How to Install Snort on Ubuntu [7 Proven Steps]

Written by

Ojash

Reviewed by

Akshat

Last updated: July 11, 2024

Expert verified

Worried about your network’s security? Snort can help you detect and prevent unauthorized access. This guide will show you how to install Snort on Ubuntu, providing a robust intrusion detection system for your network. I’ll cover everything from system requirements and easy installation steps to advanced configurations. By following this guide, you’ll enhance your network’s security and gain valuable insights into network traffic.

What is Snort?

Snort is a powerful tool for network security. It helps detect and prevent unauthorized access to your network. Snort analyzes network traffic in real time, looking for suspicious activities that might indicate an attack. If Snort finds anything unusual, it can alert you or take action to stop the threat. Snort is widely used by businesses and security professionals to keep their networks safe.

Advantages of Using Snort for Network Security

Using Snort provides several key benefits for your network security:

• Real-time detection: Snort can quickly identify and alert you to potential threats.
• Customizable rules: You can create and modify rules to tailor Snort to your specific needs.
• Open-source: Snort is free to use and has a large community of users who contribute to its development and improvement.

Benefits of Running Snort on Ubuntu

Running Snort on Ubuntu offers additional advantages:

• Stability: Ubuntu is known for its reliability and stability, making it a great choice for running security tools like Snort.
• Ease of use: Ubuntu provides a user-friendly environment that is easy to navigate, even for those new to Linux.
• Community support: Ubuntu has a large and active community that can help you troubleshoot and solve issues.

How to Install Snort on Ubuntu?

Here is the step-by-step guide for snort installation in Ubuntu:

System Requirements for Snort

Before you install Snort on your Ubuntu system, you need to make sure your system meets the necessary requirements and is up-to-date. Here’s how you can do that:

Hardware Requirements

• CPU: A modern processor (Intel or AMD) with at least one core.
• RAM: At least 2GB of RAM. More is better, especially for high-traffic networks.
• Storage: A minimum of 10GB free disk space to store logs and other data.

Software Dependencies

• Operating System: Ubuntu 20.04 or later.
• Libraries and Tools: Snort requires several libraries and tools to function properly. You will need to install these before installing Snort.

Using the APT package manager is the easiest way to install Snort on Ubuntu. This method is quick and convenient, making it ideal for users who prefer a hassle-free installation.

1. Access the command window by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T.

2. Update the package lists by executing the following command:

sudo apt update

3. Upgrade installed packages to their latest versions by running the following command:

sudo apt upgrade

4. To Install Snort Ubuntu using the package manager, enter the command:

sudo apt install snort

The command will start installing the snort.

5. During the installation process, you will be prompted to set up Snort’s configuration. Select the appropriate options based on your network setup and requirements.

6. Once the installation is complete, verify the installation by checking the Snort version:

snort --version

You should see the Snort version and other relevant details printed on the Terminal.

7. To update Snort to the latest version, use the package manager to install updates for Snort and its dependencies:

sudo apt upgrade snort

The command will upgrade the snort to the latest version.

ld display the Snort version information, confirming that the installation was successful.

How to Configure Snort on Ubuntu?

Creating a basic Snort configuration is an essential step to customize the intrusion detection system according to your network requirements. This allows you to define rules, thresholds, and detection settings that align with your security objectives, ensuring that Snort effectively monitors and alerts you about potential intrusions on your network. Here are steps to configure Snort:

1. Locate the Snort configuration file.

sudo nano /etc/snort/snort.conf

2. This command will open the Snort configuration file in the nano editor.

Familiarize yourself with the configuration file and review the available options. Modify the configuration to match your network setup and requirements.

3. Locate the line with HOME_NET and set it to your network range. For example:

DEBIAN_SNORT_HOME_NET="192.168.1.0/24"

Configuring the network interface tells Snort which network traffic to monitor.

4. Save your changes and exit the text editor.

5. Now to set the interface to monitor, identify your network interface by running the following command in the Terminal:

ip addr 

Note the interface name (e.g., enp0s3). 

6. Set the interface to monitor by finding the appropriate section and updating it:

DEBIAN_SNORT_INETRFACE="enp0s3"

7. Save your changes and exit the text editor.

8. Test the Snort configuration for syntax errors:

sudo snort -T -c /etc/snort/snort.conf

If there are no syntax errors, Snort will display a success message.

4 Advanced Practices for Enhancing Snort Performance

To enhance snort performance, you can utilize various advance practices. These advanced practices allow you to harness the full potential of Snort, elevating your network security capabilities. Here are four advanced practices that can enhance your experience:

• 🚀 Advanced Rule Customization: Use advanced techniques to take your Snort rule customization to the next level. This includes creating custom rules tailored to your network environment, leveraging variables and rule options, and utilizing advanced rule syntax to enhance detection accuracy and reduce false positives.
• 🔬 Traffic Analysis with PCAP: Enhance your network analysis capabilities by capturing and analyzing network traffic using Packet Capture (PCAP) files. Snort allows you to capture packets and save them in PCAP format for offline analysis. By analyzing PCAP files with tools like Wireshark or tcpdump, you can gain deeper insights into network behavior and fine-tune Snort rules based on real-world traffic patterns.
• 📊 Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) Integration: Integrate Snort with a SIEM solution to enhance your overall security infrastructure. SIEM platforms allow for centralized log management, correlation, and analysis of security events. Integrating Snort with a SIEM allows you to consolidate and streamline your security monitoring efforts, enabling more effective threat detection and response.
• 🌐 Network Segmentation and VLAN Tagging: Implementing network segmentation and VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) tagging can enhance Snort’s effectiveness by isolating different network segments and applying specific security policies. By segmenting your network and tagging VLANs, you can control traffic flow, apply different rules, and improve the overall security posture.

Snort Install Ubuntu: Conclusion

In this guide, I walked you through how to install Snort in Ubuntu and configure Snort on Ubuntu. You learned how to set up Snort’s basic configuration, run it in test mode, and fix common issues.

If you found this guide helpful, consider exploring more topics to deepen your knowledge:

• Check out articles on how to install and configure ClamAV on Ubuntu, which will help you add another layer of security to your system.
• Learning how to set up and use OpenSSH on Ubuntu can enhance your remote management capabilities, ensuring secure access to your Snort installation.
• Explore how to use the grep command in Linux will improve your ability to search and analyze log files generated by Snort.

Frequently Asked Questions