IDS: Re: Question on resources needed to manage IDSes

[Jeff Nathan <jeff () snort org>]

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On Dec 5, 2003, at 3:06 PM, Anton A. Chuvakin wrote:

Hi Anton!

> The above also implies a certain usage scenario. One "complex alert in 
> 30
> seconds" implies that the analyst just sits there and stares at the
> console where alerts pop up - which might be neither the most common 
> nor
> the most effective way. The tools available to analysts would also 
> matter,
> namely, how much time it will take to collect the context info and to 
> make
> a decision.
Definitely.  As you and I have discussed in the past (offline), 30 
seconds is really just a placeholder.  Without some form of automated 
post-processing of IDS alert data, the scalability of sensors is 
limited by the ability of those to deal with the output.
By post-processing I am referring to the prioritization, classification 
and summarization of alert data.
Though, if 30 seconds were just some sort of placeholder we could use 
as some random constant.  Given a significantly high alert rate, 30 
seconds per alert becomes hours, days and months in aggregate alert 
qualification time.
> I suspect the specific IDS usage details will heavilly affect the 
> "analyst
> to sensor" ratios.
Absolutely, even with automated post processing of data, someone has to 
qualify some quantity of alert data.  The problem is self-perpetuating 
in that sensors outnumber analysts.  I don't think it is practical or 
possible for analysts alone to qualify IDS data; even well tuned 
sensors will overwhelm the analyst(s) without the aid of post 
processing of alert data.
Hasta,

- -Jeff

> --
>   Anton A. Chuvakin, Ph.D., GCI*
>      http://www.chuvakin.org
>    http://www.info-secure.org
- --
http://cerberus.sourcefire.com/~jeff       (gpg/pgp key id 6923D3FD)
"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from
mediocre minds."   - Albert Einstein

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