What is the purpose of an intrusion detection system (IDS)?

An intrusion detection system (IDS) serves the purpose of monitoring network traffic for suspicious activity. This involves analyzing incoming and outgoing traffic to identify potential security threats, such as unauthorized access attempts or malicious activities that might compromise the security of the network. The IDS can alert security personnel of any detected anomalies, enabling them to respond appropriately to prevent breaches or mitigate damage.

By actively monitoring traffic as it passes through network segments, an IDS provides valuable insights into the overall security posture of the network. It helps in detecting various types of attacks, such as malware propagation or intrusion attempts by external actors, thereby playing a critical role in an organization's security framework.

The other choices focus on different aspects of network management and security—managing user access is related to access control systems, creating backup copies pertains to data protection and recovery strategies, and providing antivirus protection involves endpoint security solutions. While all these components are essential for a robust cybersecurity strategy, they do not fulfill the specific monitoring function that an IDS provides.