Cyberattacks are becoming more extensive and more frequent, and traditional IDSs have problems with identifying attacks. In the recent past, optimization algorithms have been developed as new and viable techniques to increase the efficiency of IDS. In our study, we explore new trends in IDS using GWO and investigate 12 research articles. GWO is the most developed optimization that is associated with Grey Wolf hunting. An interesting feature of GWO is that it is simple and easy to apply to solving non-linear problems. Consequently, this research paper demonstrates that the proposed feature selection technique based on the GWO algorithm achieves a dimensionality reduction of approximately 70–80%. Furthermore, it overviews the key issues and probable development tendencies of GWO in IDS in the future. As a result, this survey will be useful for researchers who are willing to design and search for an appropriate IDS with high efficiency and effectiveness.