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Archive for the ‘Network Security’ Category

Best Security for Your Network

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

Network security is usually in the forefront of every network administrator’s mind. Protecting critical and confidential data, resources, and multimedia traffic, as well as business continuity from the myriad of potential attackers in cyberspace is key in maintaining not only business functions, but also your customers’ confidence. What is the best way to secure your network?

Most routers and switches, and other network components have built in security protections like firewalls, intrusion prevention systems, encryption, etc. But as you expand your network to include laptops, smartphones, and other mobile devices, you broaden the attack surface, leaving your network– and therefore your data– open to hackers.

One way to add an additional level of security, and peace of mind, is through Cisco’s ASA 5500 Series Adaptive Security Appliances. These components, designed for all network sizes, provide intelligent threat defense and highly secure communications services. In short, they help organizations lower their deployment and operational costs while delivering comprehensive network security through a unified security platform. Members of the ASA 5500 Series Adaptive Security Appliances include the ASA5505-50-BUN-K9, the 8-port ASA5505-50-BUN-K8, and the ASA5500-HW .

Keep in mind that you can keep costs down by purchasing these components used for much less than the distribution chain through a reputable alternate distributor.

Tags: Cisco ASA 5500, cisco systems, computer hardware, Network Security, security
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What is ‘Secure Borderless Networks from Cisco?’

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

Have you heard the buzz phrase ‘Secure Borderless Networks from Cisco‘ and wondered if your network would benefit? We’re here to explain what Cisco’s Secure Borderless Networks is and whether it’s right for you.

First, you need to understand how a network– specifically yours– becomes susceptible to intrusion and attacks. It’s obviously important to keep critical data, resources, and multimedia traffic safe and that protection is typically provided by a laundry list of separate security measures like firewalls, intrusion prevention systems, VPN technology, and the like. But the difficulty occurs with the addition of any-device connectivity to critical information and applications on the network. This can be in the form of laptops that employees take with them, mobile smartphone applications, etc. The more you expand your network’s borders, the higher the security risk you take on. But these expansion devices are necessary. They lower operational costs and increase efficiency. So how do you protect the network with a myriad of these devices out and about? With Cisco’s ASA 5500 Series Adaptive Security Appliances, Cisco Security Manager, and Cisco Security Monitoring, Analysis and Response System (Cisco Security MARS). These are all fundamental components of the Cisco Secure Borderless Network.

Cisco ASA 5500 Series Adaptive Security Appliances provide intelligent threat defense and highly secure communications services by creating a unified security platform. The unification allows cutting edge security measures to work together, simultaneously, and prevent security breaches before they affect business continuity.

Is it right for you? The ASA 5500 Series works on any sized network, so you shouldn’t feel your network is too big or too small. The essential factor is whether your network utilizes the devices that put the network at risk. Even a few mobile devices that are in constant use can make the network susceptible to hackers, viruses, and other attacks. Determine whether the safety it provides is worth the price. If it still seems expensive, consider not only what it would cost you to lose critical data during an attack, but also consider purchasing security appliances used which lower your initial cost but still give you that added measure of security.

Tags: ASA 5500, cisco, firewalls, hackers, Network Security, security solutions, security systems, viruses
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Online Dangers You Should Know About

Sunday, February 14th, 2010

There’s no getting around the fact that we have become a global society that relies on technology and the internet to conduct business, stay connected to friends and family, and keep up on what’s happening in the world. But the nature of the internet allows for certain dangers that everyone should not only be aware of, but know how to protect themselves, their children, and their data from being victimized.

Online Predators

The most common cyber-danger is online predators. Predators, like all criminals, come in various forms. Some are pedophiles seeking out children to exploit. Some are thieves looking for a way to hack into your credit cards and bank accounts so that they can buy whatever they want under the cloaked anonymity of internet commerce and stick you with the bill. Others are looking to turn your computer into a netbot so that they can send out spam or hide the source of the viruses they’re creating. It’s all criminal activity and it all puts you at risk.

So how can you protect yourself?

