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Introduction

The FortiADC Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) combines signature detection and prevention with low latency and excellent reliability. With intrusion protection, you can create multiple IPS profiles, each containing a complete configuration based on signatures. Then, you can apply any IPS profile to any L4 VS.

This section describes how to configure the FortiADC Intrusion Prevention settings.

1. Inside FortiADC: Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) technology protects your network from cybercriminal attacks by actively seeking and blocking external threats before they can reach potentially vulnerable network devices.

World class next generation IPS capabilities

Today, sophisticated and high volume attacks are challenges that every organization must recognize. These attacks are evolving, infiltrating ever-increasing vectors and complex network environments. The result is an urgent need for network protection while maintaining the ability to efficiently provide demanding services and applications.

Highlights

  • Validated best-in-class security and capacity with proven coverage and high performance.
  • Comprehensive protection provided by a signatures-based IPS engine, protocol anomaly scanning.
  • Flexible deployment options and actionable implementations for a wide array of network integration and operation requirements.

Key features & benefits

Best-in-class security with superior coverage

Protects critical digital resources from both internal exploits and external cybercriminals, even if sophisticated attacks are crafted.

Backed by FortiGuard Labs that deliver real-time protection

Maintain up-to-date and proactive protection against latest known threats and newly discovered hacking techniques while allowing time for organizations to patch vulnerable systems.

Features

Tested and proven protection

FortiGuard IPS signatures are periodically tested and certified by well-known external labs. Now the IPS has been deployed on FortiADC which has been successfully developed on FortiADC, as the forerunner of the Security Effectiveness.

Real-time & zero-day protection

The FortiGuard Intrusion Prevention Service (IPS) provides customers with the latest defenses against stealthy network-level threats through a constantly updated database of known threats and behavior-based signatures.

FortiGuard IPS service quick facts

  1. Over 10,000 signatures consisting of 18,000 rules (some of the are based on the extended database,which FortiADC is not yet supported, FortiADC has about 6000 signatures originally)
  2. Approximately 470,000 network intrusion attempts resisted per minute
  3. About 1,000 rules are updated or added per week
  4. Over 300 Zero-day vulnerabilities discovered to date

This update service is backed by a team of threat experts and a close relationship with major application vendors. The best-in-class team also uncovers significant zero-day vulnerabilities continuously, providing FortiADC units with advanced protection ahead of vendor patches.

Protocol decoders and anomaly detection

Protocol decoders are required to assemble the packets and detect suspicious, nonconforming sessions that resemble known attacks or are non-compliant to RFC or standard implementation.

FortiADC offers one of the most comprehensive arrays of protocol decoders in the industry, providing customers with significantly wide coverage in all kinds of environments.

Pattern & rate-based signatures

The pattern signature matching technique is essential in IPS implementation due to its high level of precision and accuracy. FortiADC offers administrators robust pattern signature selection using filters based on severity, target, operating system, application, and protocol. Each of the signatures has a direct link to its detailed entry on the threat encyclopedia and CVE-ID references. After selection, administrators are able to assign associated actions such as pass, block and default.

Rate-based IPS signatures protect networks against application based DoS and brute force attacks. Administrators can configure 20 rate-based IPS signatures and tune them to their needs. Threshold (incidents per minute) and an action to take when the threshold is reached can be assigned to each signature. If the action is set to block, then a timeout period can be set so that the block is removed after a specified duration.

Predefined Profiles

Every individual IPS Signature takes effect for a particular type of attack, for an effective detection and protection, a well-considered combination of different IPS signatures plays a key role for the whole IPS system. FortiADC has 8 predefined Profiles in respect to: action, application, severity, target, etc. are ready for customers for a fast security-set-up.

Predefined Profile

Comment

all_default

Signatures with default setting.

all_default_pass

Signatures with PASS action.

default

Prevents critical attacks

high_security

Blocks all Critical/High/Medium and some Low severity vulnerabilities.

protect_client

Protect against client-side vulnerabilities.

protect_email_server

Protect against email server-side vulnerabilities.

protect_http_server

Protect against HTTP server-side vulnerabilities.

sniffer-profile

Monitor IPS attacks.

The coming section will explain how to configure the IPS in detail.

Signature-based defense

Signature-based defense is used against known attacks or vulnerability exploits. These often involve an attacker attempting to gain access to your network. The attacker must communicate with the host in an attempt to gain access and this communication will include particular commands or sequences of commands and variables. The IPS signatures include these command sequences, allowing the FortiADC unit to detect and stop the attack.

