Which security solution would be most appropriate for Boe to secure her critical servers with a limited budget?

In the context of securing critical servers on a limited budget, a Host-based Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS) is particularly advantageous. HIPS operates directly on the servers it is installed on, providing real-time monitoring and protection against a variety of threats, such as malware, unauthorized access, and other types of attacks. This on-host solution is cost-effective because it can be implemented without extensive infrastructure changes or additional hardware, making it suitable for organizations with budget constraints.

HIPS systems also offer the ability to analyze behavior patterns, enabling them to detect and block malicious activities based on predefined rules or machine learning algorithms. This proactive approach can significantly enhance the security posture of critical servers, ensuring that threats are mitigated before they can cause harm.

When considering other potential solutions, while firewalls are essential for network security, they primarily provide perimeter defense and may not address vulnerabilities at the server level. Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), while useful for monitoring and alerting about suspicious activities, do not take preventive measures themselves and would require additional resources for response and mitigation actions. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are designed to secure remote access to servers but do not inherently protect the servers against direct attacks or intrusions.

Thus, for Boe's specific situation of