Network security

Network security is a process through which a network is protected from unauthorized access,
hacking, denial of service (DoS) attacks, viruses, worms, and other threats. Network security is not
implemented by everyone, as it requires expertise.

To enhance network security in a network, we need to perform monitoring of the network and use
software and hardware components.

These components include firewalls, antivirus software, intrusion detection systems (IDS), and more.

Network security is a critical aspect of ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data
and resources within a network. It requires expertise and the use of various tools and techniques to
safeguard against potential threats and attacks.

• The need for network security varies in different ways, and it serves the following purposes:

• Protecting Sensitive User Information on the Internet:

– To safeguard critical and confidential information of users on the internet from

hackers and attackers.

• Securing Data and Information from Unauthorized Access, Loss, and Modification:

– To protect data and information from unauthorized access, loss, and unauthorized
changes.

Principle of network security

Confidentiality:

• Confidentiality ensures that only the sender and receiver can access the message,
meaning unauthorized access is prohibited.

• Confidentiality is breached when an unauthorized person gains access to the message.

Authentication:

• Authentication means verifying the user's identity, ensuring that the sender is indeed
who they claim to be.

• Authentication ensures that the person sending a message is, in fact, the claimed
sender and not someone else.

Integrity:

• Integrity ensures that the message remains unchanged; no unauthorized modifications

occur.

• If any alterations, such as alterations, insertions, or deletions, occur in the message

after the sender sends it, integrity is compromised.
 Non-repudiation:

• Non-repudiation prevents situations where a user denies sending a message after it has
been sent.

• Non-repudiation doesn't allow the sender to later deny having sent the message.

Access Control:

• Access control ensures that specific users can access certain resources, while others
cannot.

• Access control regulates who can access which resources, limiting access to
authorized users.

Availability:

• Availability ensures that resources are only available to authorized users and not to
others.

• Availability restricts access to resources, making them accessible only to authorized

users.

Network issue:-

 worm
• A worm is a type of computer program or virus that can replicate itself and spread to
other computers without the need for human intervention.

• Worms are similar to viruses in that they can cause harm to computer systems, but
they are self-replicating and do not require a person to help them spread.

• Worms use network connections to propagate copies of themselves to other

computers.

• DOS
A Denial of Service (DoS) attack is an attack in which a hacker renders a network or
machine inaccessible to legitimate users. The primary goal of this attack is to prevent
users from accessing a particular service, such as the internet.

• Phishing

Phishing:-phishing is a technique used by malicious actors to deceive and manipulate

individuals into sharing their sensitive information, making them believe they are
interacting with a trustworthy source.

 Malware
 Malware, short for "malicious software" or "malicious program," is a highly harmful
type of software used by hackers and cybercriminals to steal a person's critical
information. In other words, malware is a dangerous software or program that
infiltrates your computer without your knowledge and can steal or delete all the data
on your computer.

• virus

A virus is a type of program that is attached to an unfamiliar file. When a user

downloads that unknown file, the virus enters the computer and starts causing harm.
Viruses have the capability to replicate themselves, which means they can create
copies of themselves. This self-replication ability allows viruses to easily spread from
one computer to another, infecting the entire system.

• Ransomware

Ransomware is a type of malware that steals a user's data and, after stealing it,
blackmails the user. It demands a ransom from the user in exchange for the stolen
data. If the victim doesn't pay the ransom, the attacker may refuse to return the data.
Even if the victim does pay the ransom, there is no guarantee that the attacker will
actually return the data.

 Threat
• A computer threat is a potential danger that can exploit vulnerabilities to compromise
security and cause significant damage. This can result in data loss or even physical
damage to hardware.

• The first step in protecting a computer system from security threats is to identify these
threats.

• A security threat is a type of risk that can potentially harm a computer system or an
organization. It might lead to data theft or cause damage by launching a virus attack
on the computer system

• Security threats are primarily categorized into two types:

• Non-Physical Threats: Non-physical threats are also known as logical threats.

