Network Security

1. Network Security Presented by: Brent Vignola

2. Material overview… • Basic security components that exist in all networks • Authentication • Firewall • Intrusion prevention system • Antivirus program • Honeypots • General locations where networks exist, the security required in each, and how to manage each • Homes • Small businesses • Large businesses • Schools • Government

3. Basic security components:authentication • Establish as genuine • Authorize • Validate • Usually in the form of an ID and password • Example: • Ecom user name and password to log on to university computers

4. Basic security components:firewall • Prevents unauthorized access to and from a network • Considered to be the first line of defense in protecting information on the network • Different methods of a firewall: • Packet-filter: examines every packet that enters and leaves the network • Application gateway: security directly to an application such as FTP • Circuit-level gateway: used while a connection is being established • Proxy server: improves network performance by filtering requests; all requests go through proxy before reaching the real network

5. Basic security components:intrusion prevention system • Detection of malware that has entered the network and of suspicious activity on the network • Network-based IPS: • Designed to examine, identify, and report • For example: the IPS… • Examines the network • Identifies a worm on the network • Reports the finding to the user • Three types of the network-based IPS: • Content-based: examines each packet entering the network for any unique areas (called signatures) • Protocol analysis: decodes the protocol to find anything out of the norm • Rate-based: prevents Denial of Service attacks • DoS: malicious attack that is designed to bog-down the traffic

6. Basic security components:antivirus program • Scans the files on the computer for viruses and malware • Two ways to scan: • Virus dictionary approach: keeps a database of known viruses • Suspicious behavior approach: monitors the performance of all programs • Once scan is complete there are 3 options to fix files: • Repair the file: removes the virus portion of the file • Remove the file: removing the file completely if repairing cannot be done • Quarantine the file: “cover” the file so the virus cannot spread to other files and so the file cannot be accessed by other programs

7. Basic security components:honeypot • Decoy on the network • Used to distract attackers from the actual network • May look like the actual network • May “appear” to have valuable information • Most of the time it is a computer • But may be: • An unused IP address • Files • Data records • Two types: • Production: help alleviate the risk to a business • Research: learn how and why attackers enter the network

8. Network locations:homes • Simplest network • Lowest level of security • Basic firewall • Basic Antivirus program • Strong password for wireless connection • Wireless connection should be set to at least WPA or WPA2

9. Network locations:small businesses • More complex than home networks • Higher level of security than home networks • Stronger firewall and Antivirus program than home networks • Similarity with home network: • Strong password for wireless connection • Strong authentication method: • ID and password for employees • Password should be updated on a monthly basis • Packet analyzer should be implemented: • Examines each packet that enters the network and analyzes its content • Increase employee awareness of physical security: • Log-off computers; shut-down computers; lock office doors

10. Network locations:large businesses • Similarities with small business networks: • Strong firewall and Antivirus program • Strong password for authentication and wireless devices • Implementation of packet analyzer • Increase employee awareness of physical security • Additional security: • Proxy server: implemented to improve performance by filtering requests • Authentication: passwords should be updated bi-weekly • Physical security: • install cameras around premises • Place fire extinguishers are sensitive material • Hire security guards • Put a fence around the parameter of the property

11. Network locations:schools • Network is unique because students need to be able to access it both on-campus and off-campus • Strong, but flexible firewall and proxy • Schools’ faculty should have responsibility of supervising the access of indecent websites • Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) signed into law in December 2000: • protect students from viewing inappropriate content on the internet such as pornography • Filtering software on the internet browser • One similarity with other networks: • strong Antivirus program

12. Network locations:government • Highest security and most complex • Strongest: Firewall; Proxy; Antivirus program • Strong encryption: • usually 256 bit key • Hides the information with a key • Example: used by military for covert operations • Wireless connection: • Only selected people can access the network (President) • Area should be limited to the government property (White House) • Network should be invisible to the outside

13. THE END Any Questions?