Signatures

IPS signatures are the basis of signature-based intrusion prevention. Every attack can be reduced to a particular string of commands or a sequence of commands and variables. Signatures include this information so your FortiADC unit knows what to look for in network traffic.

Signatures also include characteristics about the attack they describe. These characteristics include the network protocol in which the attack will appear, the vulnerable operating system, and the vulnerable application.

The FortiGuard Intrusion Prevention Service (IPS) provides customers with the latest defenses against stealthy network-level threats through a constantly updated database of known threats and behavior-based signatures.

This update service is backed by a team of threat experts and a close relationship with major application vendors. The best-in-class team also uncovers significant zero-day vulnerabilities continuously, providing FortiADC units with advanced protection ahead of vendor patches.

The IPS Signatures Database is able to be updated automatically or manually by System > Settings > FortiGuard page

Protocol decoders

Before examining network traffic for attacks, the IPS engine uses protocol decoders to identify each protocol appearing in the traffic. Attacks are protocol-specific, so your FortiADC unit conserves resources by looking for attacks only in the protocols used to transmit them. For example, the FortiADC unit will only examine HTTP traffic for the presence of a signature describing an HTTP attack.

IPS engine

Once the protocol decoders separate the network traffic by protocol, the IPS engine examines the network traffic for attack signatures. The engine count is configurable by CLI as well. (The recommendation is configuring the engine count as the same count of CPU of the FortiADC has, an ips-engine per CPU)

IPS profiles

The IPS engine does not examine network traffic for all signatures. You must first create an IPS profile and specify which signatures are included. Add signatures to profile individually using signature entries, or in groups using IPS filters.

To view the IPS profiles, go to Security Profiles > Intrusion Prevention.

You can group signatures into IPS profiles for easy selection when applying to L4 VS Security. You can define signatures for specific types of traffic in separate IPS profiles, and then select those profiles in profiles designed to handle that type of traffic. For example, you can specify all of the web-server related signatures in an IPS profile, and that the profile can then be applied to a L4 VS Security that controls all of the traffic to and from a web server protected by the unit.

The FortiGuard Service periodically updates the signatures, with signatures added to counter new threats. Since the signatures included in filters are defined by specifying signature attributes, new signatures matching existing filter specifications will automatically be included in those filters. For example, if you have a filter that includes all signatures for the Windows operating system, your filter will automatically incorporate new Windows signatures as they are added.

Each filter consists of a number of signatures attributes. All of the signatures with those attributes, and only those attributes, are checked against traffic when the filter is run. If multiple filters are defined in an IPS profile, they are checked against the traffic one at a time, from top to bottom. If a match is found, the unit takes the appropriate action and stops further checking.

The signatures included in the filter are only those matching every attribute specified. When created, a new filter has every attribute set to all which causes every signature to be included in the filter. If the severity is changed to high, and the target is changed to server, the filter includes only signatures checking for high priority attacks targeted at servers.

IPS filters

IPS profiles contain one or more IPS filters. A filter is a collection of signature attributes that you specify. The signatures that have all of the attributes specified in a filter are included in the IPS filter.

For example, if your FortiADC unit protects a Linux server running the Apache web server software, you could create a new filter to protect it. By setting OS to Linux, and Application to Apache, the filter will include only the signatures that apply to both Linux and Apache. If you wanted to scan for all the Linux signatures and all the Apache signatures, you would create two filters, one for each.

To view the filters in an IPS profile, go to Security Profiles > Intrusion Prevention, select the IPS profile containing the filters you want to view, and select Edit.

Custom/predefined signature entries

Signature entries allow you to add an individual custom or predefined IPS signature. If you need only one signature, adding a signature entry to an IPS profile is the easiest way. Signature entries are also the only way to include custom signatures in an IPS profile.

Another use for signature entries is to change the settings of individual signatures that are already included in a filter within the same IPS profile. Add a signature entry with the required settings above the filter, and the signature entry will take priority.

Security - L4 VS

To use an IPS profile, you must select it in a L4 VS security options. An IPS profile that it not selected in a policy options will have no effect on network traffic.

Note

IPS does not support NAT46.

Session timers for IPS sessions

A session time-to-live (TTL) timer for IPS sessions is available to reduce synchronization problems between the FortiADC Kernel and IPS, and to reduce IPS memory usage.

