IDS Log Analysis Quiz: Test Your Cybersecurity Knowledge

📚 Quick Study Guide

• 🔍 Intrusion Detection System (IDS): Monitors network traffic for suspicious activity and policy violations.
• 🚨 Log Analysis: The process of reviewing and interpreting IDS logs to identify potential security threats.
• 🪵 Log Data: Contains information about network events, including timestamps, source/destination IPs, user accounts, and event types.
• 📈 Statistical Analysis: Identifying anomalies by comparing current network behavior against a baseline. For example, detecting spikes in traffic using formulas like standard deviation: $\sigma = \sqrt{\frac{1}{N}\sum_{i=1}^{N}(x_i - \mu)^2}$, where $x_i$ are data points, $\mu$ is the mean, and N is the number of data points.
• 🛡️ Signature-Based Detection: Matching log events against known attack signatures (patterns).
• 🎭 Anomaly-Based Detection: Identifying unusual patterns that deviate from normal network behavior.
• 📝 Common Log Formats: Syslog, Snort alerts, and custom formats specific to the IDS.
• 💡 Key Log Fields: Timestamp, Source IP, Destination IP, Port, Protocol, Event ID, Severity.
• 🔑 Correlation: Combining information from multiple logs and sources to provide a more complete picture of an event.

Practice Quiz

1. Which of the following is the primary purpose of IDS log analysis?
   1. A. To improve network performance.
   2. B. To identify potential security threats.
   3. C. To manage user accounts.
   4. D. To optimize database queries.
2. What type of detection method involves matching log events against known attack patterns?
   1. A. Anomaly-based detection.
   2. B. Statistical detection.
   3. C. Signature-based detection.
   4. D. Heuristic detection.
3. Which of the following log fields is most helpful in identifying the origin of a potential attack?
   1. A. Destination Port.
   2. B. Timestamp.
   3. C. Source IP.
   4. D. Protocol.
4. What does a high standard deviation in network traffic generally indicate?
   1. A. Stable network performance.
   2. B. Low latency.
   3. C. Unusual network activity or anomalies.
   4. D. Efficient data transfer.
5. Which of the following is NOT a common log format?
   1. A. Syslog.
   2. B. Snort alerts.
   3. C. CSV.
   4. D. Custom IDS format.
6. What does "correlation" refer to in the context of IDS log analysis?
   1. A. Encrypting log data.
   2. B. Backing up log files.
   3. C. Combining information from multiple logs to understand events.
   4. D. Compressing log data.
7. Which type of IDS detection identifies deviations from established normal network behavior?
   1. A. Signature-based.
   2. B. Rule-based.
   3. C. Anomaly-based.
   4. D. Protocol-based.