Network infrastructure devices are often easy targets for attackers. Many of these devices are not maintained at the same security level as general-purpose desktops and servers, but there are steps users and network administrators can take to better secure their network infrastructure. Show
Network infrastructure devices are the components of a network that transport communications needed for data, applications, services, and multi-media. These devices include routers, firewalls, switches, servers, load-balancers, intrusion detection systems, domain name systems, and storage area networks. These devices are ideal targets for malicious cyber actors because most or all organizational and customer traffic must pass through them.
Organizations and individuals that use legacy, unencrypted protocols to manage hosts and services make successful credential harvesting easy for malicious cyber actors. Whoever controls the routing infrastructure of a network essentially controls the data flowing through the network. What security threats are associated with network infrastructure devices?Network infrastructure devices are often easy targets for attackers. Once installed, many network devices are not maintained at the same security level as general-purpose desktops and servers. The following factors can also contribute to the vulnerability of network devices:
How can you improve the security of network infrastructure devices?The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) encourages users and network administrators to implement the following recommendations to better secure their network infrastructure:
Segment and Segregate Networks and FunctionsSecurity architects must consider the overall infrastructure layout, including segmentation and segregation. Proper network segmentation is an effective security mechanism to prevent an intruder from propagating exploits or laterally moving around an internal network. On a poorly segmented network, intruders are able to extend their impact to control critical devices or gain access to sensitive data and intellectual property. Segregation separates network segments based on role and functionality. A securely segregated network can contain malicious occurrences, reducing the impact from intruders in the event that they have gained a foothold somewhere inside the network. Physical Separation of Sensitive InformationTraditional network devices, such as routers, can separate Local Area Network (LAN) segments. Organizations can place routers between networks to create boundaries, increase the number of broadcast domains, and effectively filter users’ broadcast traffic. Organizations can use these boundaries to contain security breaches by restricting traffic to separate segments and can even shut down segments of the network during an intrusion, restricting adversary access. Recommendations
Virtual Separation of Sensitive InformationAs technologies change, new strategies are developed to improve information technology efficiencies and network security controls. Virtual separation is the logical isolation of networks on the same physical network. Virtual segmentation uses the same design principles as physical segmentation but requires no additional hardware. Existing technologies can be used to prevent an intruder from breaching other internal network segments. Recommendations
Limit Unnecessary Lateral CommunicationsAllowing unfiltered peer-to-peer communications, including workstation-to-workstation, creates serious vulnerabilities and can allow a network intruder’s access to spread easily to multiple systems. Once an intruder establishes an effective beachhead within the network, unfiltered lateral communications allow the intruder to create backdoors throughout the network. Backdoors help the intruder maintain persistence within the network and hinder defenders’ efforts to contain and eradicate the intruder. Recommendations
Harden Network DevicesA fundamental way to enhance network infrastructure security is to safeguard networking devices with secure configurations. Government agencies, organizations, and vendors supply a wide range of guidance to administrators—including benchmarks and best practices—on how to harden network devices. Administrators should implement the following recommendations in conjunction with laws, regulations, site security policies, standards, and industry best practices. Recommendations
Secure Access to Infrastructure DevicesAdministrative privileges can be granted to allow users access to resources that are not widely available. Limiting administrative privileges for infrastructure devices is crucial to security because intruders can exploit administrative privileges that are improperly authorized, granted widely, or not closely audited. Adversaries can use compromised privileges to traverse a network, expand access, and take full control of the infrastructure backbone. Organizations can mitigate unauthorized infrastructure access by implementing secure access policies and procedures. Recommendations
Perform Out-of-Band ManagementOoB management uses alternate communications paths to remotely manage network infrastructure devices. These dedicated communications paths can vary in configuration to include anything from virtual tunneling to physical separation. Using OoB access to manage the network infrastructure will strengthen security by limiting access and separating user traffic from network management traffic. OoB management provides security monitoring and can perform corrective actions without allowing the adversary (even one who has already compromised a portion of the network) to observe these changes. OoB management can be implemented physically, virtually, or through a hybrid of the two. Although building additional physical network infrastructure can be expensive to implement and maintain, it is the most secure option for network managers to adopt. Virtual implementation is less costly but still requires significant configuration changes and administration. In some situations, such as access to remote locations, virtual encrypted tunnels may be the only viable option. Recommendations
Validate Integrity of Hardware and SoftwareProducts purchased through unauthorized channels are often known as counterfeit, secondary, or gray market devices. Numerous media reports have described the introduction of gray market hardware and software into the marketplace. Illegitimate hardware and software present a serious risk to users’ information and the overall integrity of the network environment. Gray market products can introduce risks to the network because they have not been thoroughly tested to meet quality standards. Purchasing products from the secondary market carries the risk of acquiring counterfeit, stolen, or second-hand devices because of supply chain breaches. Furthermore, breaches in the supply chain provide an opportunity for malicious software and hardware to be installed on the equipment. Compromised hardware or software can affect network performance and compromise the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of network assets. Finally, unauthorized or malicious software can be loaded onto a device after it is in operational use, so organizations should check the integrity of software on a regular basis. Recommendations
Which security device controls the traffic entering a network?Firewall is perhaps the most widely deployed network security devices. The primary functionality of firewall is to filter incoming and/or outgoing traffic based on rules. For example, a firewall may block incoming traffic based on the source IP address, traffic type.
Which controls and secures network traffic entering and leaving?A virtual firewall is an application or a network firewall service that provides packet filtering within a virtualized environment. A virtual firewall manages and controls incoming and outgoing traffic.
Which of the following device is used to block traffic with a certain characteristics?A firewall is a security device in the form of computer hardware or software. It can help protect your network by acting as an intermediary between your internal network and outside traffic. It monitors attempts to gain access to your operating system and blocks unwanted incoming traffic and unrecognized sources.
What is a network device used to filter inbound or outbound traffic or both?Firewalls are typically designed to prevent inbound traffic from entering a network, but they can also prevent outside connections from receiving outbound traffic.
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