:: Cybersecurity Lessons, Tutorials, and Resources by Samer Aoudi ::

Snort IDS

An Intrusion Detection System (IDS) is a security software or hardware device which inspects all inbound and outbound network traffic for suspicious patterns that may indicate a network or system security breach. An IDS detects an Intrusionusing different methods such as:

Signature Recognition: Also known as misuse detection, tries to identify events that indicate an abuse on a system or network resource.
Anomaly Detection: It detects the intrusion based on the fixed behavioral characteristics of the users and components in the computer system.

There are two types of IDS:

Network-Based IDS (NIDS): NIDS monitors network traffic and examines hosts to identify intruders. NIDSs connect to network hubs and are often placed in a demilitarized zone (DMZ) or network border.
Host-Based IDS (HIDS): HIDS is installed directly onto the host and its job is to sense malicious traffic that goes through system calls, application logs, and so on.

Snort is an open-source Intrusion Detection System (IDS) that is used to monitor networks for suspicious activity. It is designed to detect and alert users to potential security threats, such as malware, network attacks, and other forms of malicious activity.

Snort works by analyzing network traffic and comparing it to a set of predefined rules or signatures. These rules are designed to detect specific types of activity that may indicate a security threat, such as a known malware attack or an attempt to exploit a vulnerability. When Snort detects activity that matches one of these rules, it generates an alert, which can be displayed on the console, logged to a file, or sent to a centralized management system.

Snort is widely used in a range of settings, including enterprise networks, government agencies, and other organizations that need to protect against cyber threats. It is highly customizable and can be configured to meet the specific needs of different environments and security requirements. Snort is also frequently used in conjunction with other security tools, such as firewalls and antivirus software, to provide comprehensive protection against cyber threats.

In this practical activity, you will install and use Snort IDS.

Disclaimer: Please note that the information provided in these tutorial is for educational purposes only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information provided in these tutorials and shall not be held liable for any errors or omissions. By accessing and using these tutorials, you acknowledge and agree to these terms.

Important! It is illegal to perform any type of intrusion or hacking activities without explicit permission.

Install Snort IDS on Kali

To install Snort Intrusion Detection System (IDS) on Kali Linux, you will need to follow these steps:

Update the package manager's package list: Before you begin installing Snort, it is a good idea to update the package manager's package list by running the following command:
sudo apt update
Install required dependencies: Snort requires several dependencies to be installed in order to function properly. To install these dependencies, run the following command:
sudo apt install -y build-essential libpcap-dev libpcre3-dev libdumbnet-dev bison flex zlib1g-dev liblzma-dev openssl libssl-dev
Download and extract Snort: Next, you will need to download the latest version of Snort from the (Snort website). You can do this using the wget command:
wget https://www.snort.org/ downloads/snort/snort-X.X.X.tar.gz
Replace "X.X.X" with the version number of the latest release (e.g., snort-2.9.20.tar.gz). Once the download is complete, extract the tarball using the tar command:
tar -xvzf snort-2.X.X.tar.gz
Compile and install Snort: Navigate to the Snort directory and run the following commands to compile and install Snort:
cd snort-X.X.X ./configure make sudo make install
Create a configuration file: After installing Snort, you will need to create a configuration file. To do this, run the following command:
sudo c etc/snort.conf /etc/snort
This will create a copy of the default configuration file in the /etc/snort directory. You can then edit this file to customize the way that Snort functions.
Start Snort using the following command:
sudo snort -c /etc/snort/snort.conf

Create Snort Rules

To create Snort rules, you will need to follow these steps:

Determine the type of rule you need: Snort rules can be used to detect a wide range of security threats, including malware, network attacks, and other forms of malicious activity. Before you create a rule, you will need to determine what type of activity you want to detect and alert on.
Identify the relevant criteria: Once you know what type of activity you want to detect, you will need to identify the specific criteria that will be used to trigger the rule. This may include specific network traffic patterns, protocols, port numbers, or other characteristics that are associated with the activity you want to detect.
Write the rule: Snort rules are written in a specific format, with a number of different fields that define the rule's criteria and actions. The basic structure of a Snort rule is as follows:
alert protocol src_ip src_port direction dst_ip dst_port (options)
For example, a rule to alert on HTTP traffic from a specific IP address might look like this:
alert tcp 192.168.1.10 any -> any 80 (msg:"HTTP traffic from 192.168.1.10";)
Test the rule: After you have written your rule, it is a good idea to test it to make sure it is working as intended. You can do this by running Snort with the -T flag, which will allow you to test the rule without actually generating any alerts.
Add the rule to your configuration file: Once you are satisfied with your rule, you can add it to your Snort configuration file. This will allow Snort to use the rule when it is monitoring network traffic.

That's it! You should now have a working Snort rule that can be used to detect and alert on the specific type of activity that you have defined. You can create additional rules as needed to cover other types of activity or to fine-tune your Snort configuration.

Use Snort

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