When it comes to children, the best thing you can do is know what sites your children are surfing and who they are connecting with online whether it be through email, chat rooms, or the many social networking sites. There are software programs that not only allow you to give permission to each family member, controlling which sites they can log onto, but there are also programs that track what sites have been visited. Limiting the time on the computer for children can also help.

When it comes to protecting your computer from virus attacks, consider a reliable anti-virus program. For networks at your business, it’s important to have some sort of security services module that keeps not only your confidential data safe by employing firewalls and encryption, but also protects the privacy of your customers.

Lastly, learn good habits of buying items online. Purchase products from reputable retailers and use PayPal or a credit card instead of a debit card for online purchases. Never send a credit card number in an email. Many credit card companies offer protection against online purchasing fraud so find out which of the cards you hold do and use those for online purchases. Always check your statements to be sure you spent what you thought you were spending.

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What is a Virtual Private Server?

Sunday, October 4th, 2009

You may have heard the term Virtual Private Server before– you may even be using one– but do you understand the reason why or the technology behind it? Here’s what Virtual Private Servers do and why companies are increasingly moving toward adopting them:

First, let’s define a Virtual Private Server (VPS). VPS’s are also referred to on occasion as VDS’s or Virtual Dedicated Servers. It’s a method that’s been used for years on mainframe computers and more recently became popular for smaller, enterprise-driven servers. It allows a physical server computer to be partitioned, or divided, into multiple servers. Each of these virtual private servers has the ability to run its own operating system, be independently rebooted as needed, and can run on its own dedicated machine. The benefits are obvious. If one server goes down, or needs maintenance, the rest can continue to run normally.

Because VPS’s are part of a larger server, they’re ideal for web hosting and dedicated hosting services because users can share software but pay less than they would for a physical dedicated server. And because each VPS runs its own operating system, customers who are sharing the physical server have superuser-level access to that operating system which would not be possible without the partitioning.

There are drawbacks, however, to use of a VPS. Certain software has trouble running in a virtualized environment, specifically some anti-virus and firewall software which compromises system security. Another problem is VPS processor time, disk space, and RAM. Because multiple virtualization clients are typically running on a single

Tags: data networking, system security, virtual private networks, Virtual Private Server, VPN
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Router Security - Expert Tips

Sunday, September 13th, 2009

SANS is one of the most trusted sources for computer security training. The SANS (SysAdmin, Audit, Network, Security) Institute was established in 1989 as a cooperative research and education organization and provides training courses, newsletters, and resources for auditors, network administrators, and employees in the area of business network security.

Here are some tips on network security from SANS regarding policies and practices designed to keep your network safe and secure:
Every router must meet the following configuration standards:
1. No local user accounts are configured on the router. Routers must use TACACS+ for all user
authentication.

2. The enable password on the router must be kept in a secure encrypted form. The router must have
the enable password set to the current production router password from the router’s support
organization.

3. Disallow the following:
a. IP directed broadcasts
b. Incoming packets at the router sourced with invalid addresses such as RFC1918 address
c. TCP small services
d. UDP small services
e. All source routing
f. All web services running on router

4. Use corporate standardized SNMP community strings.

5. Access rules are to be added as business needs arise.

6. The router must be included in the corporate enterprise management system with a designated
point of contact.

7. Each router must have the following statement posted in clear view:
“UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO THIS NETWORK DEVICE IS PROHIBITED. You must have
explicit permission to access or configure this device. All activities performed on this device may
be logged, and violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action, and may be reported to
law enforcement. There is no right to privacy on this device.”

8. Telnet may never be used across any network to manage a router, unless there is a secure tunnel
protecting the entire communication path. SSH is the preferred management protocol.

By purchasing or leasing a new or used Cisco ASA 5500 AIP Security Services Module-20, you can enhance your network’s security. A router loaded with security features coupled with best practices from an organization like SANS is ideal for keeping data, software, and hardware free from virus, Trojan horses, botnets, and other high security risks.

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Router Security Features Made Easy: What is Data Diddling?

