Network Security - Case Study Example

The Internet has become a staple of the business world today It is because of this that a company should remain continually up to date with the latest security measures. Vulnerabilities due to designs flaws, poor security management, incorrect implementation, and malicious intent can all contribute to the loss of company assets. Therefore, it is paramount to implement a comprehensive security plan urgently. With carefully planned countermeasures and strict security, the odds of a successful intrusion can be minimized greatly.

Overview of Network Security Fundamentals, Security Threats, and Issues Whenever a network is connected to the Internet it is potentially subjected to attacks from malicious programs such as viruses, Trojans, and spyware. Network security is not only about the WAN (Wide Area Network) but also the LAN (Local Area Network), as the two go hand in hand. It is possible to not only have an external attack but also an internal one too. The moment any form of computer device becomes network capable or dependent of some form of network function, there is a given need for protection to safeguard the flow of information to and from the said device on a given network whether public or private or from a trusted to non-trusted source.

The problem with locking down a network tightly is the administrative overhead it creates. The more secure the network becomes the greater the need is for a team to administrate this. There has to be a fine balance between the two whilst still safeguarding the network and the information it contains. Attackers generally have motives or goals—for example, to disrupt normal business operations or steal information. To achieve these motives or goals, they use various methods, tools, and techniques to exploit vulnerabilities in a computer system, or security policy and controls.

Threats can originate from two primary sources: humans and nature. Human threats subsequently can be broken into two categories: malicious and non-malicious. The non-malicious “attacks” usually come from users and employees who are not trained on computers or are not aware of various computer security threats. Malicious attacks, however, usually come from non-employees or disgruntled employees who have a specific goal or objective to achieve. Due to the harmful nature and repercussions on malicious attacks, security should be specifically focused on this area.

The most prevalent and common forms of malicious attack are viruses, Trojan horses, worms, password cracking, denial-of-service attacks, e-mail hacking, impersonation, eavesdropping, and intrusion attacks. Using up-to-date equipment and technology and enforcing a comprehensive security plan, attacks such as those mentioned above can be prevented and denied. (Bhatnagar, 2009). Proper equipment and maintenance are vital to the consistency of the network security. In a continually advanced technological landscape, security measures need to adapt to threats accordingly.

Methods such as the use of firewalls and Virtual Private Networks will help keep a network stable and secure. Detailed Network Security Recommendations A firewall is the first line of defense for your network. A firewall can be a hardware device or a software application and generally is placed at the perimeter of the network to act as the gatekeeper. There are four mechanism used by firewalls to restrict traffic. One device or application may use more than one of these in conjunction with each other to provide more in-depth protection.

The four mechanisms are packet filtering, circuit level, gateway proxy server, and application gateway. An established internal network should