CompTIA CySA+ Practice Test 2025 - Free CySA+ Practice Questions and Study Guide

An Intrusion Detection System (IDS) serves the critical function of monitoring network traffic for signs of suspicious or malicious activity. It analyzes incoming and outgoing traffic to identify patterns that may indicate a security breach or an attempted attack. When the IDS detects such behavior, it generates alerts that notify system administrators, who can then investigate and respond to the potential threat in a timely manner.

This proactive monitoring capability is essential for maintaining the integrity and security of a network. With the increasing sophistication of cyber threats, having an IDS in place helps organizations to understand their network activity, recognize anomalies, and take action to protect their assets.

The other options do not accurately reflect the primary purpose of an IDS. For instance, while shielding a network from threats is critical, that function is typically associated with firewalls and other security measures rather than IDS. Moreover, creating backups of sensitive data and encrypting communications are functions performed by different types of security solutions, such as backup software and encryption tools, rather than an IDS.