allowing administrators
to tailor the system to their specific environment and security requirements. Snort is also
continuously updated with new rules from both the open-source community and
commercial vendors, ensuring that it can detect the latest threats and vulnerabilities. This
flexibility is one of the reasons Snort remains popular in both small networks and large
enterprise environments.
Snort can operate in different modes, including as an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) or as
an Intrusion Prevention System (IPS). In IDS mode, it monitors traffic and generates alerts
when it detects suspicious activities, allowing security teams to investigate and respond to
potential threats. In IPS mode, Snort can actively block malicious traffic, preventing attacks
before they reach critical systems. This makes Snort a versatile tool that can be used both
for passive monitoring and active threat mitigation, depending on the specific security
requirements of the organization.
Overall, Snort is a powerful and flexible tool for network security. It offers a combination of
signature-based, protocol, and anomaly detection to monitor traffic in real time and identify
a wide range of attacks. Its open-source nature allows for extensive customization and
integration with other security tools, making it a key component of many organizations'
security infrastructures. Whether used for threat detection, prevention, or traffic analysis,
Snort remains one of the most reliable and widely adopted solutions in the world of
network security.
Implementation:
Following is a step-by-step walkthrough of the process that was undertaken to download,
install and test the SNORT intrusion detection system-
Downloading the required rules and placing them in the respective bin directory
Once the installation and setup of the Intrusion Detection System was completed,
configuration file was edited based on the local system under utilization, resulting in the
following config file-
# ===========================
# GLOBAL CONFIGURATION OPTIONS
# ===========================
# ============================
# RULE SET DIRECTORIES
# ============================
# ============================
# NETWORK VARIABLES
# ============================
# Define network for internal servers
# Customize as needed
ipvar INTERNAL_NET 10.0.0.0/24
# ============================
# OUTPUT PLUGINS
# ============================
# ============================
# ENABLE THE PREPROCESSORS
# ============================
# ============================
# RULES INCLUDE STATEMENTS
# ============================
# ============================
# DEFINE CUSTOM RULES (Optional)
# ============================
# ============================
# SIDS AND RULE SETTINGS
# ============================