1 Small to Medium Sized Network Security Solution

Introduction

IT Professionals are continually occupied with the planning and integration of a variety of solutions necessary to the security and safety of the networks and the systems and information that traverse the networks they are obligated to protect. Proponents of a free and open World Wide Web and the possibilities that it allows for, understand that like the real world, freedom has its price. There are malevolent factions who are willing to use that freedom for personal gain without regard for what is ethically and or morally proper.

Your business, your privacy, your finances and even your family are at risk due to these various factions. The world we live in and pretty much everything that we do is tied to the very dynamic and somewhat ambiguous world of technology. Always growing and changing but not always clearly defined… most of us have little to no real understanding of what goes on behind the scenes of the devices that we interact with on a daily basis. Like the real world we do what we can to feel safe and protected.

In our time, the Cyber World is the real world. You are only as safe as the precautions you take, the choices you make, and the defense mechanisms you use to protect yourself.

Simply put, the inherent risks are 2 way:

1. The dangers within

2. The dangers without

You must secure your network from those who want to get in but have no right to be on your personal network. You must also monitor and protect your users from the harmful places that are accessible online.

This report assesses and details these risks, tests the effectiveness of the solution built, and does indeed provide a cost-effective and reliable solution for the typical small to medium size network.

It educates the typical family unit and SOHO/SMB of the risks they face online, and provides a solution that will secure these networks in a cost-effective manner, bringing together the chosen available components to secure these networks from intrusion, and to detect and track any rogue activity, and to track the internet use of those that have legitimate access to the network.

It testifies to what those risks are and how they can be managed.            It explains these various risks including the mechanisms used to exploit the vulnerabilities that are often left open to attack. It details the risk, threat, and vulnerability as it applies to these smaller network scenarios, since it is these who cannot often justify the expense of an “enterprise class” solution.

It consolidates, in as clear a manner as possible the reality of the dangers that exist in the modern world of connected devices and cuts through the misinformation that is so readily disseminated by many who “think” they know what they are doing when it comes to network security. It’s beneficial to both home users and SOHO/SMB’s.

The resources and talent of those with the expertise to address these issues with a legitimate solution and ongoing support is only now starting to make its way to those managing a smaller network. This report serves to warn against taking your network security into your own hands and not taking it seriously enough until it is too late.

We start with a discussion of what is currently being done to address the security threats we are concerned with.