Attacks such as viruses, worms, Trojan horses, etc., fall into this category. Many users
tend to think that viruses, worms, and Trojan horses are all the same. However, they
are not identical; the similarity lies in the fact that they are all malicious.

• Physical Threats: Physical threats can be further classified into three types:

• Internal: This includes incidents like fire outbreaks, unstable power supply, room
humidity, etc.

• External: This encompasses events like power outages, floods, earthquakes, etc.
• Human: This involves theft by an individual, causing damage to hardware, accidental
system damage, etc.

Cryptography
• The meaning of "Cryptography" is indeed "the art of protecting data"

• This is a method of protecting information and communication. This technique uses a

type of code to secure information and communication.

• This algorithm is used for digital signatures, protecting data, securing debit and credit
card transactions, and browsing the internet.

In cryptography, there are two processes: encryption and decryption.

• Encryption involves converting plain text into cipher text.

• Decryption involves converting cipher text back into plain text.

Encryption:-
• Encryption is a process in cryptography where data or information is converted into
secret codes known as cipher text. The cipher text is not easily understandable and
can only be comprehended by experts. The original data or information is referred to
as plain text, and it is encrypted into cipher text.

• The primary objective of encryption is to secure digital data or information (which is

transmitted via the internet).

• To read encrypted data, you need a key that allows you to decrypt it.

Decryption:-
• Decryption is a process where encrypted data is converted back into the original data.

• The encrypted data is referred to as cipher text, while the original data is known as
plain text. Changing cipher text to plain text is termed as Decryption. This process
also requires a key to decrypt the data.
 Features of Cryptography:
1- In cryptography, information can only be read by the user who has access to it.

2- Once a message is sent from the sender to the receiver using this technique, the
message cannot be modified or edited.

3- In this technique, the data sent by the sender to the receiver gets stored.

4- In cryptography, after sending the message, the sender cannot deny having sent it
to the receiver, which is also known as the status of non-repudiation.

Symmetric key cryptography:-

 Symmetric key cryptography is a form of cryptography where the same key is used
for encrypting plain text and decrypting cipher text.

• In this type of cryptography, the sender and receiver share the same key. Symmetric
key cryptography is also referred to as private key cryptography.

Asymmetric key cryptography:-

• Asymmetric key cryptography is a cryptographic method where two distinct keys are
used to encrypt and decrypt data. It involves a public key, which is known to
everyone, and a private key, which is known only to the receiver.

• This method is also referred to as public key cryptography.

 Encryption Method:-

1. DES:-
• The full name of DES is Data Encryption Standard. It is a type of encryption
technique used to encrypt data.

• DES is a symmetric-key encryption technique in which the same key is used for both
encrypting and decrypting the data. This means both the sender and receiver possess
the same private key.

• DES is a method used by government agencies in the past to secure sensitive data.

• It was developed in the early 1970s by a team at IBM (International Business

Machines Corporation) and was adopted by NIST (National Institute of Standards and
Technology).

• In DES, a 56-bit key is utilized to encrypt 64-bit data.

2. Triple DES

• Triple DES (3DES) is an encryption technique

where the data is encrypted using the DES
cipher three times.

• In Triple DES, a 168-bit key is used for

encrypting data, providing increased security
compared to DES.

• It is a symmetric-key technique based on the

Feistel network.

• This encryption technique is used in Microsoft

 Office, Firefox, and EMV payment systems. It uses the same key for both encrypting
and decrypting data.

• Triple DES is more secure compared to DES and is relatively easy to implement. The
key size can be increased to provide enhanced data security.

3. AES

• The full name of AES is the Advanced Encryption Standard. It is a technique

predominantly used to encrypt data on the internet.

• AES is a symmetric block cipher technique used in place of DES and 3DES because it
provides greater security compared to DES and 3DES.

• AES is commonly utilized in wireless communication, financial transactions, and

online business operations.

• AES is a type of algorithm known as the Rijndael algorithm, which converts plain text
into cipher text.