Part 1: Vulnerability Assessment Nambo Francis Network Security October 3, 2016 Introduction Every computer network is a target for attack by virtue of being on. It is therefore necessary that every organization understand where it stands on matters of network security. A vulnerability assessment is done to provide an organization with the state of its network components. The assessment also identifies potential points of weakness within the network infrastructure and the extent to which those vulnerabilities could be exploited. While some attacks on an organization can be targeted specifically to it, others could be as a result of a vulnerability that was identified by attackers after scouring for vulnerable networks. Any exploitable vulnerability in a network no matter how small can cause significant damage to the network. This necessitates the vulnerability assessment that should be a regular activity. A vulnerability assessment will enable the organization to rank the gravity of the danger posed by all vulnerabilities and allocate the appropriate resources to its handling. Network Vulnerability Assessment • Network backdoors – a backdoor within a system is an access point whose existence is unknown by a network administrator and users of that system. A backdoor can be implemented on a software running in the network or even to hardware devices that are connected to the network. A hacker then uses that backdoor to access the network and collect data without the knowledge anyone involved with the network. A backdoor can grant the hacker administrator level access privileges and as such their activities within the network can go unnoticed [1]. • Security loopholes in software and hardware components – while the above backdoors are usually created by a hacker, security loopholes are as a result of the manufacturer delivering unpatched components. A piece of software or hardware equipment could have been developed and shipped to users without being checked for those loopholes. These unpatched loopholes can then be exploited by hackers to enter a network [1]. • Distributed denial of service attacks – networks are made to handle a certain amount of requests to function properly. A hacker the above attacks will exploit by presenting the network with a large number of illegitimate requests. In a bid to service these requests, the network resources will be overwhelmed to the point of the network shutting down after failing to do so. This attack will then lock out legitimate users and their requests. [1] • Mobile and non-firm devices – a lot more companies are implementing a program where employees get to bring their devices to work. The firms are also issuing their employees with mobile devices like tablets and smartphones for conducting their tasks. Bringing personal devices to do work on present a potential vulnerability. As these are personal devices, they are secured the same way as other company devices. They could be used .

1. Part 1: Vulnerability Assessment
Nambo Francis
Network Security
October 3, 2016
Introduction
Every computer network is a target for attack by virtue of
being on. It is therefore necessary that every organization
understand where it stands on matters of network security. A
vulnerability assessment is done to provide an organization with
the state of its network components. The assessment also
identifies potential points of weakness within the network
infrastructure and the extent to which those vulnerabilities
could be exploited. While some attacks on an organization can
be targeted specifically to it, others could be as a result of a
vulnerability that was identified by attackers after scouring for
vulnerable networks. Any exploitable vulnerability in a network
no matter how small can cause significant damage to the
network. This necessitates the vulnerability assessment that
should be a regular activity. A vulnerability assessment will
enable the organization to rank the gravity of the danger posed
by all vulnerabilities and allocate the appropriate resources to
its handling.
Network Vulnerability Assessment
• Network backdoors – a backdoor within a system is
an access point whose existence is unknown by a network
administrator and users of that system. A backdoor can be

2. implemented on a software running in the network or even to
hardware devices that are connected to the network. A hacker
then uses that backdoor to access the network and collect data
without the knowledge anyone involved with the network. A
backdoor can grant the hacker administrator level access
privileges and as such their activities within the network can go
unnoticed [1].
• Security loopholes in software and hardware
components – while the above backdoors are usually created by
a hacker, security loopholes are as a result of the manufacturer
delivering unpatched components. A piece of software or
hardware equipment could have been developed and shipped to
users without being checked for those loopholes. These
unpatched loopholes can then be exploited by hackers to enter a
network [1].
• Distributed denial of service attacks – networks are
made to handle a certain amount of requests to function
properly. A hacker the above attacks will exploit by presenting
the network with a large number of illegitimate requests. In a
bid to service these requests, the network resources will be
overwhelmed to the point of the network shutting down after
failing to do so. This attack will then lock out legitimate users
and their requests. [1]
• Mobile and non-firm devices – a lot more companies
are implementing a program where employees get to bring their
devices to work. The firms are also issuing their employees with
mobile devices like tablets and smartphones for conducting
their tasks. Bringing personal devices to do work on present a
potential vulnerability. As these are personal devices, they are
secured the same way as other company devices. They could be
used to introduce viruses into the network and jeopardize the
company’s information. As for company-issued mobile devices,
they cannot be secured with the same capabilities as PCs. They
have different form factors and also different underlying
infrastructure [2]. Given that their use within the workplace is
recent, then it means that there isn’t an acceptable method to

