Signature-Based Detection

C.

Misuse detectors compare system activity, looking for events or sets of events that match a predefined pattern of events that describe a known attack.As the patterns corresponding to known attacks are called signatures, misuse detection is sometimes called "signature-based detection." The most common form of misuse detection used in commercial products specifies each pattern of events corresponding to an attack as a separate signature.

However, there are more sophisticated approaches to doing misuse detection (called "state-based" analysis techniques) that can leverage a single signature to detect groups of attacks.

The publication above has been replaced by 800-94 on page 2-4 The Updated URL is:http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-94/SP800-94.pdf.

Signature-based detection is a type of intrusion detection method that identifies and alerts security administrators to known threats based on pre-configured patterns, also called signatures. These signatures are sets of rules or patterns that describe the characteristics of known threats, such as viruses, worms, trojans, or other malware.

The process of signature-based detection involves comparing system activity, network traffic, or source code against a predefined database of signatures. The database of signatures is usually maintained by security software vendors or security researchers, who continuously update it to include new signatures that match the latest threats.

When system activity or network traffic matches a signature in the database, the security software raises an alert, indicating that a known threat has been detected. The alert can be sent to security administrators, who can take appropriate action to prevent further damage.

Option C, "Compare system activity, looking for events or sets of events that match a predefined pattern of events that describe a known attack," best describes signature-based detection. Signature-based detection involves comparing system activity against a predefined pattern of events that describe a known attack, in order to detect and alert security administrators to potential threats.