Implementing Suricata on FreeBSD: A Beginner's Inquiry

Hello everyone, I’m a newcomer in the realm of intrusion prevention and have been diligently searching for relevant information. Unfortunately, my efforts have yet to yield the specific details I require, prompting me to seek insights here.

My query centers on the application of Suricata within FreeBSD environments. Although I’m aware that Suricata is compatible with FreeBSD, my curiosity lies in understanding the mechanisms through which it interfaces with hardware via software, specifically for the purposes of packet prioritization, capture, and subsequent filtering or allowance.

In my research, I’ve encountered references to Netmap’s capability to expedite packet capture on FreeBSD. Among the resources I’ve explored, one presentation caught my eye, particularly for its discussion on FreeBSD 6.X and various packages. Although the primary focus was not directly aligned with my inquiry, it sparked a question regarding the availability of similar schematic representations for Netmap.
Presentation: https://www.netbsd.org/gallery/presentations/ast/2012_AsiaBSDCon/Tutorial_NETGRAPH.pdf (Page 19, detailing where NETGRAPH hooks into the FreeBSD 6.x kernel)

Moreover, documentation suggests that Capture Hardware leverages Netmap, and it’s noted to be readily available in FreeBSD versions 11 and above. However, a thorough understanding still eludes me due to the scarcity of detailed documentation, leading me to seek guidance within this forum.

I am particularly interested in comprehending how Suricata orchestrates hardware through software to accomplish effective packet capture and filtering, and how it integrates within the system.

I would greatly appreciate any advice or insights from those with more experience.

You could start by reading the documentation of Suricata User Guide — Suricata 8.0.0-dev documentation to get an initial understanding on how Suricata works. Netmap in the end is just one of the possible network capture methods, like AF_PACKET which is used with the Linux kernel.