3. secure them. This makes them very vulnerable.
• Removable media – just as employees are bringing
their mobile devices to work, so are they also bringing
removable USB media. This includes thumb drives and external
hard disks. Most of these devices are usually used across many
computers and this increases the chances of them getting
infected with viruses. Allowing these devices with questionable
history to be plugged into company computers creates the risk
that viruses and other malware might get introduced into the
network [2].
• Wireless networks – while wired networks can be
physically secured by limiting access to ports, this can’t be said
of wireless networks. All that is required is proximity. A hacker
with a laptop would only have to be near the company premises
to view their wireless network. Unsecured wireless networks
can be viewed and access with any Wi-Fi connection. It is also
possible that a user on a neighboring network could be able to
access the network. This open wireless network then exposes
the company’s entire network to not just unauthorized users but
malicious ones as well [1].
• Operating system platform – between the Windows
operating system from Microsoft and Mac operating system
from Apple, it has been found that the latter has lesser chances
of being a target for attacks than the former. Windows OS as the
dominant and ubiquitous platform makes that hackers will lean
more towards developing ways to access the systems. Mac OS
devices on the other hand are also developed by Apple and the
security implementation is usually far much superior to
Windows OS. So, if the company has chosen to use Windows
devices, then it has to contend with the fact that it has increased
the chances of being a target [1].
• False sense of security in defense in depth – this
company will have a firewall, intrusion detection system and
anti-virus programs as part of its network security strategy. On
the face of it, it is a recommended one as it provides multiple
security layers. However, it is important to note that this

4. strategy is only effective if those different aspects of security
are all operating at peak level. Even with all of them present, if
they are poorly configured and maintained, they become
liabilities instead of assets as they create multiple points of
vulnerability for the network [1].
References
[1] D. Jacobson and J. Idziorek, Computer security literacy:
Staying safe in a digital world. CRC Press, 2016.
[2] G. Held, G, Network design: Principles and applications.
Boca Raton: Auerbach, 2014.
Meg Whitman, former CEO of eBay: Transparency in Business
Under Meg Whitman’s leadership, eBay has changed the way
the world buys and
sells secondhand goods. Before eBay, individual owners of
antiques, family heirlooms,
used equipment, collector’s curios, etc., would take their items
for sale to antique dealers,
pawn shops, etc., and hope to get a fair deal. They depended on
the dealers to assess their
item and tell them what a fair price would be. Unless you were
an expert, you would have
little idea how much that silver teapot you inherited from your
grandmother might be

5. worth. Even the dealers might be uncertain – how much would
someone pay for a picture
of Elvis made with dried beans? As Meg Whitman pointed out
in her book (with Joan
Hamilton, 2010), The Power of Many: Values for Success in
Business and Life, eBay
added transparency to the buying and selling process. Potential
buyers, including
professional dealers as well as hobbyists and other
nonprofessionals, would have to
compete with each other to buy the products. Thus, sellers could
be assured that their
items would be sold at fair market price regardless of their own
knowledge. At the same
time, sellers had to be transparent and ethical as well: eBay set
up chat rooms where
hobbyists could comment on sellers who inaccurately described
their products.
Pierre Omidyar founded eBay and came up with the basic idea
to sell used goods
over the Internet. Pierre knew he needed someone with
administrative experience to grow
eBay from a small start-up with 30 employees to a major
corporation. Meg Whitman had

