Introduction
The companies are progressively moving towards the use of technology for their business. This move helped them to grow their business by decreasing the functional cost along with improved customer service. In addition to it, this step also puts them on the risks related to their data and network security. This document will provide the complete analysis of vulnerabilities present in the network and the policies that should be implemented to reduce the network security threats.
Vulnerability Assessments
The firm is currently not following the standards and policies vital to secure the data and network. The firm is using the NETGEAR MR814 router that is not compatible with the latest Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) standards of IEEE as it is following the 802.11b standard . The router does not support the latest WPA2 security protocol that provides better encryption to the network. The encryption is a process that provides secured transmission of data and protects the theft of data and identity.
The data of the firm is in unsafe and critical state as there is no security measure present to protect the computer systems and data from any internal or external security threat. The firm has not installed and configured the server for the storage and backup of the data. The company is at a risk of cyber-attack as no firewall and anti-virus program is present to detect and stop any spam, virus, or worm. These viruses may cause a Denial of Service (DoS) attack that may cause interruption in the Internet access and usage.
The firm uses workgroup or peer-to-peer network that is less secure and difficult to administer. The network does not have any central location where users can store or share their files and data, it would be difficult for the user to recover the lost data. There is no domain present and employees do not have their specific User ID’s, because of this their systems have low security level as they are easily accessed by anyone without their knowledge or permission.
Network/System Security Recommendations
The outdated NETGEAR 814 should be replaced with the “NETGEAR N900 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router WNDR4500” as it works on the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) of WPA2-PSK . This router will provide a secure internet access to the visiting customers.
The managed switch provides secure connectivity between the devices and effectively utilizes the network bandwidth. The Cisco 300 series managed switch should be procured as it maintains the secured and smooth operation of the network (Cisco, 2016). This switch will also protect the network from the unauthorized access.
The protection against the attacks from malware, hackers, and cyber criminals is essential for a firm. The Cisco RV220W Network Security Firewall should be purchased for that purpose. This firewall supports both of the IP Security (IPsec) and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocols of the Virtual Private Network (VPN) (Cisco, 2016).
The firm should transform its network from peer-to-peer to the server-based network. The Windows Small Business Server 2008 or Windows SBS 2008 should be configured for that purpose. The Windows SBS 2008 will store and backup the users’ data and provide them a central location to store and share their data .
Application / End-User Security Recommendations
The IT policies should be developed and implemented for the systems and network security. The administrator rights should not be provided to any user excluding the IT staff; it will stop them from the installation of any infected program or application. The User ID’s along with a default password will be provided to the staff after the Windows SBS 2008 installation. The user must change his password as soon as possible with a strong password. The password length should not be have less than ten characters and it should include at least one digit and special character. The password should contain both uppercase and lowercase characters. The user should not disclose his password to any other person and should not open the emails, links, or files that are from the suspicious or unverified sources.
The scanning and removing of the viruses is required for the data security. The antivirus software should be purchased and installed on each system to remove the viruses and to further protect it from the viruses and spams. The antivirus software should be updated on a regular basis so it can effectively detect and neutralize the viruses.
The IT Support Technician requested for a company website that should be hosted internally. The internal hosting should be avoided because storing the data of the website along with the company’s data on a same server will result in the low bandwidth, Internet speed, and reliability . Therefore, it is recommended to host the website externally on a monthly or an annual basis.
The final conclusion of this vulnerabilities assessment and recommendation document is that the network has some serious security threats that should be eliminated by configuring the recommended hardware and software. The appropriate security measures should also be taken by users to improve the security of the data and network.
References
Cisco. (2016). Cisco 300 Series Switches Data Sheet - Cisco. Retrieved from http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/switches/small-business-smart-switches/data_sheet_c78-610061.html
Cisco. (2016). Cisco RV220W Network Security Firewall Data Sheet - Cisco. Retrieved from http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/routers/rv220w-wireless-network-security-firewall/data_sheet_c78-630461.html
NETGEAR. (2013). WNDR4500_UM_25Oct2013.pdf. Retrieved from http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/WNDR4500/WNDR4500_UM_25Oct2013.pdf
NETGEAR. (2004). mr814v3_ref_manual.pdf. Retrieved from http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/mr814v3_ref_manual.pdf
Microsoft. (2016). Networking Basics: Peer-to-peer vs. server-based networks. Retrieved from https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc527483(v=ws.10).aspx
Serverbeach. (2016). Hosting at Home: The Pros and Cons | ServerBeach. Retrieved from http://www.serverbeach.com/resources/Hosting%20At%20Home%20The%20Pros%20And%20Cons
