3.6 TOOLS FOR NETWORK SECURITY

There are many strong tools available for securing a computer network. Tools to protect your enterprise network have been evolving for the last two decades, roughly the same amount of time that people have been trying to break into computer networks. These tools can protect a computer network at many levels, and a wellguarded enterprise deploys many different types of security technologies. The most obvious element of security is often times the most easily overlooked: physical security—namely, controlling access to the most sensitive components in your computer network, such as a network administration station or the server room. No amount of planning or expensive equipment will keep your network secure if unauthorized personnel can have access to central administration consoles. Even if a user does not have evil intent, an untrained user may unknowingly provide unauthorized outside access or override certain protective configurations.

Let us briefly discuss few of these network security tools:

a) Antivirus software packages: These packages counter most virus threats if regularly updated and correctly maintained.

b) Secure network infrastructure: Switches and routers have hardware and software features which support secure connectivity, perimeter security, intrusion protection, identity services, and security management. We will discuss switches and routers later in this unit.

c) Dedicated network security hardware and software: Tools such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems provide protection for all areas of the network and enable secure connections.

d) Virtual private networks: These networks provide access control and data encryption between two different computers on a network. This allows remote workers to connect to the network without the risk of a hacker or thief intercepting data.

e) Identity services: These services help to identify users and control their activities and transactions on the network. Services include passwords, digital certificates and digital authentication keys.

f) Encryption: Encryption ensures that messages cannot be intercepted or read by anyone other than the authorized recipient.

g) Security management: This is the glue that holds together the other building blocks of a strong security solution.

None of these approaches alone will be sufficient to protect a network, but when they are layered together, they can be highly effective in keeping a network safe from attacks and other threats to security. In addition, wellthoughtout corporate policies are critical to determine and control access to various parts of the network.


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