Securing Your Network?

Barkmullz asks: "I just recently finished yet another security review on the network at my place of employment. I designed the different security features from scratch and I am using a variety of devices and software (firewalls, IDS, DMZs, and so on). I like to look at network security with the same attitude as I look on the stock market: diversify. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. As I was pondering the review results I wondered what a completely unbiased observer would think of my security. I remember thinking that someone should start a radio show similar to James Cramer's RealMoney and ask the listeners: Are you secure? I am aware of what the NSA considers to be a secure network, but, honestly, who has read that stuff? What do you consider to be a secure network? What low-budget security features have you come up with? I don't think I am the only one spending evenings and weekends playing around with yet another IDS."

Comments

Application choice as a security feature

[prgrmr]

Our network is Novell, our e-mail is groupwise, and we don't use Cisco products. While not necessarily "low budget" in terms that the original poster implied, the net affect is that we don't have to contend with many of the viri that other companies running the typical MS products do. And yes, we most definitly still have to have a good firewall, and a good firewall config with the appropriate ports either shutdown or monitored, and we still run an e-mail scanner on in- and out-bound mail as well as McAfee on the desktops.