The document provides tips for keeping a network secure, including always keeping virus software and Windows updates enabled, using firewalls, backing up data regularly, and using strong passwords. It warns about common password risks like using obvious words or writing passwords down. The document also covers securing laptops, email, wireless networks, and avoiding risks from open networks. Proper authentication, surge protection, and password protecting are emphasized as important security best practices.

1. Network Security 101 – A Refresher Course
How to keep your network safe NOW or be sorry later!
By Allan Pratt, MBA
Cyber-Tech Security Pro
itczar@att.net

2. There are two extremes in Network safety:
Absolute Security and Absolute open
Absolute security is: unplugged from the network
and power, locked in a safe, and thrown to the
bottom of the ocean1

3. 4 Simple Rules
Always keep your virus and Windows software updates “on”
Always keep your firewall “on”
Back up, Back up, Back up
Always keep your passwords and key phrases safe

4. Better Safe Than Sorry
Do not use common words or phrases for passwords
Do not keep your passwords written on a post-it taped to
your computer monitor
Back-up, back-up, back-up

5. Strange But True
You cannot secure a laptop until you secure the laptop
Make sure everyone follows the security plan, even the boss
Smart people can be stupid too, even HR
Who launched that virus?

6. Human Nature
Also Called Social Engineering
Everyone Wants To Help
Passwords are meant to be a SECRET!

7. Password Discovery Table

8. Keep Your Email Safe
Make sure to scan all email messages!
Do not open email from unknown sources or that you are
not expecting
Once they are in, only unplugging and reinstalling OS
will work
New Type of Attack, Spear-Phising4

9. Spear-Phishing
• Net Reconnaissance
– Studying public Data
– The email address is made to look like it is from a logical
sender
• Harvesting The Data
– Steals info and sends data to a Command and Control
Server4

10. Keeping your data safe
• Identify and Authenticate
• Use a Surge Protector
• Safeguard against Unauthorized Access
• Server-side protection
• Password protect3

11. Cyber Cafés can be harmful to your data’s health
• Open networks make for easy theft
• Turn off all file share protocols
• Make sure your software firewall and virus protection is active

12. Wireless Networks
• Turn off the SSID broadcast
• Password protect your router
• Do not leave MAC addresses open to others
• Leave your hardware firewall on
• Use matching vendors
• Never use WEP protocols only the newer WPA2 and above

13. Unprotected? Do you feel lucky?
• One Security Expert maintains that 50% of unprotected
computers are compromised by an intruder within 12 minutes
• Two devastating worms, Slammer and Nimda wreaked world-
wide havoc in 10 and 30 minutes, respectively3

14. Things to watch out for…
System Crashes
Attempts to write to the system
Data Modification
Unexplained Poor System Performance6

15. Best Practices
1. Do not pay more for your security than your
data is worth!
2. Password protect all of your important data!

16. Final reminders:
• Back-up, Back-up, Back-up
• Never open a strange file or attachment
• Always allow automatic updates
• You can never be too careful
• It’s not IF you lose your data, but a matter of
WHEN you lose your data

17. Works Cited
1. Curtin Matt, Introduction to Network Security, March 1997, page 8.
2. Curtin Matt, Snake Oil Warning Signs: Encryption Software to Avoid
©1996 -1998, page 5.
3. Vermaat, Discovering Computers, Fundamentals, Third Edition, Chapter
10, pages 364, 368, 369, 374.
4. BusinessWeek, “Anatomy of a Spear-Phish,” April 21, 2008, page 38.
5. [Fraser 1997] Ed Fraser, RFC 2196, “Site Security Handbook”,
September 1997.
6. Checking Microsoft Windows® Systems for Signs of Compromise,
Simon Baker, UCL Computer Security Team; Patrick Green, OXCERT
Thomas Meyer, Garaidh Cochrane Version: 1.3.4, 10/28/2005.
7. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, STANDARD DEPARTMENT OF
DEFENSE TRUSTED COMPUTER SYSTEM EVALUATION
CRITERIA, DECEMBER l985 (DOD Orange book),
8. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_security#column-one.