Snort & Suricata question

[adre]

Hello guys,

I have a basic question:
I am toying around with pfSense. Does snort package in pfSense provide a protection against attacks if we use it using the rules/rulesets that exist on their website / or-and if we use with our own rules? Or does it just report?

If we do not define/use any rules or rulesets in snort, doesn't it provide any protection?

Same questions go for suricata also.

Thanks a lot..