Stopping intruders outside the gates

As networks have grown in size and complexity, connecting a vast array of business functions, intrusion threats have increased in frequency and sophistication. Network administrators and vendors are thus looking beyond traditional intrusion detection technology, which catches problems only after they have occurred, to a new, proactive approach: intrusion prevention. Intrusion prevention offers active, threat-handling capabilities that stop hackers before they enter a computer system. There appears to be demand for the technology, and this has inspired participation by numerous vendors and predictions of increased sales. The paper discusses the intrusion prevention market. Because today´s hackers combine attack types, intrusion-prevention vendors have had to combine approaches in individual products.