6. experience as a consultant and as a business executive at major
corporations like Disney
and Hasbro. Meg left her secure, high-paying executive job to
join eBay in part because
she liked Pierre’s sense of ethics. Meg stated that it’s a myth
that leaders have to be
unethical to win and “that great success demands that we give
up, or at least fudge, our
relationship to what most of us recognize as decent,
commonsense values. Honesty.
Family. Community. Integrity. Generosity. Courage. Empathy”
(Whitman & Hamilton,
2010, p. 5). Meg believed that if they had treated eBay
community members (i.e., users)
as a resource to be exploited, eBay would never have grown and
prospered.
Interestingly, Pierre and Meg assumed that “most people are
basically good”
(Whitman & Hamilton, 2010, p. 28). In other words, they
believed that most eBay
community members would describe their secondhand products
in a fairly accurate and
transparent manner and in general would treat each other

7. ethically. Notice that Pierre and
Meg didn’t say that all people are always good. They realized
that fraud and theft over
the internet occurs, so they created eBay’s Trust & Safety
division to monitor the
transactions to prevent the selling of counterfeit goods, devious
bidding tactics, or other
inappropriate behavior. But Meg argued that eBay works
because most of their customers
are basically honest. She recommended that business leaders be
realistic but not cynical.
1. How important is transparency to your interactions with your
leaders?
2. Is transparency good for business? Why or why not?
3. Can leaders trust most of their employees and customers to
be basically good? Why or
why not?
4. How is trust related to leadership?
Sources: Naguchi, S. (2011, October 26). Whitman gives $10
million to Teach For America. Retrieved
from http://www.mercurynews.com/education/ci_19196351

8. Whitman, M. & Hamilton, J. (2010). The power of many:
Values for success in business and in life [Kindle
edition]. New York, NY: Crown Publishers.
Part 2: Network System Security Recommendations
Introduction
For any organization that has embraced technology, data has
become an invaluable asset that the organization cannot do
without. As with the protection of other tangible assets, the
protections provided to data assets should be commensurate
with their importance to the organization. An effective
information security strategy implements its safeguards after a
careful analysis of potential threats and covering the bases as
strongly as possible. The vulnerabilities that exist within the
network will need to be identified and patched as soon as they
are identified. A wide range of security measures will need to
be implemented simultaneously within the system. These will
include both hardware and software options as well as intensive
security training for users of the system. Threat and risk
assessment should not be a one-off activity at the installation of
the system. Rather, it is continuous process that is cognizant of
the evolving nature of information where newer threats are
emerging every day. The most secure system then becomes one

9. whose security strategy is meant to be proactive rather reactive.
Network System Security Recommendations
An effective firewall is one that will ensure that the traffic
that gets through it is one that is safe and only originating from
legitimate sources. An intrusion prevention system (IPS) will be
required to both detect and prevent any potential threats and
stem off attacks. A secure and robust network must have its
components well configured if it is to effectively identify and
fend off threats.
• Configuring the firewall – the firewall will be
configured to identify all traffic that can be definitively traced
to be within the company. It will have the capabilities to
identify any traffic that does not come from within the company
and effectively drop it. Hackers targeting a networking will
usually attempt to do so by disguising inbound traffic to appear
as if from a legitimate source. If data appears to be from a
legitimate source, it has higher chances of gaining entry. But
this is not always the case. With ingress filtering, a firewall is
granted the capabilities of accurately determining whether that
particular data is indeed from the source computer it claims to
be from. Microsoft provides Windows Firewall for its operating
and this will be the one in use for the firm. The firewall has a
primary purpose of limiting communication between the
network and the internet. However, this can limit functionality
as there will be aspects of the network that will require
accessing the internet. As such, there will be the need to
configure exceptions. A notifications dialog will provide
options for total blocking of a program, unblocking and a third
option for when the administrator has not yet decided on
whether to block or not. For the last option, the program will
stay blocked. Under program exceptions, only a few of them
will be granted that exception. This should include the web
browser and the email client. Any other programs will be
blocked from accessing the internet without the permission of
the administrator. The scope of the excepted programs will then

