“Network Security Audit: Assessing and Strengthening Your Network’s Defenses”
A network security audit is a systematic evaluation of an organization’s network infrastructure, policies, and practices to assess its overall security posture. The primary objective of a network security audit is to identify vulnerabilities, weaknesses, and potential risks within the network that could lead to security breaches or unauthorized access. It is an essential part of maintaining a robust and secure network environment.
A network security audit works by systematically evaluating the various aspects of an organization’s network infrastructure and security practices to identify potential vulnerabilities, weaknesses, and risks.
Network Architecture Review
A network architecture review is an evaluation process that examines the design and configuration of an organization’s computer network to ensure its effectiveness, efficiency, and security. The goal of the review is to assess whether the network’s architecture aligns with the organization’s requirements, industry best practices, and security standards.
VA & PT
Vulnerability assessment is a systematic process of identifying and evaluating security weaknesses and potential vulnerabilities in a computer system, network, or application. It involves using automated tools to scan and analyze the target system for known security flaws.
Penetration testing, also known as ethical hacking, involves simulating real-world cyberattacks to identify security weaknesses in a system. Unlike vulnerability assessments, penetration testing goes beyond automated scans and includes manual testing to assess the system’s ability to withstand attacks.
Configuration Audit
A configuration audit, also known as a configuration review or configuration assessment, is a process that involves examining the configuration settings of various IT assets, systems, and applications to ensure they align with established standards, best practices, and security requirements. The goal of a configuration audit is to verify that the configurations are consistent, secure, and optimized for performance. This helps to identify and rectify potential misconfigurations and vulnerabilities that could lead to security breaches or operational issues.
External penetration testing
External penetration testing, also known as external network penetration testing or external ethical hacking, is a security assessment conducted by cybersecurity experts to evaluate the security of an organization’s external-facing assets from the perspective of a potential attacker. The main goal is to identify and address vulnerabilities that could be exploited by external threats attempting to gain unauthorized access to the organization’s network or sensitive information.
Network performance audit
A network performance audit is an evaluation process that assesses the efficiency and stability of an organization’s computer network. It involves collecting and analyzing data on various performance metrics, such as bandwidth utilization, latency, throughput, and response times. The audit identifies potential bottlenecks, congestion points, and areas for optimization to enhance the network’s performance and user experience. By conducting regular network performance audits, organizations can proactively address issues, maintain a high-performing network environment, and ensure smooth communication and data transfer within the organization.
Network log analysis
Network log analysis involves examining and interpreting log data generated by various network devices and applications. Logs provide valuable insights into network activities, security events, and potential issues. Analyzing logs can help identify abnormal behaviors, security incidents, and performance problems.
Here are some common types of network logs and tools used for network log analysis:
Types of Network Logs:
- Syslog
- Windows Event Logs
- Firewall Logs
- Intrusion Detection/Prevention System (IDPS) Logs
- Web Server Logs
Network Log Analysis Tools:
- ELK Stack
- Splunk
- Graylog
- Loggly
- Sumo Logic
- Wireshark
- SolarWinds Log & Event Manager (LEM)
- Nagios Log Server
- LogRhythm
- ArcSight (now part of Micro Focus)
Cloud security
Cloud security audit is a process that assesses the security posture of an organization’s cloud-based infrastructure, services, and applications. The audit ensures that cloud resources adhere to security best practices, comply with industry standards and regulations, and protect against potential security threats.
- AWS Config
- Azure Security Center
- Google Cloud Security Command Center
- CloudCheckr
- Netskope
- Trend Micro Cloud One
- Qualys CloudView
- Prisma Cloud (formerly RedLock)
Here’s how the network architecture review typically works
- Network Scanners and Discovery Tools
- Vulnerability Scanners
- Network Configuration Management Tools
- Packet Analyzers
- Network Performance Monitoring Tools
- Network Mapping Software
- Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) Systems
- Firewall Rule Auditing Tools
- Application Performance Monitoring (APM) Tools
- Nessus
- OpenVAS
- Nmap
- Metasploit
- Burp Suite
- OWASP Zap
- Wireshark
- Acunetix
- Nexpose (now part of Rapid7 InsightVM)
- Aircrack-ng
- Nessus Configuration Auditing
- CIS-CAT (Center for Internet Security Configuration Assessment Tool)
- Nipper (now part of Rapid7 InsightVM)
- OpenSCAP
- NetMRI (now part of Extreme Networks)
- SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager
- Tripwire Configuration Compliance Manager
- AuditD (Audit Daemon)
- AlgoSec FireFlow
- Tufin SecureTrack
- Nmap
- Metasploit
- Burp Suite
- OWASP Zap
- Nikto
- Sqlmap
- Wireshark
- Aircrack-ng
- Hydra
- Dirb
- Sublist3r
- Netcat
- PRTG Network Monitor
- SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor
- Zabbix
- Wireshark
- NetFlow AnalyzerMRTG (Multi Router Traffic Grapher)
- Cacti
- Nagios
- SmokePing
- iperf
- Speedtest.net
- PingPlotter
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