Introduction

The FortiADC Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) combines signature detection and prevention with low latency and excellent reliability. With intrusion protection, you can create multiple IPS profiles, each containing a complete configuration based on signatures. Then, you can apply any IPS profile to any L4 VS.

This section describes how to configure the FortiADC Intrusion Prevention settings.

1. Inside FortiADC: Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) technology protects your network from cybercriminal attacks by actively seeking and blocking external threats before they can reach potentially vulnerable network devices.

World class next generation IPS capabilities

Today, sophisticated and high volume attacks are challenges that every organization must recognize. These attacks are evolving, infiltrating ever-increasing vectors and complex network environments. The result is an urgent need for network protection while maintaining the ability to efficiently provide demanding services and applications.

Highlights

  • Validated best-in-class security and capacity with proven coverage and high performance.
  • Comprehensive protection provided by a signatures-based IPS engine, protocol anomaly scanning.
  • Flexible deployment options and actionable implementations for a wide array of network integration and operation requirements.

Key features & benefits

Best-in-class security with superior coverage

Protects critical digital resources from both internal exploits and external cybercriminals, even if sophisticated attacks are crafted.

Backed by FortiGuard Labs that deliver real-time protection

Maintain up-to-date and proactive protection against latest known threats and newly discovered hacking techniques while allowing time for organizations to patch vulnerable systems.

Features

Tested and proven protection

FortiGuard IPS signatures are periodically tested and certified by well-known external labs. Now the IPS has been deployed on FortiADC which has been successfully developed on FortiADC, as the forerunner of the Security Effectiveness.

Real-time & zero-day protection

The FortiGuard Intrusion Prevention Service (IPS) provides customers with the latest defenses against stealthy network-level threats through a constantly updated database of known threats and behavior-based signatures.

FortiGuard IPS service quick facts

  1. Over 10,000 signatures consisting of 18,000 rules (some of the are based on the extended database,which FortiADC is not yet supported, FortiADC has about 6000 signatures originally)
  2. Approximately 470,000 network intrusion attempts resisted per minute
  3. About 1,000 rules are updated or added per week
  4. Over 300 Zero-day vulnerabilities discovered to date

This update service is backed by a team of threat experts and a close relationship with major application vendors. The best-in-class team also uncovers significant zero-day vulnerabilities continuously, providing FortiADC units with advanced protection ahead of vendor patches.

Protocol decoders and anomaly detection

Protocol decoders are required to assemble the packets and detect suspicious, nonconforming sessions that resemble known attacks or are non-compliant to RFC or standard implementation.

FortiADC offers one of the most comprehensive arrays of protocol decoders in the industry, providing customers with significantly wide coverage in all kinds of environments.

Pattern & rate-based signatures

The pattern signature matching technique is essential in IPS implementation due to its high level of precision and accuracy. FortiADC offers administrators robust pattern signature selection using filters based on severity, target, operating system, application, and protocol. Each of the signatures has a direct link to its detailed entry on the threat encyclopedia and CVE-ID references. After selection, administrators are able to assign associated actions such as pass, block and default.

Rate-based IPS signatures protect networks against application based DoS and brute force attacks. Administrators can configure 20 rate-based IPS signatures and tune them to their needs. Threshold (incidents per minute) and an action to take when the threshold is reached can be assigned to each signature. If the action is set to block, then a timeout period can be set so that the block is removed after a specified duration.

Predefined Profiles

Every individual IPS Signature takes effect for a particular type of attack, for an effective detection and protection, a well-considered combination of different IPS signatures plays a key role for the whole IPS system. FortiADC has 8 predefined Profiles in respect to: action, application, severity, target, etc. are ready for customers for a fast security-set-up.

Predefined Profile

Comment

all_default

Signatures with default setting.

all_default_pass

Signatures with PASS action.

default

Prevents critical attacks

high_security

Blocks all Critical/High/Medium and some Low severity vulnerabilities.

protect_client

Protect against client-side vulnerabilities.

protect_email_server

Protect against email server-side vulnerabilities.

protect_http_server

Protect against HTTP server-side vulnerabilities.

sniffer-profile

Monitor IPS attacks.

The coming section will explain how to configure the IPS in detail.

Signature-based defense

Signature-based defense is used against known attacks or vulnerability exploits. These often involve an attacker attempting to gain access to your network. The attacker must communicate with the host in an attempt to gain access and this communication will include particular commands or sequences of commands and variables. The IPS signatures include these command sequences, allowing the FortiADC unit to detect and stop the attack.

