Deterring Network Attacks

Deterring Network Attacks

Brandon Curtis

Post University

Network Security is vital in today’s age of evolving technology, weather the security is for a wired or wireless network. No matter the size or type of network, security should be taken seriously at all times. Any data sent over a network that is not safe, unless the network is secure and encrypted and secured by all necessary means. A recent data breach occurred when China (a suspect) attacked the United States government and stole a lot of sensitive data concerning federal employees (Miklaszewsli & Johnson, 2015). This was a major data breach and may be the largest to date, however it goes to show that if a network is not properly secured using the correct fundamentals that any network small or large, will be at risk for an attack. Wireless security is different than wired security in different and same ways. However both types of networks are still prone to attacks; if the correct security measures implemented on a network it can help prevent attacks from occurring, but will not stop an experienced attacker with the right technology.

There are a number of different wireless devices that can connect to a wireless network and a number of these devices have the ability to attack network. To make a wireless network secure from attacks, security must be implemented in all possible forms. Security on a wireless network comes in all shapes and forms, such as, changing default log-in and passwords, using WPA/WPA2 encryption, using complex passphrases, hiding the SSID name and using non common SSID names, disabling WPS, and enabling MAC address filtering (Mah, 2013). One of the better ways to secure a wireless or wired network is implementing a Virtual Private Network (VPN) network or using 802.1X authentication. 802.1X authentication is not a protocol, however it the structure for a port-based access control method. This authentication process uses the Extensible Authentication Protocol...