Implementing VLAN Security

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 Introduction
 VLAN Segmentation
 VLAN Implementation
 VLAN Security and Design
 Summary

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 Objectives
 Explain the purpose of VLAN in a switched network
 Analyze how a switch forwards frames based VLAN configuration in
a multi-switched environment
 Configure a switch port to be assigned to a VLAN based on
requirements
 Configure a trunk port on a LAN switch
 Configure Dynamic Trunk Protocol (DTP)
 Troubleshoot VLAN and trunk configurations in a switched network
 Configure security features to mitigate attacks in a VLAN-segmented
environment
 Explain security best practices for a VLAN-segmented environment

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 Overview Of VLANs
VLAN Definitions
 VLAN (virtual LAN) is a logical partition of a layer 2
network
 Multiple partition can be created, allowing for multiple
VLANs to co-exist
 Each VLAN is a broadcast domain, usually with its own
IP network
 VLANS are mutually isolated and packets can only
pass between them through a router
 The partitioning of the layer 2 network takes inside a
layer 2 device, usually a switch.
 The hosts grouped within a VLAN are unaware of the
VLAN’s existence
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 Overview Of VLANs
VLAN Definitions

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 Overview Of VLANs
Benefits of VLANs
 Security
 Cost reduction
 Better performance
 Shrink broadcast domains
 Improved IT staff efficiency
 Simpler project and application management

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 Overview Of VLANs
Types of VLANs
 Data VLAN
 Default VLAN
 Native VLAN
 Management VLAN

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 Overview Of VLANs
Types of VLANs

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 VLANs in a Multi-Switched Environment
VLAN Trunks
 A VLAN trunk carries more than one VLAN
 Usually established between switches so same-VLAN
devices can communicate even if physically connected
to different switches
 A VLAN trunk is not associated to any VLANs. Neither
is the trunk ports used to establish the trunk link
 Cisco IOS supports IEEE802.1q, a popular VLAN trunk
protocol

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 VLANs in a Multi-Switched Environment
VLAN Trunks

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 VLANs in a Multi-Switched Environment
Controlling Broadcast Domains with VLANs
 VLANs can be used to limit the reach of broadcast
frames
 A VLAN is a broadcast domain of its own
 Therefore, a broadcast frame sent by a device in a
specific VLAN is forwarded within that VLAN only.
 This help controlling the reach of broadcast frames and
their impact in the network
 Unicast and multicast frames are forwarded within the
originating VLAN as well

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 VLAN Assignment
VLAN Ranges On Catalyst Switches
 The Catalyst 2960 and 3560 Series switches support
over 4,000 VLANs
 These VLANs are split into 2 categories:
 Normal Range VLANs
• VLAN numbers from 1 through 1005
• Configurations stored in the vlan.dat (in the flash)
• VTP can only learn and store normal range VLANs
 Extended Range VLANs
• VLAN numbers from 1006 through 4096
• Configurations stored in the running-config (in the NVRAM)
• VTP does not learn extended range VLANs

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 VLAN Assignment
Creating a VLAN

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 VLAN Assignment
Assigning Ports To VLANs

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 VLAN Assignment
Assigning Ports To VLANs

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 VLAN Assignment
Changing VLAN Port Membership

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 VLAN Assignment
Changing VLAN Port Membership

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 VLAN Assignment
Deleting VLANs

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 VLAN Assignment
Verifying VLAN Information

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 VLAN Assignment
Verifying VLAN Information

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 VLAN Assignment
Configuring IEEE 802.1q Trunk Links

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 VLAN Assignment
Resetting the Trunk To Default State

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 VLAN Assignment
Resetting the Trunk To Default State

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 VLAN Assignment
Verifying Trunk Configuration

