Managing Security with Snort and IDS Tools

Intrusion detection is not for the faint at heart. But, if you are a network administrator chances are you're under increasing pressure to ensure that mission-critical systems are safe--in fact impenetrable--from malicious code, buffer overflows, stealth port scans, SMB probes, OS fingerprinting attempts, CGI attacks, and other network intruders. Designing a reliable way to detect intruders before they get in is a vital but daunting challenge. Because of this, a plethora of complex, sophisticated, and pricy software solutions are now available. In terms of raw power and features, SNORT, the most commonly used Open Source Intrusion Detection System, (IDS) has begun to eclipse many expensive proprietary IDSes. In terms of documentation or ease of use, however, SNORT can seem overwhelming. Which output plugin to use? How do you to email alerts to yourself? Most importantly, how do you sort through the immense amount of information Snort makes available to you? Many intrusion detection books are long on theory but short on specifics and practical examples. Not Managing Security with Snort and IDS Tools. This new book is a thorough, exceptionally practical guide to managing network security using Snort 2.1 (the latest release) and dozens of other high-quality open source other open source intrusion detection programs. Managing Security with Snort and IDS Tools covers reliable methods for detecting network intruders, from using simple packet sniffers to more sophisticated IDS (Intrusion Detection Systems) applications and the GUI interfaces for managing them. A comprehensive but concise guide for monitoring illegal entry attempts, this invaluable new book explains how to shut down and secure workstations, servers, firewalls, routers, sensors and other network devices. Step-by-step instructions are provided to quickly get up and running with Snort. Each chapter includes links for the programs discussed, and additional links at the end of the book give administrators access to numerous web sites for additional information and instructional material that will satisfy even the most serious security enthusiasts. Managing Security with Snort and IDS Tools maps out a proactive--and effective--approach to keeping your systems safe from attack.

Kerry Cox is a knowledgeable and enthusiastic chief administrator/network engineer at Bonneville International/KSL Radio and Television where he manages 40 Red Hat Linux servers, as well as Solaris and FreeBSD, performing installation, patching, hardening, and maintenance. He also handles all Cisco routers, switches, PIX and Checkpoint firewalls, CSS load balancers, IDS sensors and consoles. Kerry has implemented open source solution for monitoring networks, architectures, server processes, and bandwidth. Previously, he worked at network communications companies and ISPs and is the author of two books by Prima: the Linux Productivity Administrator's Guide and Red Hat Linux Administrator's Guide.

Christopher Gerg CISSP, CHSP is the Network Security Manager for Berbee Information Networks. His IT career started with phone technical support for Microsoft s launch of Windows 95 and his MCSE dates back to NT 3.51. He s worked as a system and network administrator and has traveled extensively installing WANs and infrastructure for a variety of clients. Five years ago things changed Christopher discovered open-source operating systems (FreeBSD, Debian, and Suse are his favorites) and he s spent three years as a penetration tester with Berbee and then transitioned from attack to defend for the last two years. Christopher is responsible for the network security of two Enterprise-class datacenters, the customers located in them, and the network infrastructure that connects it all (Multiple OC-48 SONET rings and multiple OC-3 s to the Internet). He uses Snort to watch it all. In his free time, Christopher raises rugged mountain alpacas in the wind-swept mountains of South-Central Wisconsin.