What system takes defensive actions when suspicious activity is detected?

An Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) is designed to monitor network and system activities for malicious behavior. Upon detecting suspicious activity, the IPS can take immediate actions to prevent breaches or attacks. This includes blocking traffic from malicious IP addresses, terminating sessions, and dropping suspicious packets.

The key differentiator for an IPS is its proactive nature; it does not just alert administrators about potential threats but actively prevents them from occurring. This makes it an essential component in maintaining the security of network environments by mitigating incidents as they arise.

In contrast, other systems such as an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) primarily focus on identifying and reporting threats but do not take direct action in response to them. Firewalls serve to control the flow of traffic based on predefined security rules, rather than investigating or responding to suspicious activity in real-time. Access Control Systems manage permissions and user access but do not inherently monitor for or respond to threats.