Bro is a powerful network analysis framework that is much different from the typical IDS you may know.
Adaptable
Bro's domain-specific scripting language enables site-specific monitoring policies.Efficient
Bro targets high-performance networks and is used operationally at a variety of large sites.Flexible
Bro is not restricted to any particular detection approach and does not rely on traditional signatures.Forensics
Bro comprehensively logs what it sees and provides a high-level archive of a network's activity.
In-depth Analysis
Bro comes with analyzers for many protocols, enabling high-level semantic analysis at the application layer.Highly Stateful
Bro keeps extensive application-layer state about the network it monitors.Open Interfaces
Bro interfaces with other applications for real-time exchange of information.Open Source
Bro comes with a BSD license, allowing for free use with virtually no restrictions.
While focusing on network security monitoring, Bro provides a comprehensive platform for more general network traffic analysis as well. Well grounded in more than 15 years of research, Bro has successfully bridged the traditional gap between academia and operations since its inception. Today, it is relied upon operationally in particular by many scientific environments for securing their cyberinfrastructure. Bro's user community includes major universities, research labs, supercomputing centers, and open-science communities.
