Faculty of Science, Technology and Arts

Department of Computing

MODULE: 55-402179 - Introduction to Computer and information Security

Task 1.1: Computer Network Security for a Small scale Network.

Issue date: Wednesday 31 October 2018

Submission date: Thursday 20 December 2018, 3pm

Issued by: Dr Youcef Djerbib

Cantor Building, Level 4, Room 9419
Tel: 0114 225 6938
Email: Y.Djerbib@shu.ac.uk

Note: Task 1.1 counts 80% of Task 1 (coursework) - group work (3-4 Students per group)
and Task 1.2 (BB online Phase test) count as 20% - individual work at end of semester 2.

Learning outcomes:

1. Identify the various threats and risks in a small scale network

2. Describe and compare a number of different techniques to secure a network
3. Analyse, evaluate and apply various techniques currently used to protect a network.
4. Design a secure network system

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Introduction

In today’s world computers are used for everything from banking and investing to shopping,
games, leisure and communicating with others, therefore online security is of a concern for
clients or users, organisations and the administrators trying to protect sensitive data located on
these computers.

Computer/network security has become a very important issue that needs to be dealt with at
every level of a network or system: physical, user-based, service-based, host-based and
network-based to secure data, protect privacy and prevent frauds. Network security involves
protecting all the resources on the network from threats (physical, packet sniffers, port
analysers, denial of Access, spoofing, data alteration, TCP session hijacking, virus and
malicious attacks…). You must consider not only the computers on the network, but the other
network devices (mobile phone), network transmission media (ADSL Filter, cables),and the data
being transmitted across the network.

No single security component or method by itself can be expected to ensure complete

protection for a network - or even an individual host computer. Instead, you need to assemble a
group of methods that work in a coordinated fashion to provide protection against a variety of
threats.

Assignment Brief

You are requested to design a secure home or small scale network (Figure 1) to satisfy the key
concepts underlying computer and network security: confidentiality, integrity, availability,
accountability and non-repudiation.

Figure 1 shows a small home network comprising: two personal computers (PC1 and PC2), a
laptop and a wireless router: Netgear N300 Wireless ADSL2+Modem Router DGN2200V4. PC1
is directly wired to the Router using an RJ45 connections crossover cable, while PC2 and the
laptop are connected by wireless adapters to the router. All the computers contain basic data
stored in the hard drives: Lectures notes, labs, Private and personal documents, family photos
etc. A scanner and a printer are connected to PC1 and are accessed by all the users on the
network. A mobile phone, Samsung J36, can also connect to the internet using wireless
technology.

The technical specifications of the devices and the details of the operating systems are given in
Table 1.

Note: Further information, if required, can be obtained from relevant manufacturers' websites.

hints: Search the internet for all the missing information, consult existing literature on the
various aspects of the problem, remember: You are not re-inventing the wheel. All the
information you require to successfully complete this assignment is already available.

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The network is a peer-to-peer networking to allow the users to share files and printing and
scanning facilities attached to PC1 (Please answer the questions in order and label accordingly)

1. Identify possible weaknesses in the network infrastructure that may make it vulnerable to
attacks, accidental and intentional misuses.
(15 Marks)

2. Assess the assets, vulnerabilities and threats to the network. Carry out a risk analysis.
This calculation of the risk does not have to be thorough, few cases and examples will be
sufficient to highlight the task involved.

(15 Marks)

3. What are the reasonable precautions, countermeasures and risk mitigation to

provide/install in order to secure the network?
Show practical steps/procedures, use screenshots.

Note: Router to be discussed separately in section 4.

(30 Marks)

4. What are the reasonable precautions, countermeasures and risk mitigation to

provide/install in order to secure the wireless router? see manual for reference

(20 Marks)

5. Visiting guests need to access and connect to the internet, using their private laptops,
how would you devise/design procedures to protect the network and the information
contained in the devices?
(5 Marks)

6. The network owner would like to convert PC1 to a file server and would like secure
access to his files from outside the network using the internet, how would you
change/design/configure the network to provide a secure communication and access?

(15 Marks)

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Figure 1 – Small Scale Network Topology.

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 Table 1 - Devices technical specifications

Device Description/Technical Specs

PC1  Dell Optiplex 755

 Intel® Core™2 Duo CPU E8400 @ 3.00GHz 2.99GHz
 Operating System: Windows 7 Enterprise, SP1
 Malware Protection: Norton Security Premium
 Wireless 802.11 a/b/g PCI Adapter: Cisco Air-P12AG-E-K9

PC2  Intel(R) Core(TM) Duo CPU, E4500 @ 2.20GHz, 3 GB of RAM

 Hard Drive capacity: 250 GB
 Operating System: Windows 7- Home Premium, System type: 32 bit operating
system
 Malware Protection: Norton Security Premium
 TP-Link TL-WN851N Wireless-N PCI adapter - uses 802.11n technology but is
backwards-compatible with the 802.11 b/g standard.

Laptop  ACER Aspire 5750

 Intel(R) CoreTM is-2410, 2.3GHz with turbo boost up to 2.9GHz, 8GB DDR3
Memory
 Intel(R) HD Graphics 3000, up to 1760 MB Dynamic Video Memory
 Hard drive capacity: 750 GB
 ACER NplifyTM 802.1 b/g/n
 Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium, 64 bit OS, SP1
 Malware protection: Norton Security Premium

Netgear  IEEE 802.11 b/g/n 2.4GHz

N300  Four (4) 10/100 Fast Ethernet Ports
ADSL2  One (1) ADSL2+ Port
+modem  One (1) USB 2.0 Port
Router  Built-in ADSL2+ Modem
DGN2200V4  IPv6 Support (Internet Protocol Version 6)
 Live Parental Controls
Security
 Wi-Fi Protected Access® (WPA/WPA2—PSK)
 Intrusion detection and prevention (IDS)
 Denial-of-service (DoS) attack prevention
 …. and many more - see manual for details

Note: Other relevant data can be obtained from the manufacturers' websites