LIcense expiration ASA5545-IPS

[Jhun Banzuela]

Hi ,

What will happen if license will expire on ASA5545-IPS

Will it stop running? Will it stop filtering even with current signature sets?

or will it only stop getting new signatures?

Regards,

Jhun

[Marvin Rhoads]

You will stop getting automatic signature updates and will be unable to install them manually even if you get a copy of the sig file.

All existing signatures and policies will continue to work normally.

[Cisco Freak]

Sorry to ask a dumb question here. But I am a newbie to IPS.

What is a signature file?

CF

[Marvin Rhoads]

A signature file is a static listing of all the different types of vulnerabilities and exploits the old-style IPS can protect your network from. If contains the characteristics of each so the IPS can identify them when they see them and have a default action associated with them (allow, monitor, block etc.). They are updated on a regular basis due to the ever changing nature of the threat landscape.

[Cisco Freak]

So an IPS device which got a valid license, will always update its signature from internet. Or do we have to do it manually?

CF

[Marvin Rhoads]

Whether you update automatically, on demand or never is controlled by how you have configured it on the IPS module or device.

In the ASDM-IDM GUI it's controlled under Configuration > Sensor Management > Auto/Cisco.com Update as shown in the screenshot below.

(open in new tab to zoom)

[Cisco Freak]

Thanks Marvin!

[Marvin Rhoads]

You're welcome. Please mark your question as answered if it has been.