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Originally released in 1998 by Sourcefire founder and CTO Martin Roesch, Snort is a free, open source network intrusion detection and prevention system capable of performing real-time traffic analysis and packet logging on IP networks. Initially called a “lightweight” intrusion detection technology, Snort has evolved into a mature, feature-rich IPS technology that has become the de facto standard in intrusion detection and prevention. With nearly 4 million downloads and approximately 300,000 registered users Snort, it is the most widely deployed intrusion prevention technology in the world.