In this case it may appear wiser and cost effective for you to evaluate a Managed Service Provider.
If your objective is to evaluate just HIDS and report the findings, then you should certainly start with finacksyn's question as a good RFI. I would get a Value Added Re-Seller on your side so that you do not get courted and spun into "WishWare" like I have seen too many times. Make the VAR help you. Now, if you have the dollars to research, evaluate, test, and purchase a holistic information security infrastructure; then, you will want to bring in an MSSP. It is proven that the annual investment of a Security Service Provider has a far greater return and less investment in resources and "Tools" than you or your organization can provide. Bottom line: Poor soldiers like you and I know what makes sense for InfoSec and what does not (Meaning what we can really monitor, manage, administer, and learn with little staff/resources/pay). "They" make decisions based upon "flavor of the month security manufacturer". "They" are smart, don't get me wrong. In fact their job stinks and I would not want it (Politics). MSSP's are worth looking into in your world. Be aware! MSSP's make claims, over state Scope of Work, only support product/technology that you do not already own, and a lot of them only will provide you with a very limited scope of services (Monitor but no vulnerability mitigation, vulnerability assessment, but no monitoring of applications, OS, database,... (Which, IMHO is stupid). I hope this helps. I too have 10+ years experience as an administrator, security software sales engineer, security product manager of an IDS, and a MSSP. This post is strictly from me and my opinion. Any response or solicitation should be replied back to the list. Gregg Earnhart Plano, TX -----Original Message----- From: Paul Schmehl [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, February 02, 2006 8:38 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Real world experience with HIDS The problem with your response is it makes assumptions about my infrastructure and my needs (which I won't reveal on this list.) In the real world (at least mine), I don't get to make the decisions about "what's best" for someone else's equipment. If they want HIDS, not HIPS, then that's what I'm going to research. Active defense is nice, but when it gets in the way of operations, decision makers won't allow it, in some case, even if it's what we would recommend. Sometimes, as security professionals, we have to skin cats with other things than the best knives. --On February 3, 2006 12:51:37 AM +0000 FinAckSyn <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi Paul, > > Don't take this the wrong way, but you're asking the > wrong questions! :) > >> 1) Ease of install - can it be done through GPO? >> SMS? Login scripts? > > Zero-day attack prevention is far more important than > ease of use. DON'T choose a > well-orchestrated/marketed product if it doesn't give > you the protection you need. > >> >> 2) Usefulness of the information generated - have >> you detected any >> exploits? How were you notified? Etc., >> > > The whole point of HIDS/HIPS should be to give you a > last line of defence, once attackers/hackers/worms > have got through your perimeter security. Screw > detection at this point. You need active protection. > >> 3) Centralized management - is there any? If so, >> how easy is it to use? >> Configurable at the host level? Or group of hosts >> level? >> > > There aren't any commerical HIPS/HIDS products that > don't give you this. > >> 4) Access to data - is it possible to restrict >> access to the data so that >> an administrator on the server would *not* be able >> to see the output of the >> HIDS? >> > > Setup separate 'security administrator' accounts, that > separate day to day security event logging from day to > day account administration. > >> 5) Interference with the server - does it consume >> lots of memory or CPU? > > Only if they're badly written. > >> Is it proactive or passive? >> > > Ignore any passive products. If an attacker has got > through all your other protection (firewall, AV, IPS, > IDS) then a passive product is not going to help you. > >> 6) Would you purchase again, if you had the option? >> >> PLEASE NOTE: Any vendor on this list who emails me >> suggesting their >> product will be automatically dropped from >> consideration, so be forewarned. >> You're welcome to respond on the list, if you like, >> but don't email me or you'll be eliminated from >> consideration. > > I work for Cisco, Juniper, ISS, McAfee, Symantec, > Trend and Check Point, and recommend them all > throroughly. Does this mean you'll drop the whole > marketplace from consideration now ? :) > > > --- Paul Schmehl <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> I have some questions for real world users (not >> vendors) of HIDS products. >> If you are using HIDS products *and* you're happy >> with the results, please >> respond to the following quesitons. >> >> 1) Ease of install - can it be done through GPO? >> SMS? Login scripts? >> >> 2) Usefulness of the information generated - have >> you detected any >> exploits? How were you notified? Etc., >> >> 3) Centralized management - is there any? If so, >> how easy is it to use? >> Configurable at the host level? Or group of hosts >> level? >> >> 4) Access to data - is it possible to restrict >> access to the data so that >> an administrator on the server would *not* be able >> to see the output of the >> HIDS? >> >> 5) Interference with the server - does it consume >> lots of memory or CPU? >> Is it proactive or passive? >> >> 6) Would you purchase again, if you had the option? >> >> PLEASE NOTE: Any vendor on this list who emails me >> suggesting their >> product will be automatically dropped from >> consideration, so be forewarned. >> You're welcome to respond on the list, if you like, >> but don't email me or >> you'll be eliminated from consideration. >> >> Paul Schmehl ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) >> Adjunct Information Security Officer >> University of Texas at Dallas >> AVIEN Founding Member >> http://www.utdallas.edu/ir/security/ >> >> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> Test Your IDS >> >> Is your IDS deployed correctly? >> Find out quickly and easily by testing it >> with real-world attacks from CORE IMPACT. >> Go to >> > http://www.securityfocus.com/sponsor/CoreSecurity_focus-ids_040708 >> >> to learn more. >> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> >> > > > > > ___________________________________________________________ > Yahoo! Photos - NEW, now offering a quality print service from just 8p > a photo http://uk.photos.yahoo.com Paul Schmehl ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) Adjunct Information Security Officer University of Texas at Dallas AVIEN Founding Member http://www.utdallas.edu/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Test Your IDS Is your IDS deployed correctly? Find out quickly and easily by testing it with real-world attacks from CORE IMPACT. Go to http://www.securityfocus.com/sponsor/CoreSecurity_focus-ids_040708 to learn more. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Test Your IDS Is your IDS deployed correctly? Find out quickly and easily by testing it with real-world attacks from CORE IMPACT. Go to http://www.securityfocus.com/sponsor/CoreSecurity_focus-ids_040708 to learn more. ------------------------------------------------------------------------
