CYB 310 Professor Ostering Taylor Taake 14 April 2024 Network Evaluation Report: Addressing Network Security Challenges In the simulated environment provided for the cybersecurity analyst interview, two significant network security challenges have been identified. The first challenge pertains to uncontrolled remote access, where the PC designated for remote access has unrestricted access to the entire internal network, including the file server. The second challenge involves a weak password policy, where user passwords do not expire, leaving the network vulnerable to brute- force attacks. The potential cause of uncontrolled remote access lies in the unrestricted privileges granted to the PC designated for remote access. This setup poses a significant security risk as it allows attackers to potentially gain complete control over the network, compromise the file server, and extract sensitive data. To resolve this challenge, several measures can be implemented. Firstly, network segmentation should be employed to divide the network into smaller segments using firewalls or VLANs. This segmentation restricts access between segments, thereby preventing a compromised remote access PC from accessing the entire network, including the file server. Additionally, remote access permissions should be limited to only allow authorized users and restrict their access to specific resources they require. For instance, access should be granted solely to the file server and not to other internal systems. Furthermore, implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of security, requiring users to provide a second verification factor, such as a code from a phone app, to
access the network. The justification for these measures lies in their ability to significantly reduce the risk associated with remote access. Network segmentation and permission control limit the potential damage from a breach, while MFA adds an additional barrier against unauthorized access, even with stolen credentials. The potential cause of the weak password policy is the lack of password expiration and complexity requirements. This leaves the network susceptible to brute-force attacks, where automated tools can systematically try many password combinations until they crack a user's password. To address this challenge, strong password policies should be enforced, requiring passwords to be at least 12 characters long and include a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Additionally, password expiration policies should be enabled, mandating users to change their passwords periodically, such as every three months. Furthermore, educating users on password security through security awareness training is essential to empower them to create strong passwords and understand the importance of not sharing them. The justification for these measures lies in their ability to significantly increase the difficulty of cracking passwords through brute-force attacks. Enforced password expiration ensures that users do not rely on the same weak password for extended periods, while user education empowers them to make informed decisions regarding password security. By addressing the identified challenges and implementing the proposed solutions, the overall security posture of the network can be significantly enhanced. These measures mitigate the risks associated with uncontrolled remote access and weak password policies, making it more challenging for attackers to gain unauthorized