Securing the Network: 4

Securing The Network
A Post on Corporate Security Issues for the Non Technical

This post covers:
                Routers
                The Administrator Account
                Resources

Routers
Your internet router should be setup so that it does not respond to an ICMP query from the Internet, i.e. disallow external pings.

In addition UPNP (Universal Plug and Play) should also be switched off.

Unless you desperately need access to remotely configure your router then you should also disable the remote access facility.

TECH NOTE: ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) Query: This is generally known as a ‘Ping’. One computer can Ping another as a way of saying ‘hello, are you there ?’. A reply is expected from the computer that receives the message.

TECH NOTE: UPNP (Universal Plug and Play): This is a set of protocols designed to simplify device configuration by attempting to automatically configure them for you.

The Administrator Account
The Administrator account on each server should be setup with a large and complex password and then disabled. Changing the name of the Administrator account will not fool a decent hacker, under Windows the Administrator account always has the ID of 500, even if you do choose to rename it to BilboBaggins or BartSimpson.

Each Administrator should then be given their own Admin account and password, no Admin should know the password for another Admins account. This ensures that you are able to Audit the Administrator level access to the servers and tie it down to a specific individual.

Resources
When considering the resources that you provide for your users you should look at them in the context of:

        Confidentiality
        Integrity
        Availability

The general rules to use when setting up access to resources are:

        Need to know
        Least Privilege

Need to Know
This applies to users and the information they need. There is nothing to be gained by passing on information to users regarding server and router IP addresses, DNS and DHCP if they do not need to be told these things to so their job.
Least Privilege
Basically what we are saying here is that users and employees should be given the lowest and most restrictive access possible, whilst still enabling them to do their job. It is easier to control the escalation of access rights than it is to try reducing them at a later date!

"For today and its blessings, I owe the world an attitude of gratitude." - Clarence E Hodges