What are Intrusion Detection Systems?

26th August 2025

Like a security camera for your digital world, how could an intrusion detection system (IDS) help to keep you protected?

We all have our own version of a security system for our homes. For most, it is simple as making sure the doors and windows are locked when you go out; some might ask a neighbour to keep an eye out for suspicious activity; some might invest in cameras and alarms, while a few might rely on a guard dog.

If we’re so worried about people getting into our homes, why don’t we treat potential cyber security breaches with the same concern? After all, our systems often contain important information – for many, data stored digitally may be more valuable than the contents of our homes!

One cyber security tool that may help is an intrusion detection system, or IDS. They’re designed to monitor your network or system activity for suspicious behaviour, alerting you if something happens. Find out how they work:

Monitoring traffic/detecting threats: IDS scans network packets or system logs to detect malicious activity, policy violations or unauthorised access. It also looks for patterns to potential spot attacks before they become apparent.

Alerting security teams: once an anomaly has been identified, IDS sends a real-time alert to the relevant personnel, or to SIEM systems, allowing teams to respond to potential breaches quickly. It can provide forensic data for investigating incidents and is able to integrate with firewalls or EDR systems, for better overall resilience.

Supporting compliance: these features help in meeting regulatory requirements such as GDPR, by logging and reporting suspicious activity.

Evidently, an IDS helps to keep systems secure by spotting potential problems and acting fast, working in tandem with other security features to ensure the best overall protection. If you have any further questions regarding IDS, please contact Interfuture Security HERE.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/P0ckSW0QdUU