Overview

In this chapter, you will learn how to:

• Use Cisco IOS Firewall IDS

• Initialize the IOS Firewall IDS

• Configure, disable, and exclude signatures

• Create and apply IDS audit rules

With the growing awareness of, and commitment to, network security as the way to secure business transactions—both internally and over the Internet—more and more businesses are recognizing that security concepts and features must be integrated into the network design and infrastructure.

According to Cisco advertising, 80 percent of the Internet backbone routers run Cisco IOS software, which makes it the most fundamental component of today’s network infrastructure. The Cisco IOS software-based security features, combined with the wide range of products supported, makes it a logical solution for any organization’s end-to-end Internet, intranet, and remote access network security requirements.

This chapter looks at the Cisco IOS intrusion detection system (IDS) features that are now a part of the IOS Firewall feature set on many router platforms. In the last four chapters of this book, you willlearn about the Cisco Secure IDS appliances that make up the first team in Cisco’s intrusion detection strategy.