IDS (Intrusion Detection System) and IPS (Intrusion Prevention System) are both cybersecurity tools designed to detect and respond to malicious activities, but they differ in functionality.
IDS monitors network traffic or system activities for suspicious behavior and generates alerts when potential threats are identified. It is a passive system, meaning it does not take direct action to block attacks. For example, if an IDS detects a port scan, it will log the event and notify administrators, but it won't stop the scan.
IPS, on the other hand, not only detects threats but also takes proactive measures to prevent them. It can automatically block malicious traffic, reset connections, or drop packets in real time. For instance, if an IPS identifies a SQL injection attempt, it can immediately drop the suspicious packets to protect the database.
In cloud environments, Tencent Cloud provides Host Security (CWP) for IDS-like threat detection and Web Application Firewall (WAF) for IPS-like protection, helping safeguard servers and applications from attacks.