configuring-suricata-for-network-monitoring

# Configuring Suricata for Network Monitoring ## When to Use - Deploying a high-performance IDS/IPS capable of multi-threaded packet processing for 10+ Gbps network links - Monitoring network traffic with protocol-aware inspection for HTTP, TLS, DNS, SMB, and other protocols - Generating structured EVE JSON logs for direct SIEM ingestion without custom parsers - Running in inline (IPS) mode to actively block malicious traffic at network choke points - Combining signature-based detection with protocol anomaly detection and file extraction **Do not use** as a standalone security solution without complementary controls, for encrypted traffic inspection without TLS decryption capabilities, or on systems with insufficient CPU/memory for the expected traffic volume. ## Prerequisites - Suricata 7.0+ installed from PPA or source (`suricata --build-info`) - Network interface on a span port, tap, or inline bridge for traffic capture - AF_PACKET or DPDK support for high-performance packet capture - Emerging Threats Open or Pro ruleset subscription (or Snort Talos rules via oinkcode) - suricata-update tool for automated rule management - Elasticsearch/Kibana or Splunk for log analysis and visualization ## Workflow ### Step 1: Install Suricata and Dependencies ```bash # Install from PPA (Ubuntu/Debian) sudo add-apt-repository ppa:oisf/suricata-stable sudo apt update sudo apt install -y suricata suricata-update jq # Verify installation suricata --build-info | grep -E "Version|AF_P...