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 Dynamic Trunking Protocol
Introduction to DTP
 Switch ports can be manually configured to form trunks
 Switch ports can also be configured to negotiate and
establish a trunk link with a connected peer
 Dynamic Trunking Protocol (DTP) is a protocol to
manage trunk negotiation
 DTP is a Cisco proprietary protocol and is enabled by
default in Cisco Catalyst 2960 and 3560 switches
 If the port on the neighbor switch is configured in a
trunk mode that supports DTP, it manages the
negotiation
 The default DTP configuration for Cisco Catalyst 2960
and 3560 switches is dynamic auto
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 Dynamic Trunking Protocol
Negotiated Interface Modes
 Cisco Catalyst 2960 and 3560 support the following
trunk modes:
• switchport mode dynamic auto
• switchport mode dynamic desirable
• switchport mode trunk
• switchport nonegotiate

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 Troubleshooting VLANs and Trunks
Addressing Issues with VLAN
 It is very common practice to associate a VLAN with a
IP network
 Since different IP networks only communicate through a
router, all devices within a VLAN must be part of the
same IP network in order to communicate
 In the picture below, PC1 can’t communicate to the
server because it has a wrong IP address configured

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 Troubleshooting VLANs and Trunks
Missing VLANs
 If all IP addresses mismatch have been solved but
device still can’t connect, check if the VLAN exists in
the switch.

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 Troubleshooting VLANs and Trunks
Introduction to Troubleshooting Trunks

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 Troubleshooting VLANs and Trunks
Common Problems With Trunks
 Trunking issues are usually associated with incorrect
configurations.
 The most common type of trunk configuration errors
are:
1. Native VLAN mismatches
2. Trunk mode mismatches 
3. Allowed VLANs on trunks
 If a trunk problem is detected, the best practice
guidelines recommend to troubleshoot in the order
shown above.

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 Troubleshooting VLANs and Trunks
Trunk Mode Mismatches
 If a port on a trunk link is configured with a trunk mode
that is incompatible with the neighboring trunk port, a
trunk link fails to form between the two switches
 Check the status of the trunk ports on the switches
using the show interfaces trunk command
 To fix the problem, configure the interfaces with proper
trunk modes.

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 Troubleshooting VLANs and Trunks
Incorrect VLAN List
 VLANs must be allowed in the trunk before their frames
can be transmitted across the link
 Use the switchport trunk allowed vlan command to
specifuy which VLANs are allowed in a trunk link
 To ensure the correct VLANs are permitted in a trunk,
used the show interfaces trunk command

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 Attacks on VLANs
Switch spoofing Attack
 There are a number of different types of VLAN attacks
in modern switched networks. VLAN hopping is one
them.
 The default configuration of the switch port is dynamic
auto
 By configuring a host to act as a switch and form a
trunk, an attacker could gain access to any VLAN in the
network.
 Because the attacker is now able to access other
VLANs, this is called a VLAN hopping attack
 To prevent a basic switch spoofing attack, turn off
trunking on all ports, except the ones that specifically
require trunking
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 Attacks on VLANs
PVLAN Edge
 Private VLAN (PVLAN) Edge
feature, also known as protected
ports, ensures that there is no
exchange of unicast, broadcast,
or multicast traffic between
protected ports on the switch
 Local relevancy only
 A protected port only exchanges
traffic with un-protected ports
 A protected port will not
exchange traffic with another
protected port

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 Design Best Practices For VLANs
VLAN Design Guideline
 Move all ports from VLAN1 and assign them to a not-
in-use VLAN
 Shut down all unused switch ports
 Separate management and user data traffic
 Change the management VLAN to a VLAN other than
VLAN1. The same goes to the native VLAN
 Make sure that only devices in the management VLAN
can connect to the switches
 The switch should only accept SSH connections
 Disable autonegotiation on trunk ports
 Do not use the auto or desirable switch port modes
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 Summary
 This chapter introduced VLANS and their types.
 It also covered the connection between VLANs and
broadcast domain
 The chapter also covers IEEE 802.1Q frame tagging and
how it enables differentiation between Ethernet frames
associated with distinct VLANs as they traverse common
trunk links.
 This chapter also examined the configuration,
verification, and troubleshooting of VLANs and trunks
using the Cisco IOS CL and explored basic security and
design considerations in the context of VLANs.

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 Thank You

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