Snort (software)

{{Infobox software

| name = Snort

| logo = Image:Snort ids logo.png

| screenshot =

| caption =

| collapsible =

| developer = Cisco Systems

| released =

| latest release version = {{multiple releases

| branch1 = Snort 2.x (Legacy)

| version1 = 2.9.19.0

| date1 = {{start date and age|2021|12|06}}{{cite web

| url = https://blog.snort.org/search/label/snort

| title = Snort Blog: snort

| website = blog.snort.org

| access-date = 2021-09-01

}}

| branch2 = Snort 3.x

| version2 = 3.1.56.0

| date2 = {{start date and age|2023|02|23}}{{cite web

| url = https://github.com/snort3/snort3/releases

| title = Releases · snort3/snort3

| website = github.com

| access-date = 2023-02-23

}}

| latest release date =

| programming language = C++ (since version 3.0)

| operating system = Cross-platform{{cite web

| url = https://www.snort.org/#get-started

| title = Snort - Network Intrusion Detection & Prevention System

| website = snort.org

| access-date = 2021-03-29

}}

| platform =

| size =

| language =

| genre = {{ubl|Intrusion detection system|Intrusion prevention system}}

| license = GPLv2+

| website = {{URL|https://www.snort.org}}

}}

Snort is a free open source network intrusion detection system (IDS) and intrusion prevention system (IPS){{cite web

| url = https://www.esecurityplanet.com/network-security/Snort-Open-Source-Network-Intrusion-Prevention-3681296.htm

| title = Snort: Open Source Network Intrusion Prevention

| author = Jeffrey Carr

| date = 2007-06-05

| accessdate = 2010-06-23}} created in 1998 by Martin Roesch, founder and former CTO of Sourcefire.{{cite web|url=http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=186700788|title=Sourcefire Has Big Plans For Open-Source Snort|author=Larry Greenemeier|date=2006-04-25|accessdate=2010-06-23}}{{cite web

| url = http://www.eweek.com/c/a/IT-Management/100-Most-Influential-People-in-IT/3/

| title = 100 Most Influential People in IT

| author = eWeek.com Staff

| date = 2008-04-04

| accessdate = 2010-06-23}} Snort is now developed by Cisco, which purchased Sourcefire in 2013.{{cite web|url=https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/about/corporate-strategy-office/acquisitions/sourcefire.html|title=Cisco Completes Acquisition of Sourcefire|date=2013-10-07|publisher=Cisco Systems|accessdate=2020-04-13}}{{cite news | url=https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/07/23/cisco-to-buy-sourcefire-a-cybersecurity-company-for-2-7-billion/ | title=Cisco to Buy Sourcefire, a Cybersecurity Company, for $2.7 Billion | work=The New York Times | date=23 July 2013 | accessdate=July 23, 2013}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/security/brief_c17-733286.html|title=Snort: The World's Most Widely Deployed IPS Technology|website=Cisco|language=en|access-date=2018-08-30}}

In 2009, Snort entered InfoWorld's Open Source Hall of Fame as one of the "greatest [pieces of] open source software of all time".{{cite web

| url = https://www.infoworld.com/article/2631146/the-greatest-open-source-software-of-all-time.html

| title = The greatest open source software of all time

| author = Doug Dineley

| author2 = High Mobley

| date = 2009-08-17

| accessdate = 2020-04-13}}

Uses

Snort's open-source network-based intrusion detection/prevention system (IDS/IPS) has the ability to perform real-time traffic analysis and packet logging on Internet Protocol (IP) networks. Snort performs protocol analysis, content searching and matching.

The program can also be used to detect probes or attacks, including, but not limited to, operating system fingerprinting attempts, semantic URL attacks, buffer overflows, server message block probes, and stealth port scans.{{cite book|author=James Stanger|title=How to Cheat at Securing Linux|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SdDB718VwZcC&pg=PA126|year=2011|publisher=Elsevier|location=Burlington, MA|isbn=978-0-08-055868-4|page=126}}

Snort can be configured in three main modes: 1. sniffer, 2. packet logger, and 3. network intrusion detection.{{cite web |url=http://manual.snort.org/node2.html |title=Snort Usage |author=Snort Team |date=2012-01-01}}

=Sniffer Mode=

The program will read network packets and display them on the console.

=Packet Logger Mode=

In packet logger mode, the program will log packets to the disk.

=Network Intrusion Detection System Mode=

In intrusion detection mode, the program will monitor network traffic and analyze it against a rule set defined by the user. The program will then perform a specific action based on what has been identified.{{cite web |url=http://manual.snort.org/node6.html |title=Snort Usage |author=Snort team |date=2013-04-05}}

Third-party tools

There are several third-party tools interfacing Snort for administration, reporting, performance and log analysis:

Snorby – a GPLv3{{cite web |title= snorby / LICENSE |url=https://github.com/Snorby/snorby/blob/master/LICENSE |work=GitHub |date=2013 |access-date=January 19, 2021}} Ruby on Rails application
BASE
Sguil (free)