What is Snort?

Snort is a free and open-source, rule-based intrusion detection system (IDS) and intrusion prevention system (IPS). It analyzes network traffic in real-time to detect malicious activity, such as port scans, denial-of-service attacks, and malware. It uses a flexible rule-based language to define the characteristics of attacks, allowing users to customize it to their specific needs. Snort is commonly used to monitor network traffic, log suspicious events, and automatically block or drop malicious packets.