Which security feature helps detect and respond to a Denial of Service attack?

Which security feature helps detect and respond to a Denial of Service attack?

• A. Firewall
• B. Active IDS
• C. Intrusion Prevention System
• D. Anti-virus Software

Answer: (B)

The selection of the active Intrusion Detection System (IDS) as the correct answer highlights its role in monitoring network traffic for suspicious activity and known threats. An active IDS is designed to detect various types of attacks, including Denial of Service (DoS) attacks, which aim to interrupt or disrupt services to users by overwhelming the target with excessive traffic. When a DoS attack occurs, the active IDS can identify the unusual patterns in traffic that indicate an attack is taking place. It analyzes the characteristics of incoming data packets, comparing them against established baseline behavior to spot anomalies. Upon detection of a potential attack, the system can then alert administrators and provide information necessary for a response, such as blocking the source of the attack or implementing countermeasures to mitigate the impact. In contrast, while a firewall can help prevent unauthorized access and filter out malicious traffic, its primary function is not to detect attacks but rather to enforce security policies. An Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) also has detection capabilities and aims to actively block threats; however, the question specifically emphasizes detection and response during an attack, where the active IDS's monitoring and alerting capabilities are crucial. Anti-virus software primarily deals with malware threats rather than network-based attacks like DoS. Thus,

The selection of the active Intrusion Detection System (IDS) as the correct answer highlights its role in monitoring network traffic for suspicious activity and known threats. An active IDS is designed to detect various types of attacks, including Denial of Service (DoS) attacks, which aim to interrupt or disrupt services to users by overwhelming the target with excessive traffic.

When a DoS attack occurs, the active IDS can identify the unusual patterns in traffic that indicate an attack is taking place. It analyzes the characteristics of incoming data packets, comparing them against established baseline behavior to spot anomalies. Upon detection of a potential attack, the system can then alert administrators and provide information necessary for a response, such as blocking the source of the attack or implementing countermeasures to mitigate the impact.

In contrast, while a firewall can help prevent unauthorized access and filter out malicious traffic, its primary function is not to detect attacks but rather to enforce security policies. An Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) also has detection capabilities and aims to actively block threats; however, the question specifically emphasizes detection and response during an attack, where the active IDS's monitoring and alerting capabilities are crucial. Anti-virus software primarily deals with malware threats rather than network-based attacks like DoS.

Thus,