CompTIA CySA+ Practice Test 2025 – The Comprehensive All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

An Intrusion Detection System (IDS) is specifically designed to monitor network traffic and detect potential security breaches or unauthorized access attempts. Its primary function is to analyze data packets traversing the network and identify patterns or signatures that match known threats or anomalous behaviors indicative of an intrusion. When such activities are detected, the IDS can alert system administrators, enabling them to respond promptly to potential security incidents.

This feature is critical in maintaining the overall security posture of an organization, as it allows for early detection of threats before they can result in significant damage or data loss. By continually monitoring and analyzing network activity, an IDS provides valuable insights that help organizations strengthen their defenses against attacks.

Other options listed, such as providing firewall services, encrypting network traffic, or conducting malware scans, describe functionalities of different types of security solutions. While firewalls manage access and monitor traffic based on predetermined security rules, encryption focuses on protecting data confidentiality, and malware scans target malicious software detection and removal. Each of these approaches plays an important role in a comprehensive security strategy but does not align with the core purpose of an IDS.