Review of the program for proactive computer protection Defense Wall HIPS. What if you're not sure? Will it ruin my system?

What does HIPS mean in a general sense?

This stands for "Host Intrusion Prevention System" ( H ost I ntrusion P prevention S system). Essentially, it is a program that alerts the user when a malicious program, such as a virus, may be trying to run on the user's computer, or when an unauthorized user, such as a hacker, may have gained access to the user's computer.

Origin and background

A few years ago, classifying malware was relatively easy. The virus was a virus, there were other types, but they were very different! Nowadays, the “bugs” have changed, and the defining boundaries between them have become more blurred. Not only have there become more threats in the form Trojan horses, worms and rootkits, various malicious products are now often combined. This is the reason why malware is now often referred to collectively as "malware" and applications designed to combat it as "programs." wide range actions."

In the past, detection programs relied primarily on malware signatures to identify malware. This method, while reliable, is only as good as the frequency of updates. There is an added complication in that much of today's malware is constantly changing. In the process, their signatures also change. To combat this, HIPS programs have been developed that can “recognize” malicious software by its behavior rather than by its signatures. This "behavior" could be an attempt to control another application running Windows service or change the registry key.

Illustration from EUobserver.com

This is a bit like catching a criminal by his behavior rather than by his fingerprints. If he acts like a thief, he is most likely a thief. Same with computer program: If it acts like a malware, then it is most likely a malware.

The problem here is that sometimes perfectly legitimate programs can act a little suspiciously, and this can cause HIPS to mistakenly flag a legitimate program as malware. These so-called false alarms are a real problem for HIPS programs. This is why the best HIPS programs are those that use a combined signature-behavioral approach. But more on that later.

What does a HIPS program actually do?

In general terms, a HIPS program seeks to preserve the integrity of the system on which it is installed by preventing unapproved sources from making changes to that system. It typically does this by displaying a security warning popup asking the user whether a particular change should be allowed.

Comodo: HIPS warning popup

This system is only as good as the user's responses to pop-up queries. Even if the HIPS program correctly identifies the threat, the user may inadvertently approve the incorrect action and the PC may still become infected.

Correct behavior can also be misinterpreted as harmful. These so-called "false alarms" are a real problem with HIPS products, although fortunately they have become less common as HIPS programs have become more sophisticated.

The upside here is that you can use some HIPS software to manage the permissions of legitimate applications, although this would only be desirable for experienced users. I'll explain this in more detail later and why you should use them. Another way to look at HIPS is to use it as a firewall, managing applications and services rather than just Internet access.

Product type

Modern malware has become so advanced that security programs can no longer rely on signature-based detection alone. Many applications now use a combination of different methods to identify and block malware threats. As a result, in several various types protective products now use HIPS. Today it is not at all uncommon to see HIPS as part of an antivirus or antispyware program, although HIPS is by far the most common as component firewall. In fact, most modern firewalls now add HIPS protection elements to their IP filtering capabilities.

Comodo Comprehensive Antivirus Internet Security

To improve efficiency, HIPS programs use a variety of detection methods. In addition to signature recognition, HIPS programs also look for behavior consistent with malware. This means that they aim to identify actions or events that are known to be typical behavior of malware.

Some behavioral analysis programs are more automated than others, and while this may seem like a good idea, in practice this can lead to complications. Sometimes circumstances may make it appear that a perfectly legitimate application activity is suspicious, causing it to terminate. You may not even know it until something stops working! This is quite safe and just annoying as long as the process is reversible, but sometimes it can lead to instability in the system. Although such events are rare, their impact can be severe, so it is advisable to take this into account when making decisions.

Installation and configuration

A HIPS program should be installed with its default settings and used until it either has a required learning period or until you become accustomed to its functionality. You can always adjust the sensitivity levels later and add additional rules if you feel it is necessary. Applications that have a default “learning period” are designed this way for a reason. It may be tempting to shorten your training, but doing so may also reduce your effectiveness. Manufacturers usually include a PDF manual, and it is never a bad idea to read it before installation.

ESET NOD32 Antivirus: Setting up HIPS

Earlier I mentioned the possibility of using a HIPS program to control the use of legal applications. We already do this in our firewalls by restricting port usage. You can use HIPS software in this manner to block or restrict access to system components and services. In general, the more you restrict Windows, the safer it will be. I read somewhere that the most secure Windows system is called Linux! But that's another problem. Sometimes legitimate programs, when installed, establish a level of access to the system that greatly exceeds what they are actually supposed to perform as part of their normal functions. Limiting applications to the "allowed to read" level (with hard drive) if they don't need "write permission" by default is one way to reduce the risk. To do this, you can, for example, use the "Protection+" module setting in Comodo Internet Security.

