Download Snort 3.1.29.0 (Mac) – Download Free

snoring is a macOS command line tool that brings a network intrusion prevention system to your computer. The utility will analyze your traffic in real-time to help you see what protocols are used, or possible external attacks, probes, scans, and more.

However, Snort is not available as a binary distribution and has no graphical user interface: you must download the source code archive and compile it manually via the terminal application. Note that you must also deploy the Xcode command line tools on the Mac.

Network intrusion prevention systems that must be compiled from source

To install Snort, you must go to the Snort folder in a new terminal window (drag and drop the Snort folder on top of the Terminal Dock icon) and run the following commands: “./configure”, “make”, “sudo make install” and “snort”.

Consider that some commands take longer to complete than others, and you may also need to install certain dependencies (including the daq library which can be downloaded from the Snort project page).

The Snort application can track your network traffic (sniffer mode) and log all transmitted packets (packet logger mode), or act as a prevention system and detect potentially harmful intrusions.

Monitor or secure your network from the command line

To help you get started, the Snort developers provide an extensive user manual that describes all included features and possible uses, configuration details, and more. The application includes various monitoring, logging and alerting tools, so reading the documentation is highly recommended.

All in all, if you’re looking for an unobtrusive but powerful tool that can log your network traffic and detect potentially harmful intrusions, the Snort Open Source Network Intrusion Prevention System certainly deserves your attention.