Building a Secure Local Area Network
Atsemegiorgis, Tamirat (2013)
Atsemegiorgis, Tamirat
Metropolia Ammattikorkeakoulu
2013
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2013060412686
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2013060412686
Tiivistelmä
The goal of this final year project was to study the vulnerability of a small company network system and build a secure Local Area Network that would be capable of providing network resources and services as well as Internet connections to local users and a limited access of network service to public users.
To accomplish the project, a simulated network system was built in the laboratory and network devices were configured for layer 2 and 3 security features, the firewall was de-ployed to filter out the incoming and outgoing IP traffic, VPN remote client access technol-ogy and wireless connection were deployed. The simulated network was found to be secu-rity-tight, working for end-to-end client connections, working for Internal connection, work-ing for remote client connections through Internet or wireless connection, and being ac-cessible to the public user.
It can be concluded that unless security measures are planned and implemented, a com-pany network system will be vulnerable to a computer attack that might cause damage to the company’s resources and assets. Small companies, which want to build a well secured Local Area Network, will benefited if they adopt the security measures and practices of this project and implement them along with their own companies’ specific security policy.
As the network grows in size, a user authentication at the local database is not efficient and here by, it is recommended to anyone who is interested in studying the subject further in the future to enhance the security system of the project by incorporating RADIUS-based authentication and explore advanced encryption methods for wireless networks.
To accomplish the project, a simulated network system was built in the laboratory and network devices were configured for layer 2 and 3 security features, the firewall was de-ployed to filter out the incoming and outgoing IP traffic, VPN remote client access technol-ogy and wireless connection were deployed. The simulated network was found to be secu-rity-tight, working for end-to-end client connections, working for Internal connection, work-ing for remote client connections through Internet or wireless connection, and being ac-cessible to the public user.
It can be concluded that unless security measures are planned and implemented, a com-pany network system will be vulnerable to a computer attack that might cause damage to the company’s resources and assets. Small companies, which want to build a well secured Local Area Network, will benefited if they adopt the security measures and practices of this project and implement them along with their own companies’ specific security policy.
As the network grows in size, a user authentication at the local database is not efficient and here by, it is recommended to anyone who is interested in studying the subject further in the future to enhance the security system of the project by incorporating RADIUS-based authentication and explore advanced encryption methods for wireless networks.