10. be limited to the firm’s network for added protection. All ports
should be closed when not in use. Whether under TCP or UDP
protocols, the ports to be provided with the exceptions are to be
directly specified. The scope for the ports will also be limited to
the local network [1].
• Configuring the router – as the gateway for internet
traffic to and from the network, it is important that the
configurations of the router are as robust as they can be. The
web server and the email server will need to be accessed from
the internet. This will require that port forwarding be
configured first. Router manufacturers deliver them with default
IP addresses and login credentials. If this default credentials are
not changed by the end users, there is always the chance they
could be used by hackers to access the router. As such, they
must be changed once the router has been acquired. The security
mode of the NETGEAR MR814 router will need to be set to the
64-bit WEP Wi-Fi encryption protocol that should provide
adequate security for this network. Also, it is advisable to
disable the Universal Plug and Play (UPnp) feature to keep out
rogue devices and software. This will ensure only authenticated
devices and software access the network. The password to be
used should be long and include an alphanumeric and special
character combination. Remote management is unnecessary for
single premise firm and should be disabled. Permissions and
access control should next be implemented to restrict access to
the router to only authorized users and control the flow of
information. As with other components of the network all
activities of the router will be logged and sent to the syslog
server [2].
• Setting up Microsoft Server 2012 – a big
improvement on the Microsoft Server 2008 version, Microsoft
Server 2012 will provide the firm with opportunities for
centralized management and deployment of services and
functions. The Active Directory will be installed from the
server manager console. Access control will be managed under
organizational units that will correspond with the firm’s various

11. departments. Given that employees within the same departments
will have close to similarly defined responsibilities, their access
to company resources will then be governed under similar
privileges. Server virtualization is to be implemented within the
Windows Server 2012 environment. This will provide multiple
virtual environments that can be used to run separate tasks and
also for backing up company data. Virtualization should also do
away with instances of application collisions and
incompatibility issues within the system. Microsoft Server 2012
provides a system failover option that will ensure that the fail
of one section of the system does not jeopardize the entire
system. This is achieved by the virtualized systems that take
over should any other break down [1].
• Configuring the intrusion prevention system (IPS) –
the intrusion prevention should be configured under global
settings that will have it that any rogue connections are dropped
silently and in the background. Identifying potential threats will
be set to spot protocol anomalies, server-side attacks, client-
side attacks, operating system level attacks, and targeted
malware attacks. By configuring flood protection in protocols
like ICMP, and TCP SYN, anti-DOS attacks will be contained
effectively. The intrusion prevention system is meant to operate
automatically on its own for the most part. This should enable it
to work at all times even outside normal business hours.
However, it will important that the system regularly provide
alerts to the network administrator who will then analyze the
extent of the attacks. The alerts will consist of event logs that
provide details on the nature of all the potential threats. The
administrator will then be able to implement any measures to
meet any emerging threats. Implemented on the perimeter of the
system, the intrusion prevention system (IPS) will be able to
monitor every communication in the system and identify the
threats [3].
Addressing Identified Vulnerabilities
• Network backdoors – regular scanning and a network

12. discovery tool will be needed to find any rogue access points
within the network. Each and every device and software
deployed within the network will require to be mapped and a
baseline for their operations established. A network discovery
tool should do this even without the input of the network
administrator [3].
• Mobile and personal devices – should an employee
wish to use their device for work responsibilities, they should
be required to submit the device to the IT team who then go
ahead and check its security features. Only after it is deemed
secure will the user be allowed. As for company-issued mobile
devices, an encryption program should be installed on all
devices to secure not just the communication in and out of the
device, but also the data stored within the device. There should
be also for conditions placed by the firm on the use of the
devices [3]. An example would be the requirement that
employees only use the devices for company work only and not
personal. They should also be regularly submitted to the IT
team for inspections.
• Removable media – there should be a company-wide
rule that no personal devices should attached to company
computers. This regulation should work for the most. However,
just in case, an up-to-date anti-virus program should be
installed within the network to prevent any malware from
infecting the network [3].
• Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks - these
attacks are meant to push a system to its breaking point. To
prevent the adverse impact of such attacks, the firm should
conduct regular stress tests on its system to gauge its resilience.
These tests will provide answers on how far the system can go
under stress without breaking down. Any improvements on the
system can then be done on the basis of the results [4].
• Security loopholes – for software and hardware that
has been delivered by their manufacturers with loopholes in
them, they should be swiftly patched. These patches are usually
provided by the manufacturer after the loopholes have been

