UNIT 5

NETWORK SECURITY ASPECTS

INTRODUCTION
+ Network Security involves protecting the network.
+ Network can be private or public.
+ Network security involves preventing misuse or unauthorized access to the
network.
+ Network Security refers to how an organization protects its data and
computer network using both hardware and software.
+ By doing this, the network and data are able to remain confidential and
accessible.
+ Almost every organization that uses a lot of data is equipped with some
form of security against cyber threats.
+ Password protection is an example of Network Security.
Working of Network Security
+ The basic principle of network security is protecting huge stored data and
networks in layers that ensure the bedding of rules and regulations that have
to be acknowledged before performing any activity on the data.
+ These levels are:
• Physical Network Security
• Technical Network Security
• Administrative Network Security
• Physical Network Security
+ This is the most basic level that includes protecting the data and network
through unauthorized personnel from acquiring control over the
confidentiality of the network.
+ The same can be achieved by using devices like biometric systems.
+ Physical security networks are developed to restrict unauthorized users from
accessing various physical network devices, unlike routers, cabling
cupboards, and so on.
+ Every organization also requires checking the controlled access, unlike
locks, biometric passwords, and other components.
• Technical Network Security
+ Technical security controls, safeguard the information, put on the network or
transferred over, into, or out of the network.
+ Protection is duplex; it requires protecting information and devices from the
unofficial group, and it also needs to guard against unofficial exercises from
workers.
+ It primarily focuses on protecting the data stored in the network or data
involved in transitions through the network.
+ This type serves two purposes. One is protected from unauthorized users,
and the other is protected from malicious activities.
• Administrative Network Security
+ This level of network security protects user behavior like how the
permission has been granted and how the authorization process takes place.
+ This also ensures the level of sophistication the network might need for
protecting it through all the attacks.
+ This level also suggests necessary amendments that have to be done to the
infrastructure.
+ Administrative network security controls end-user behavior, including their
authentication, level of access, and how the IT staff of any organization
implements reforms to its infrastructure. Administration security includes
various security policies and processes to its functioning.
Types of Network Security
+ Access Control :
+ our network should not be accessible to every user.
+ You need to identify every user and every device in order to keep out any
attackers.
+ You can then put your security policies into effect.
+ Not every person should have a complete allowance for the accessibility to
the network or its data.
+ One way to examine this is by going through each personnel’s details.
+ This is done through Network Access Control which ensures that only a
handful of authorized personnel must be able to work with the allowed
amount of resources.
Types of Network Security
+ Antivirus and Anti-malware Software:
+ This type of network security ensures that any malicious software does not
enter the network and jeopardize the security of the data.
+ Malicious software like Viruses, Trojans, and Worms is handled by the
same.
+ This ensures that not only the entry of the malware is protected but also that
the system is well-equipped to fight once it has entered.
+ Antivirus software's are designed to protect the system from a range of
malware and malicious software, including viruses, worms, ransomware,
and Trojans.
+ The best software scans the malware, quarantines it and stops it before it
causes any damage to the system.
Types of Network Security
+ Cloud Security:
+ This is very vulnerable to the malpractices that few unauthorized dealers
might pertain to.
+ This data must be protected and it should be ensured that this protection is
not threaten by anything.
+ Many businesses use SaaS applications for providing some of their
employees the allowance of accessing the data stored in the cloud.
+ This type of security ensures creating gaps in the visibility of the data.
Types of Network Security
+ Email Security:
+ Email Security is defined as the process designed to protect the Email
Account and its contents safe from unauthorized access.
+ For Example, you generally see, fraud emails are automatically sent to the
Spam folder. because most email service providers have built-in features to
protect the content.
Types of Network Security
+ Firewalls:
+ A firewall is a network security device, either hardware or software-based,
which monitors all incoming and outgoing traffic and based on a defined set
of security rules accepts, rejects, or drops that specific traffic.
+ Before Firewalls, network security was performed by Access Control Lists
(ACLs) residing on routers.
Types of Network Security
+ Intrusion Detection Systems:
+ Intrusion Detection Systems or Intrusion Detection or Prevention Systems
are the devices or the applications that actively monitor the network for
malicious activities, log information about those activities, alert the
company if the system detects an attack, and take steps to prevent them.
+ Intrusion detection systems keep a list of malware signatures and compares
incoming threats to the list.
+ It instantly blocks any attack and resends the packets whose configuration
matches the list, and reset the connection to protect the IP address from any
blockage.
 Benefits of Network Security
+ Functionality:
A Network security ensures that business and individual users are able to use
their networks with high levels of performance in the future.
+ Privacy and Security:
Organizations handling user data must ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and
availability of data on a network or the CIA triad. The security of a network
protects personal identifiable information and sensitive information, prevents
the loss of company’s reputation and prevents financial loss.
+ Intellectual property protection:
Companies must maintain their competitive edge by securing access to
intellectual property related to their products, services and business strategies.
 CIA Triad
Confidentiality Integrity Availability
Confidentiality
+ Confidentiality means that only authorized individuals/systems can view
sensitive or classified information.
+ The data being sent over the network should not be accessed by
unauthorized individuals.
+ The attacker may try to capture the data using different tools available on
the Internet and gain access to your information.
+ A primary way to avoid this is to use encryption techniques to safeguard
your data so that even if the attacker gains access to your data, he/she will
not be able to decrypt it.
Confidentiality
+ Maintaining network confidentiality includes following steps:
+ 1. Strict Authentication
+ 2. Use Strict Access Control
+ 3. Ensure encryption of data
+ Threats to confidentiality :
+ There are several ways to compromise confidentiality. Network
confidentiality is commonly threatened by the following :
1. Hackers
2. Trojan Horses
3. Unauthorized users
 Confidentiality

