What is an Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) primarily designed to do?

An Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) is primarily designed to stop attacks from being effective, making it a proactive security solution. It does this by monitoring network traffic and employing various techniques to identify malicious activity or policy violations. When the IPS detects such threats, it can automatically block or mitigate attacks in real-time, effectively preventing potential breaches before they can exploit vulnerabilities in the system.

This key functionality distinguishes an IPS from other security solutions, such as Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), which primarily focus on detecting and alerting on malicious activities without taking steps to prevent them. The ability to actively respond to threats sets the IPS apart as a crucial component of a comprehensive security architecture aimed at safeguarding an organization's assets and sensitive data.