Monday, August 10th, 2009

If you’re not an I.T. wiz, some of the descriptions of the router security features might seem more like a foreign language than anything aimed at helping you decipher which integrated services router is right for your company. We’re here to help you understand the security features of a router by breaking them down for you one at a time. Let’s talk about Data Diddling.

First off, what is it?

Data Diddling is one of the worst types of hacker attacks because it’s not immediately obvious that anything has happened. Unlike ‘data destruction’ where the attack results in data being deleted completely – and sometimes, unfortunately, this data is irreplaceable – data diddling changes the data in your system but doesn’t delete so it still appears to be there the assumption is that the data is correct.

Think of it this way, a hacker breaks into a network and deletes your client database and all the data surrounding your account receivables. Your accounting staff come into work, sit down at their computers, and find that the records have vanished. There’s no way know who owes you how much, which invoices are outstanding, who you’ve sold what to. It’s devastating, but at least you can immediately go into crisis mode and get some I.T. professionals in to help you try to recover the data.

With data diddling, the hacker goes in and keeps all the account receivable records, but changes the amounts that you’re owed. Or changes a few bank account numbers. Or tinkers with some addresses, or credit card numbers you have on file, or whatever else he feels like tinkering with. You don’t immediately know anything has happened. It could be weeks or months before a payment comes in that’s completely different than what you expected and someone actually decides to go into the system and start figuring out the source of the discrepancy.

At first, it might be assumed to be human error, but then it happens again a week later, and then again. Finally, you realize you must’ve been hacked—things are different and wrong – but when? How do you know which records are accurate? How can you roll back to the records that you had before the attack when you don’t even know when the attack occurred?

That’s why data diddling is such a problem and keeping your network secure with a security module is necessary to prevent both data diddling and data destruction attacks.

Tags: data destruction, data diddling, Network Security, routers, security modules
Posted in IP Telephony, Network Security | Comments Off

Networking 101: What is the Difference Between a Router and a Splitter?

Monday, July 13th, 2009

The router and a splitter, for your personal PC, provide the same basic function. They both allow more than one computer on a network to connect to the internet. While a splitter simply splits the connection, a router is slightly more sophisticated in the way it is configured. If two individual computers are connected to the internet with a splitter, they have no more protection than what the individual computers provide. They retain their own IP addresses and interact as individual PCs.

A router works differently. First, it has a firewall designed to protect the computers on its network. Any virus or threat must breach the router’s firewall first before it can get to the individual computers. A router stores the incoming IP, giving different IPs to the computers connected on the network. Your cable modem senses only the router’s IP, that is, it views it as only one IP connected to the internet instead of many.

Where a router can really shine is when it protects a company’s network. For example, the Cisco 3825 integrated services router provides its network superior security features such as: Cisco IOS Firewall support, Intrusion Prevention, encryption, as well as many others. Because businesses that deal with confidential data, consumer credit card information, extensive client lists, the government, and other data that’s highly attractive to hackers or botnets, must secure that data, routers help do exactly that and still allow them to use multiple terminals on the same network– each terminal benefitting from the router’s advanced security features.

Dedicated routers can also log packet information. When data enters the router in the form of a packet, the router decides whether it can pass through, or whether the router should drop it to protect the computers receiving it. Either way, many routers can log what is passed and dropped giving you, or the administrator, the ability to see what kind of data is being sent to your network without having to open a virus-ridden email to discover that a virus attempted an attack.

