Definition
Intrusion Prevention System

The security devices implemented within an organization's business network to monitor and analyze system activities at a client, server and network level to prevent malicious traffic. Inhibiting such harmful traffic and activities in a real-time IT environment is a crucial step toward obtaining optimal network performance.

Companies that employ an effective intrusion prevention system will have the ability to provide and maintain a healthy, functional and secure business network for all end-users. Network defense and prevention systems can be made up of a number of IT services including firewalls, anti-virus software and even the practice of regular system analysis. In order to sustain a working system, the security measures in place must act as more than just an intrusion detection system (IDS). Through close preventive monitoring of network traffic in real-time, an advantage of IPS - businesses will be able to protect against potential threats such as self-propagating worms, Trojan horses, vendor-specific exploitation vulnerabilities, spyware, phishing and many others forms of malicious activity. Should an attacker or automated threat gain access to an organization's network, the security system should also be able to act quickly in defense of business-sensitive data and applications, as well as eliminate the harmful activity.