Signatures

IPS signatures are the basis of signature-based intrusion prevention. Every attack can be reduced to a particular string of commands or a sequence of commands and variables. Signatures include this information so your FortiADC unit knows what to look for in network traffic.

Signatures also include characteristics about the attack they describe. These characteristics include the network protocol in which the attack will appear, the vulnerable operating system, and the vulnerable application.

The FortiGuard Intrusion Prevention Service (IPS) provides customers with the latest defenses against stealthy network-level threats through a constantly updated database of known threats and behavior-based signatures.

This update service is backed by a team of threat experts and a close relationship with major application vendors. The best-in-class team also uncovers significant zero-day vulnerabilities continuously, providing FortiADC units with advanced protection ahead of vendor patches.

The IPS Signatures Database is able to be updated automatically or manually by System > Settings > FortiGuard page

Protocol decoders

Before examining network traffic for attacks, the IPS engine uses protocol decoders to identify each protocol appearing in the traffic. Attacks are protocol-specific, so your FortiADC unit conserves resources by looking for attacks only in the protocols used to transmit them. For example, the FortiADC unit will only examine HTTP traffic for the presence of a signature describing an HTTP attack.

IPS engine

Once the protocol decoders separate the network traffic by protocol, the IPS engine examines the network traffic for attack signatures. The engine count is configurable by CLI as well. (The recommendation is configuring the engine count as the same count of CPU of the FortiADC has, an ips-engine per CPU)

IPS profiles

The IPS engine does not examine network traffic for all signatures. You must first create an IPS profile and specify which signatures are included. Add signatures to profile individually using signature entries, or in groups using IPS filters.

To view the IPS profiles, go to Security Profiles > Intrusion Prevention.

You can group signatures into IPS profiles for easy selection when applying to L4 VS Security. You can define signatures for specific types of traffic in separate IPS profiles, and then select those profiles in profiles designed to handle that type of traffic. For example, you can specify all of the web-server related signatures in an IPS profile, and that the profile can then be applied to a L4 VS Security that controls all of the traffic to and from a web server protected by the unit.

The FortiGuard Service periodically updates the signatures, with signatures added to counter new threats. Since the signatures included in filters are defined by specifying signature attributes, new signatures matching existing filter specifications will automatically be included in those filters. For example, if you have a filter that includes all signatures for the Windows operating system, your filter will automatically incorporate new Windows signatures as they are added.

Each filter consists of a number of signatures attributes. All of the signatures with those attributes, and only those attributes, are checked against traffic when the filter is run. If multiple filters are defined in an IPS profile, they are checked against the traffic one at a time, from top to bottom. If a match is found, the unit takes the appropriate action and stops further checking.

The signatures included in the filter are only those matching every attribute specified. When created, a new filter has every attribute set to all which causes every signature to be included in the filter. If the severity is changed to high, and the target is changed to server, the filter includes only signatures checking for high priority attacks targeted at servers.

IPS filters

IPS profiles contain one or more IPS filters. A filter is a collection of signature attributes that you specify. The signatures that have all of the attributes specified in a filter are included in the IPS filter.

For example, if your FortiADC unit protects a Linux server running the Apache web server software, you could create a new filter to protect it. By setting OS to Linux, and Application to Apache, the filter will include only the signatures that apply to both Linux and Apache. If you wanted to scan for all the Linux signatures and all the Apache signatures, you would create two filters, one for each.

To view the filters in an IPS profile, go to Security Profiles > Intrusion Prevention, select the IPS profile containing the filters you want to view, and select Edit.

Custom/predefined signature entries

Signature entries allow you to add an individual custom or predefined IPS signature. If you need only one signature, adding a signature entry to an IPS profile is the easiest way. Signature entries are also the only way to include custom signatures in an IPS profile.

Another use for signature entries is to change the settings of individual signatures that are already included in a filter within the same IPS profile. Add a signature entry with the required settings above the filter, and the signature entry will take priority.

Security - L4 VS

To use an IPS profile, you must select it in a L4 VS security options. An IPS profile that it not selected in a policy options will have no effect on network traffic.

Note

IPS does not support NAT46.

Session timers for IPS sessions

A session time-to-live (TTL) timer for IPS sessions is available to reduce synchronization problems between the FortiADC Kernel and IPS, and to reduce IPS memory usage.