What is the difference between IDS and IPS?
D2 · Threats · CompTIA Security+ SY0-701| Feature | IDS | IPS |
|---|---|---|
| Action | Alert only (passive) | Alert + block (active) |
| Placement | Out-of-band (tap/SPAN) | Inline (traffic flows through it) |
| Risk | False negatives missed | False positives block legit traffic |
| Detection | Signature + anomaly | Signature + anomaly |
IDS = smoke detector (alerts you). IPS = sprinkler system (acts automatically). IPS must be inline. If the question says "automatically block" — it's IPS.