+ For example if we say I have a password for my Gmail account but

someone saw while I was doing a login into Gmail Account. In that
case my password has been compromised and confidentiality has
been breached and compromised.
INTEGRITY
+ Integrity refers to maintaining accuracy and completeness of data. This
means data can not be edited in an unauthorized way by any authorized
party.
+ It specifies the content of the message must not be altered during
transmission from sender to receiver and ensures information non-
repudiation and authenticity.
+ The data can’t be changed except by an authorized entity.
+ It ensures that only authorized parties are able to modify computer system
assets and transmitted information.
+ Modification includes writing, changing status, deleting, creating and
delaying or replaying of transmitted message.
 Two types of integrity services
+ Connection oriented integrity service: It provides integrity of all user data
on a connection and detects any modification, insertions, deletion or reply of
any data within entire data sequence.
+ It provides protection against message stream modification and denial of
service.
+ Connection less integrity service: It generally provides protection against
message modification only. To maintain data integrity, there should be
resistance to the change and replacement of data.
+ For example if an employee leaves an organization then in that case data for
that employee in all departments like accounts, should be updated to reflect
status of JOB LEFT so that data is complete and accurate and in addition to
this only authorized person should be allowed to edit employee data.
 AVAILABILITY
+ This means that the network should be readily available to its users. This applies
to systems and to data.
+ To ensure availability, the network administrator should maintain hardware,
make regular upgrades, have a plan for fail-over, and prevent bottlenecks in a
network.
+ A network may become unavailable as a result of attacks such as Dos or Ddos.
+ Therefore proper measures should be taken to prevent such attacks from
occurring so that they do not have a significant impact on the companies and
users who rely on the network as a business tool.
+ Information needs to be constantly changed which means it must be accessible to
authorized entities. The unavailability of information is just as harmful for an
organization as the lack of confidentiality or integrity.
Understand CIA with the help of ATM example
+ Consider the ATM that enables users to access their bank balance and other
information.
+ ATMs incorporate the following measures to cover the triad principles.
+ Before granting access to sensitive data, the two –factor authentication (debit
card with PIN code) ensures confidentiality.
+ By maintaining all withdrawals and transfers made via the ATM, the ATM and
bank software ensure data integrity.
+ Due to its availability and accessibility , the ATM is available to the general
public at all time.