13. identified. Also, the company should endeavor to only acquire
software and hardware components from vendors that have
secure track record [4].
References
[1] D. Rountree, Windows 2012 Server Network Security:
Securing Your Windows Network Systems and Infrastructure.
Newnes. 2013.
[2] D. Jacobson and J. Idziorek, Computer security literacy:
Staying safe in a digital world. CRC Press, 2016.
[3] C.F. Endorf, E. Schultz, and J. Mellander, Intrusion
detection & prevention. New York: McGraw-Hill/Osborne,
2014.
[4] S.C. Huang, D. MacCallum and D. Du, Network
security. New York: Springer, 2013.
Part 3: Application/End-User Security Recommendations
Introduction
A robust network security strategy is one that actively involves
the entire stakeholders of the system. The network administrator
has the responsibility of ensuring that best practices in
information security management are implemented throughout
the entirety of the system they oversee. Threats to a system
exist both within and outside an organization. This necessitates
the need for a comprehensive security strategy that can cover all
those potential threats. Information security threats are of a
dynamic nature and the network administrator should take this
consideration to ensure that they are always on top of any

14. emerging threats. System vulnerabilities should be sought and
effectively sealed and this should be a regular task.
End User Security Recommendations
Best practice in network security will require that the users and
the firm abide by the following:
• Training and awareness – all employees of the
company should have a firm grasp of matters pertaining network
security. This will come through the training that should be
offered by the company. The training should involve how to
spot and identify threats, how to combat them, and how to
handle them should they occur. As new threats emerge, the firm
will need to create a continuous awareness program to inform
its employees on them.
• Effective monitoring program – even after training
has been done, this is not reason enough to believe employees
will adhere to the lessons learnt. As such, the IT personnel
should be empowered to conduct random checks on the security
behavior of the firm’s employees. This will help in identifying
potential weak spots.
• Unique user credentials – each and every employee
that has been granted use of computer resources should do so
with their own unique username and a password that should not
be shared with any other user. The password should be complex
enough that no one could possibly guess. The user should avoid
using passwords from familiar objects or people. A strong
password should have a mix of alphanumeric and special
characters. For every activity a user does on any computer, they
will be required to use their own unique credentials. This should
leave an audit that can be followed should there be an incident.
• Automatic logoff – it is possible that a user might
leave a computer without logging out from their session. This
opens the possibility that another user might access resources
using the logged in credentials. This could be devastating
should the unauthorized have malicious intent and the logged on
credentials have advanced permissions. Automatic logoff should
be set to happen after a given period of time. This should

15. especially happen after the end of prescribed business hours.
• Regular event log audits – event logs are very
important when it comes to monitoring the performance of a
given system. They can also be used to spot any anomalies
within the system. Event logs collected over a long period of
time can establish a baseline of operations for a system. Any
deviations from this baseline can then be checked further to
identify if they are a threat to the system. (Huang, MacCallum,
& Du, 2013).
• Least privilege – the principle of least privilege has it
that a user should only be granted permissions only to the extent
of their job description and responsibilities. This will ensure
that no single user has complete or unnecessary control over the
system. The network administrator account with power over the
entire system should be used sparingly and only when necessary
to do so.
• Incident reporting procedures – employees should
now how they can report a security incident. This could a
suspicion of an intruder or even another user’s activity.
Whatever reason, users should be provided with a clear cut
procedure to make sure these reports reach the right people who
can handle them. (Pardoe, & Snyder, 2015).
• Anti-malware programs – the entire system should be
protected by a regularly updated anti-virus program that can
identify and prevent any threats before they get into the system.
• Up to date disaster recovery and business continuity
plan – even with all the above security measures implemented,
there still exists the chance that a security breach event might
occur. It is important have a response ready for such an
eventuality. A disaster recovery and business continuity plan
can go a long way in mitigating the effects of a security breach.

16. References
Huang, S. C.-H., MacCallum, D., & Du, D. (2013). Network
security. New York: Springer.
Pardoe, T. D., & Snyder, G. F. (2015). Network security.
Clifton Park, NY: Thomson/Delmar Learning.