How does FortiGate intrusion prevention system (IPS) detect anomalous traffic patterns?

The FortiGate intrusion prevention system (IPS) primarily detects anomalous traffic patterns through standard protocol inspection. This method involves examining the data being transmitted over the network against established protocols and rules. By analyzing the format and content of the traffic, the IPS can identify deviations from typical behavior or known anomalies that may indicate potential threats or malicious activity.

Standard protocol inspection works by leveraging predefined rules and signatures that define normal traffic behavior for various protocols. When traffic is analyzed, if it deviates from these standards in a significant way—such as unexpected packet sizes, abnormal port usage, or unusual sequences of traffic—the IPS can flag these incidents as potentially malicious.

While other options like machine learning, user behavior analytics, and traffic volume analysis can contribute to anomaly detection in different security contexts, standard protocol inspection remains a foundational method utilized by many IPS systems for real-time detection and response to threats based on known patterns and standards.