The main difference between IPS (Intrusion Prevention System) virtual patches for cloud firewalls and patches for host security products lies in their deployment location, protection scope, and implementation mechanism.
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Deployment Location:
- IPS Virtual Patches for Cloud Firewalls: These are applied at the network perimeter or within the cloud infrastructure, typically on a cloud firewall or security gateway. They inspect and block malicious traffic before it reaches the hosts.
- Patches for Host Security Products: These are installed directly on individual servers, virtual machines, or endpoints to fix vulnerabilities at the operating system or application level.
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Protection Scope:
- IPS Virtual Patches: Provide network-level protection by detecting and mitigating known exploits targeting specific vulnerabilities, even if the underlying system hasn’t been patched yet. They protect all connected systems behind the firewall.
- Host Security Patches: Address vulnerabilities on the host itself, ensuring the operating system or applications are secure against exploitation. However, they only protect the specific machine where they are installed.
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Implementation Mechanism:
- IPS Virtual Patches: Use signature-based detection, behavioral analysis, or heuristic methods to identify and block malicious traffic in real time. They act as a proactive defense layer.
- Host Security Patches: Involve updating software or applying fixes to eliminate vulnerabilities. This is a reactive measure, often requiring system downtime or maintenance windows.
Example:
If a critical vulnerability (e.g., Log4j) is discovered in a web application, an IPS virtual patch on a cloud firewall can block malicious requests exploiting this flaw before they reach backend servers. Meanwhile, the actual host security patch would involve updating the Log4j library on the affected servers to eliminate the vulnerability entirely.
For cloud environments, Tencent Cloud offers Web Application Firewall (WAF) with IPS capabilities to provide virtual patching against common web threats, complementing host-based security solutions like Host Security (CWP) for comprehensive protection.