What aspect of security does a Host-Based Intrusion Detection System (HIDS) primarily focus on?

A Host-Based Intrusion Detection System (HIDS) primarily focuses on logging and detecting suspicious actions on an individual host or device. It operates by monitoring the system's internals, such as file systems, logs, and processes, to identify any unauthorized changes or anomalies that could indicate a security breach or malicious activity.

By analyzing these activities in real-time, a HIDS can alert administrators to potential threats, enabling them to take immediate action to mitigate risks. This capability makes HIDS particularly valuable for detecting insider threats, malware infections, and other vulnerabilities that could compromise the integrity of the host environment. Consequently, the emphasis on logging and detecting suspicious actions is crucial for maintaining robust security within any organization's IT infrastructure.

The other options involve different areas of IT management; for example, network traffic management is about overseeing and controlling data flow within networks, application performance monitoring pertains to ensuring applications run efficiently, and enforcing encryption policies relates to protecting data both at rest and in transit. While these are important security aspects, they fall outside the specific focus of a Host-Based Intrusion Detection System.