When a potential threat is identified

Most HIPS programs alert users to potential threats with an interactive pop-up window when something happens. Some programs automate this process and report it (maybe!) later. The important thing is not to become “automated” when answering. No security app will be of any use if you blindly click "Yes" to answer every question. Just a few seconds of thinking before making a decision can save hours of work later (not to mention data loss). If a notification turns out to be a false alarm, you can sometimes save it as an "exception" to prevent such a notification in the future. It is also recommended that manufacturers be notified of false alarms so that they can correct them in future versions.

What if you're not sure?

Rates vary depending on what you read, but up to 90% of all malware comes from the Internet, so you'll receive most pop-up security alerts while you're online. Recommended action is stop this event and search Google for information about the file(s) shown. The location of the detected threat can be as important as the file name. Moreover, "Ispy.exe" may be legitimate software, but "ispy.exe" may be malicious. HijackThis magazine's reports could help with this, but the results provided automated service, may not be entirely unambiguous. In general, you will allow some harm by blocking or isolating an event that occurs until you learn what to do about it. This only happens when you remove something and don’t know that it could lead to disastrous results!

Today's trend is to include recommendations from the community in pop-up notifications. These systems try to help you respond to security notifications accurately by telling you how others responded in similar cases.

This is an attractive idea in theory, but in practice the results can be disappointing. For example, if 10 people previously saw a certain notification, and nine of them did not right choice, then when you see a recommendation with a 90% rating about blocking a program, you follow their lead! I call this the "herd syndrome". As the number of users increases, so should the reliability of recommendations, but this is not always the case, so some caution is necessary. You can always Google for another opinion.

Multiple defenses or a “layered approach”?

A few years ago, using single security suites did not provide the level of performance comparable to using multiple individual applications security to achieve "multi-level" protection. However, recently manufacturers have invested heavily in kit development and this has now been reflected in their products. However, some still contain at least one weak component, and if it is a firewall, then you should opt for something else. The general consensus is that the combination individual elements will still give high performance and better overall reliability. What they do, by and large, is of course offer more choice and more flexibility. Comodo was the first serious suite that's truly free, but now Outpost ( site note: unfortunately, this product is not being developed in lately ) and ZoneAlarm also release free kits. All of them offer a serious alternative to paid software.

Free ZoneAlarm Free Antivirus+ Firewall

A car is only as good as its driver, and the same applies to software. There is no such thing as a "set it and forget it" discharge security program. Try to choose something that you can understand and that you enjoy using. It's like comparing Sunbelt-Kerio and Comodo firewalls. Yes, if you want to keep your feet on the ground, Comodo can give better protection, but it is also more difficult to understand. If you think Kerio is easier to work with, you are more likely to use it effectively, and ultimately it would be best choice(only up to Windows XP. Windows users 7 and above can try TinyWall). Use the results of various tests as a guide, but only for this purpose. No test can ever replace your computer, your program and your surfing habits.

Selection criteria

I have always chosen applications for myself in the following way. Of course you may think differently!

Do I need it?

Many people dispute the advisability of using some software when they object to what it achieves. If your firewall already has a good HIPS component (like Comodo, Privatefirewall or Online Armor) then this may be sufficient. However, programs such as Malware Defender use various methods, which provide additional protection in some circumstances. Only you can decide if this is necessary for you. Experts still advise against running more than one security software of the same type.

Will I be able touse it?

Installing any HIPS program creates a lot of work in terms of setting up and managing alerts. In general, what HIPS programs find can be somewhat ambiguous, so you should be prepared to test their results. Only with average knowledge would you find this a problem when interpreting the results.

Will it help?

HIPS-based methods are only effective where the user correctly responds to the pop-up alerts that HIPS displays. Newbies and indifferent users are unlikely to be able to give such answers.

Diligent and experienced users have a place for HIPS software in the PC security landscape, as HIPS takes a different approach to traditional signature software. Used alone or in conjunction with a firewall, HIPS will add detection capabilities to your firewall.

Will it ruin my system?

Security programs, by their very nature, must invade your PC's inner sanctum to be effective. If your registry already looks like a plate of spaghetti, if you have program files"ghost folders" if you have " blue screen", Windows error messages and pages not requested in Internet Explorer, then installing a HIPS program will only lead to trouble. Even on a clean machine, making the wrong decision can lead to irreversible instability. Although, in principle, you can cause the same damage when working in a registry cleaning program.

Can I use more than one application?

I don't see the benefit of using two HIPS programs together. Experts still advise against running more than one active security application of the same type. The risk of conflict outweighs any possible benefits.

