Zeek (previously known as Bro) is a Network Intrusion Detection System (NIDS) that passively monitors network traffic and looks for suspicious activity.
Zeek detects intrusions by first parsing network traffic to extract is application-level semantics and then executing event-oriented analyzers that compare the activity with patterns deemed troublesome.
Its analysis includes detection of specific attacks (including those defined by signatures, but also those defined in terms of events) and unusual activities (e.g., certain hosts connecting to certain services, or patterns of failed connection attempts).
Features include:
- In-depth Analysis Zeek ships with analyzers for many protocols, enabling high-level semantic analysis at the application layer.
- Adaptable and Flexible Zeek’s domain-specific scripting language enables site-specific monitoring policies and means that it is not restricted to any particular detection approach.
- Efficient Zeek targets high-performance networks and is used operationally at a variety of large sites.
- Highly Stateful Zeek keeps extensive application-layer state about the network it monitors and provides a high-level archive of a network’s activity.
Website: www.bro.org
Support: Documentation, GitHub Code Repository
Developer: The Zeek Project
License: BSD license
Zeek is written in C++. Learn C++ with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
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Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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Bro is now Zeek.