A system and method is presented for analyzing information in a communication
line
for unwanted intrusions and for allowing information to be transmitted back into
the communication line without disrupting the communication traffic when an intrusion
is detected. The system and method includes a security tap connected to a firewall.
The security tap is also connected to an intrusion detection device. The intrusion
detection device analyzes the information in the communication line for indicia
of attempts to compromise the network. When such indicia is detected, the intrusion
detection device sends a "kill" data packet back through the security tap and directed
back to the communication line to the firewall to instruct the firewall to prevent
further communications into the network by the intrusive source. An Ethernet switch
or field programmable gate array (FPGA) is incorporated in the security tap to
coordinate the transmission of the "kill" data packet to avoid data collisions
with data transmissions already existing in the communication line.
