Implementation of a Network Intrusion Detection System for ESUT Campus Network

The growing reliance on campus networks for academic and administrative operations at Nigerian universities has heightened the risk of unauthorized access, data breaches, and cyberattacks. This study implements a network intrusion detection system (NIDS) for the campus network at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT). The system is built on the Snort open-source intrusion detection platform, configured with custom rule sets tailored to observed network traffic patterns within the ESUT environment. The research employed an applied experimental methodology, beginning with a traffic analysis audit of the campus network over four weeks using Wireshark. Attack simulation scenarios including port scanning, denial-of-service, and brute-force attempts were then executed in a controlled lab environment. The NIDS was deployed in passive monitoring mode on the campus core switch. Results indicate that the system detected 94 percent of simulated attacks with a false positive rate of 6.2 percent. Real-time alert generation and logging to a centralized SIEM dashboard were successfully demonstrated. The study concludes that open-source NIDS solutions are practically deployable in resource-constrained Nigerian university environments and offer substantial improvements in network security visibility. Recommendations include training ICT staff on alert response protocols and implementing active blocking rules for repeat offenders.