Methods and apparatus for dynamically revising host-intrusion-protection configurations according to varying host state and changing intrusion patterns are disclosed. A set of local servers, each functioning as a deep-security manager supporting a respective subset of the hosts, maintains and updates protection software containing filters and rules for deploying each filter. A local server cyclically monitors each host of its subset of hosts at time instants separated by adjustable monitoring periods to acquire host-characterizing data and determine an optimal set of filters. The local server maintains a profile for each host and determines a current monitoring period for a host according to the host's current profile. The processing effort is reduced by judicial adjustment of successive monitoring periods and selectively tailoring the host-characterizing data to the conditions of each host.