Network security goes beyond antivirus and firewall security. Network security starts from authenticating any user. Securing a network infrastructure means securing multiple possible entry points. Computer security involves identifying possible risks for data and services:
Taking the necessary measures to allow only authenticated users, software and services, to block and deny any other packets on the network.
Protecting the computers and other shared resources, printers, storage media connected through the network is a must. Attacks must be stopped at their entry points before they spread. The role of the firewall is to enforce the access policies decided for the network.
We dedicate this column to Access control, intrusion detection, firewall and antivirus.
Network access control
Worms and viruses are disruptive. Network access control cannot be the responsibility of all users. Even with antivirus and other security solutions, there is a need to stay up to date with the needed software security patches. A unique entry poin, an integrated and centralized network security management monitoring regular updates, a secure and consistant installation, appropriate and consistant firewall rules.
Firewall security
The work firewall is used for a hardware or software device which is configured to permit, deny, or proxy data through a computer network which has different levels of trust. Modern antivirus suite integrates a software firewall.
A firewall's basic task is to regulate the flow of traffic between computer networks of different trust levels. So the configuration of a firewall is a delicate task.
Linux firewall
A sample firewall configuration http://www.faqs.org/docs/linux_network/x-087-2-firewall.example.html
A simple firewall configuration http://www.isaac.cs.berkeley.edu/simple-firewall.html
Windows firewall
Windows firewall configuration http://www.ncsu.edu/resnet/windows/firewall/
Linux In a Windows Network with SAMBA http://www.reallylinux.com/docs/sambaserver.shtml
See also our article about firewall security
Strong passwords
Giving strong passwords is a must to avoid that the password may be broken by a robot in a reasonable amount of time.
With various applications or with OS such as Unix / Linux, the ability to protect the data from intrusions and get it back relies mainly on the password. As main guardian, the password must be strong and must be protected itself. Frenquently changing the important passwords and choosing good passwords is a requirement. Some basic rules for building strong passwords:
Excerpt from our data security article
- Letters used must not form an existing word in any language.
- It isn't good to choose names.
- A minimum of 10 characters is necessary; it is preferable to mix lower case and upper case, numbers and characters such as ! + *, etc..
You need a precise procedure for the storage and the memorization of your passwords. For each password type, analyse the nature of the risk: network intrusion, phisical intrusion in the building, other people accessing your computer, etc. Then choose the solution and the media in relation with the real nature of the risk.
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Intrusion prevention system
An intrusion prevention system (IPS) is a computer security device that monitors network and system activities for malicious or unwanted behavior. Such system must react, in real-time, to block and deny those activities. Network-based IPS, for example, will operate in-line to monitor all network traffic for malicious code or attacks. When an attack is detected, it can drop the offending packets while still allowing all other traffic to pass. An intrusion detection system IDS is used to detect many types of malicious network traffic and computer usage that can't be detected by a conventional firewall.
Kaspersky technology uses both an intrusion prevention system (IPS) extension and an intrusion detection (IDS) system. This represent a considerable improvement upon firewall technologies, IPS make access control decisions based on application content, rather than IP address or ports as traditional firewalls had done.
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Kaspersky open space security
Kaspersky labs security products and security suites integrate both IPS and IDS technology associating state of the art firewall technology with the latest antivirus and antispyware technology.
Kaspersky Lab has developed a new concept for enterprise wide antivirus security, including distant offices. Kaspersky Open Space Security includes a policy for PCs that incorporates special rules for the antivirus when they are outside of the office. This ensures solid protection of PCs even when outside of the home network. See Kaspersky Open Space Security new concept or go to the Open_space_security presentation.
For local networks, based on Windows workstations or Linux workstations or both, Kaspersky labs offers Kaspersky workspace security
For stand-alone workstations, see Kaspersky Internet security
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Lavasoft enterprise
The Lavasoft Adaware SE, excellent anti-spyware and malware, offers an unexpensive enterprise version with a minimum of 10 licences. It offers a high level of protection combined with a centralized management system that puts the power of privacy protection directly into the hands of the IT administrator. The Ad-Aware SE Enterprise incorporates the Ad-Aware SE Professional and the Ad-Aware SE Enterprise Console management tool to give IT administrator control over the entire business network security.
To learn about Ad-Aware SE Professional Adaware SE 2007 comparison chart
To learn about Ad-Aware SE Enterprise Adaware SE 2007 Entreprise
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Excellent sources for in-depth network security learning
Linux security
http://tldp.org/HOWTO/Security-HOWTO/network-security.html
http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/101892/155/
http://www.aboutdebian.com/security.htm
Windows security
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/syllabi/en-us/2150afinal.mspx
All OS
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