An Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) uses packet inspection (either signature-based, anomaly-based, or both) to analyze network traffic and detect malicious patterns. Configuring packet inspection is the first step to ensure the IPS can identify and respond to specific attack signatures. Reference: CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 Official Study Guide, Domain 3.2: "IPS devices must be configured to inspect network packets for attack patterns." Exam Objectives 3.2: "Summarize security implications of embedded and specialized systems."