Posted in Equipment Tips, Network Security | Comments Off

Obama’s Future Outlook on Cybersecurity and Cisco

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

On May 29, 2009, President Obama made an announcement regarding the U.S. government’s role in ensuring cybersecurity for the country as a whole, businesses operating within the U.S., and American citizens in the Cyberspace Policy Review:
Assuring a Trusted and Resilient Information
and Communications Infrastructure. The 76-page document stated,

The globally-interconnected digital information and communications infrastructure known as “cyberspace”underpins almost every facet of modern society and provides critical support for the U.S. economy, civil infrastructure, public safety, and national security. This technology has transformed the global economy and connected people in ways never imagined. Yet, cybersecurity risks pose some of the most serious economic and national security challenges of the 21st Century. The digital infrastructure’s architecture was driven more by considerations of interoperability and efficiency than of security. Consequently, a growing array of state and non-state actors are compromising, stealing, changing, or destroying information and could cause critical disruptions to U.S. systems. At the same time, traditional telecommunications and Internet networks continue to converge, and other infrastructure sectors are adopting the Internet as a primary means of interconnectivity. The United States faces the dual challenge of maintaining an environment that promotes efficiency, innovation, economic prosperity, and free trade while also promoting safety, security, civil liberties, and privacy rights.1 It is the fundamental responsibility of our government to address strategic vulnerabilities in cyberspace and ensure that the United States and the world realize the full potential of the information technology revolution.

But how can you, as a business owner, provide security for both your business’ data as well as keep confidential information about your vendors, customers, and employees private? There are several ways. Among them are: the use of one or more members of the Cisco PIX Security Appliance Series. PIX delivers cost effective, easy to redistribute user and application policy implementation, multi-vector attack protection, and secure connectivity services. Cisco is the leader in security-featured IT networking equipment. The Cisco Self-Defending Network enables IT organizations to protect critical assets, enforce business policies, and rapidly identify and respond to evolving threats while easing the administrative burden of IT making the total cost of ownership of Cisco network devices lower.

Tags: cisco, communications products, I.T. hardware, industry leader, security
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Router Security Features Made Easy: What is a Worm?

Saturday, March 7th, 2009

First off, what is a Worm?

It’s not the kind you go fishing with, although phishing is another computer contaminant you need to protect your network from. In this case, a worm is a form of Malware that gets its name because of the way it spreads from computer to computer, network to network. Unlike a virus which infects executable software and can only spread when the software is run, a worm transmits itself over a network in an effort to infect all computers on the network. Like a virus, it can carry what is called a payload which performs other actions which are usually malicious and destructive.

Protecting your network against Worms is important if you want to maintain network security. Because a Worm is a standalone contaminant, and doesn’t rely on the user choosing to operate a program before it clones itself, attaches to your contact list, and spreads, Worms tend to spread very quickly. If one computer in a network has a Worm, it is pretty much a given that all the networked PCs have it as well. Worms can launch distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks and even initiate remote logins to your computer. The best way to protect your network from a Worm is to purchase anti-Worm software from a reliable company. Because these companies constantly test dummy networks to identify Worms and other Malware, and once a protection method is devised, can rush it to you instantly via updates, anti-Worm software significantly reduces the risk of network infection.

Tags: attack sites, computer safety, DDos, hackers, malware, network hardware, network secuirty, router security, routers, Worm
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Router Security Features Made Easy: What is a Botnet?

Wednesday, February 25th, 2009

First off, what is a Botnet?

A Botnet is a collection of computers that are all infected by “bots.” Considered one of the top security threats to any network, an attack of software robots can morph your healthy network into ‘botnet’ and a botnet can host fraudulent websites, steal data, and participate in Denial of Service attacks that can render an entire network useless—at least to you. Once a botnet is created, the system of hijacked computers can then be controlled by the command of a “botmaster.”

One of the most destructive worms to date is the Storm Worm. Spread by spam, no one is sure how many computers are infected with Storm (it could be anywhere from 1 million to 25 million), but it is one of the largest, most powerful botnets ever. Because it has the power of so many computers behind it, it is believed that Storm has the ability to cripple any Website that exists.

Botnets are capable of exposing their host PCs to a plethora of internet threats like spyware, adware, Denial of Service attacks, and phishing. Because they come in so many forms, to protect your network, you need something that will recognize each of these forms as bad and kick them off the network before they do any harm. A simple firewall won’t cut it. To detect malware and mitigate it, it’s important to install not only anti-malware tools, but a reliable IDS and IPS.

Tags: adware, botnet, IDS, IPS, malware, Network Security, router, router security, spyware
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