12 networking security

• Computing
• Further Education (Key Stage 5)

12 - Network Security 1.3.3 (c)

12 - Network security. 1.3.3(c)

How to keep networks safe and secure

Firewall

Firewalls

Firewalls operate by examining data packets as they pass through the network. 

They analyze factors such as source and destination IP addresses, port numbers, and packet contents to determine whether to allow or block the traffic.

Based on predefined rules or policies configured by network administrators, firewalls make decisions to permit or deny traffic.

Advantages

Enhanced network security: Firewalls help protect against unauthorized access, malware, and other network threats.

Control and visibility: Administrators can define and enforce security policies to control network traffic and monitor network activity.

Flexibility: Firewalls can be configured to meet the specific security requirements of different network environments.

Limitations

Single point of failure: If a firewall malfunctions or becomes compromised, it can expose the entire network to security risks.

Complexity: Configuring and managing firewalls requires expertise and ongoing maintenance to ensure they are protecting the network without impeding legitimate traffic.

Advanced threats: While firewalls are effective at filtering known threats based on predefined rules, they may struggle to detect zero-day attacks or insider threats.

Proxies

Advantages

Enhanced Privacy: Proxies can provide anonymity for users by hiding their IP addresses and encrypting their internet traffic.

Improved Performance: Proxies can cache frequently accessed web pages and resources, reducing bandwidth usage and speeding up access times for users.

Security: Proxies can act as a barrier between internal networks and the internet, inspecting and filtering traffic for potential threats.

Access Control: Proxies can enforce access control policies, allowing organizations to restrict access to certain websites or internet resources.

Limitations

Single Point of Failure: If a proxy server malfunctions or becomes unavailable, it can disrupt internet access for clients relying on it.

Performance Overhead: Proxies can introduce latency and overhead to network traffic, particularly when inspecting and filtering large volumes of data.

Complexity: Configuring and managing proxies requires expertise and ongoing maintenance to ensure they are effectively protecting the network without impeding legitimate traffic.

Jack:

Malware - viruses, worms & trojans 

Brute force attacks

Toby:

Distributed Denial-of-Service attacks (DDoS)

Lee:

Web Application Attacks - SQL injection

Software Vulnerabilities - flaws and weaknesses in code or configuration

Anna:

Phishing Attacks - email phishing, spear phishing

Social Engineering - pretexting, baiting

Emily:

Man in the middle attacks - eavesdropping, ARP spoofing

Data Interception - packet sniffing

Create a 5-minute presentation for your topics.

You will present these to the rest of the class when complete.

Encryption

Key Language:

Plaintext: The original, unencrypted data that is to be protected.

Ciphertext: The encrypted form of the plaintext, which is generated using an encryption algorithm and a cryptographic key.

Encryption Algorithm: The rules and procedures used to transform plaintext into ciphertext. Common encryption algorithms include Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) and Data Encryption Standard (DES).

Cryptographic Key: A piece of information used by the encryption algorithm to encrypt and decrypt data. Symmetric keys (used in symmetric encryption) and asymmetric keys (used in asymmetric encryption).

Generate Keys

Scramble the data, so it's unreadable

Decrypt the data, so it's readable again.

The Encryption Process

Symmetric & Asymmetric

Symmetric

One secret key

Fast 

Any comprimise of the key could compromise the data

More scalable

Asymmetric

Key pair (Public for encryption and Private for decryption, which is kept secret)

Slower (more complex mathematical operations)

Lower risk of unauthorised access

Less scalable

Advantages:

Confidentiality: Ensures that only authorized parties can access and understand the encrypted data.

Security: Protects sensitive information from unauthorized access, interception, and tampering.

Compliance: Helps organizations comply with data protection regulations and industry standards by safeguarding sensitive data.

Limitations:

 

Key Management: Securely managing and distributing encryption keys.

Performance Overhead: Encryption and decryption processes can introduce latency.

Complexity: Implementing and managing encryption solutions requires expertise and resources to ensure proper configuration and maintenance.

Firewall

Proxy Server

Encryption

configured to block access based on the specific security requirements of the network environment.

Malfunctions or becomes compromised, it can expose the entire network to security risks.

Struggle to detect zero-day attacks or insider threats.

Performance Overhead

Only authorized parties can access and understand the data.

Increased network complexity