Conclusion

Users, before considering HIPS, may want to consider improving the security of their browser by first replacing IE with Chrome, Firefox or Opera and using sandboxing. People using a standard firewall could use Malware Defender for added protection. And CIS or Online Armor users will not receive any benefits from this. System load and resource usage is something that needs to be taken into account, although this is mainly important when using older machines. There is really no definitive answer other than to say that there are too many exceptions to the rules, too many! Overall, it's all about balance. The biggest threat to my computer will always be myself!

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Host Intrusion Prevention System Protects against malware and other unwanted activity that attempts to negatively impact your computer's security. Host Intrusion Prevention uses advanced behavior analysis combined with network filtering detection capabilities to monitor running processes, files, and registry keys. Host intrusion prevention is different from security file system in real time and is not a firewall; it only monitors processes running on the operating system.

Host intrusion prevention system settings are located in the section Additional settings (F5). To open Host Intrusion Prevention, in the advanced options tree, select Computer > HIPS. The status of the host intrusion prevention system (enabled or disabled) is displayed in the main window ESET Smart Security in the Settings area on the right side of the Computer section.

Warning. Changes to host intrusion prevention settings should only be made by experienced users.

At ESET Smart Security There is built-in self-defense technology that prevents malware from damaging or disabling virus and spyware protection. Self-Defense protects files and registry keys that are considered essential to the operation of ESET Smart Security and ensures that potentially malicious programs do not have the rights to make any changes to these locations.

Parameter changes Enable host intrusion prevention system And Enable self-defense take effect after restarting the operating room Windows systems. To turn off host intrusion prevention systems You will also need to restart your computer.

Exploit blocker designed to protect applications that are typically vulnerable to exploits, such as browsers, PDF readers, email clients, and MS Office components. Additional information For this type of protection, see the glossary.

Advanced Memory Scan Module works in conjunction with an exploit blocker to enhance protection against malware that can evade detection by conventional anti-malware products through the use of obfuscation and/or encryption. For more information about this type of protection, see the glossary.

HIPS filtering can be performed in one of four modes described below.

Host Intrusion Prevention monitors operating system events and responds accordingly based on rules that are similar to ESET Smart Security's personal firewall rules. Select a team Configure rules... to open the host intrusion prevention system rule management window. Here you can select, create, edit and delete rules. For more information about creating rules and host intrusion prevention system operations, see the Edit Rule chapter.

The following example will show you how to limit unwanted application behavior.

If you select Ask as the default action, ESET Smart Security will display a dialog after each operation is launched. You can also select other actions for the operation: Deny or Allow. If you do not select an action, the action will be selected based on predefined rules.

In the dialog box Allow access to another application You can create a rule based on a new action detected by host intrusion prevention, and then define the conditions under which that action will be allowed or denied. Click Show options to define the exact parameters for the new rule. Rules created in this manner are considered equivalent to manually created rules, so the rule created in the dialog box may be less detailed than the rule that caused the dialog box to appear. This means that after creating such a rule, the same operation may cause another dialog box if the parameters set in the previous set of rules do not apply to this situation.

Parameter selection Temporarily remember this action for this process causes the action to be used (Allow/Deny) until the rules or filtering modes are changed, the host intrusion prevention system module is updated, or the computer is rebooted. After performing any of these actions, temporary rules are deleted.

An inquisitive mind often pushes tech-savvy users to bold experiments. Reader “We are ESET” Dmitry Minaev to conduct an educational program on fine tuning rules of HIPS, and we cannot refuse him.

Host Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS) arrives in 4th generation antivirus products ESET. It protects your computer from potentially dangerous programs.

In 10, a new module appeared, created to combat blockers and encryptors. HIPS uses advanced behavior analysis and network filtering capabilities. This allows you to track running processes, files and registry.

The HIPS system combines a number of modules to combat various types threats. Each of them can be configured manually, “for yourself”.

"Factory settings" should be sufficient for a home user (for example, the "Anti-Ransomware" module is activated in HIPS by default). If desired, you can specify more high level restrictions (but this may increase the percentage of false positives).

If you still want to play with the settings, we'll show you what to look for and walk through a simple example of creating a rule for the HIPS system.

Warning: Changing HIPS system preset settings is recommended for experienced users only.

HIPS options are found in the Advanced Options section:

F5 - Virus protection -HIPS - Basic

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4 filtering modes are available:

• Automatic mode: All operations are enabled (except those blocked by predefined rules).
• Smart mode: the user will receive notifications only about very suspicious events.
• Interactive mode: The user will be prompted to confirm transactions.
• Policy-based mode: Operations are blocked.

• Rule name - user-defined or automatically selected
• Action - selecting an operation that will be performed under certain conditions (for example, allowing or prohibiting interference in ongoing processes)
  
• Influence operations - select the operations to which the rule will be applied. The rule will only be used for operations of this type and for the selected object. This includesapplications, files And registry entries.