The target organization for this project is a mid-sized law firm with approximately 250 employees. The firm has one main location in Dallas Texas with several floors and multiple conference rooms, as well as a few satellite offices in other cities. The firm handles a variety of legal cases, including corporate law, litigation, and intellectual property.

The current network in use by the law firm is a traditional client-server model. The firm has a central server room where all the servers are housed, including a domain controller, file server, and email server. The network is primarily wired, with Ethernet cables connecting the computers to the network. The firm also has a few wireless access points for guests and mobile devices. The firm uses Microsoft Office Suite for its productivity software and a cloud-based document management system to store and share files.

 

Security Plan

Conducting a review of the current network security for the target organization is crucial to identify potential vulnerabilities and develop an effective plan to reduce security risks. Here are five major areas of security risk for the network, along with corresponding plans to mitigate these risks:

-Network Perimeter Security: The network perimeter is the first line of defense against external threats. Potential risks include unauthorized access, malware, and denial-of-service attacks. To reduce these risks, the following plan can be implemented:

-Give intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS) the ability to keep an eye on network traffic for unusual activities.

-Enable intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS) to monitor network traffic for suspicious activity.

-Implement a demilitarized zone (DMZ) to segregate publicly accessible services from internal resources.

-Regularly update firewall rules and access control lists (ACLs) to reflect changing security requirements.

-To find and fix any flaws, conduct routine security audits and vulnerability assessments. Authenticating users and controlling access: Unauthorized access to sensitive information and resources might result from poor user authentication and inadequate access control. It is possible to tighten user authentication and access control by taking the following actions:

-Put in place strict password policies, such as requirements for complexity and frequent password changes.

-To increase security, enable multi-factor authentication (MFA).RBAC should be used to guarantee that users have the proper access privileges depending on their jobs.

-Review and update user access rights on a regular basis, revoke access for ex-employees or those with overly generous privileges.

-To inform users about appropriate practices and the value of keeping their login credentials safe, offer security awareness training.

-Data security and encryption: The confidentiality and compliance of the legal firm are seriously jeopardized by data breaches and unauthorized data access. Take into account the following measures to improve data protection:

-Use data encryption methods, such as encrypting both static and moving data.

-Use HTTPS or other secure protocols when transferring data.

-To maintain data availability, regularly backup important data and evaluate data restoration processes.

-To track and stop the unlawful movement of sensitive data, use data loss prevention (DLP) technologies.

-To reduce the risk of malware infestations, install strong antivirus and anti-malware software on all endpoints and servers. Endpoint Protection: Desktops, laptops, and mobile devices are examples of endpoints that could be vulnerable to security breaches. The following activities can be performed to reduce this risk:

-Implement all-encompassing endpoint protection strategies, such as host-based firewalls, antivirus, and anti-malware software.

-Enable automatic updates and patch management for operating systems and software applications.

-Implement device encryption and remote wipe capabilities for mobile devices to protect data if lost or stolen.

-Establish policies for the acceptable use of personal devices (Bring Your Own Device - BYOD) within the organization, including security requirements and restrictions.

-To find and fix any vulnerabilities, run regular vulnerability scans and penetration tests on endpoints. Employee Education and Awareness: Human error and ignorance can lead to serious security vulnerabilities. This danger can be reduced by putting in place an efficient security awareness and training program. Think about the following actions:

-Make a thorough security policy that details appropriate usage, data handling, and incident response practices.

-To keep staff informed about the newest dangers, social engineering strategies, and best practices, regularly conduct security awareness training.

-To assess and reinforce staff members' capacity to spot and report suspicious emails, conduct simulated phishing exercises.

-Establish incident response protocols to guarantee that staff members are aware of how to handle and report security incidents.

-Encourage a culture of security awareness through maintaining communication, reminding staff, and praising decent security procedures.

It's important to note that the implementation of these plans may require a combination of software solutions, hardware upgrades, policy changes, and ongoing monitoring and maintenance. The specific details and requirements will depend on the law firm's existing infrastructure and budget constraints. Consulting with IT security professionals and specialists is recommended to ensure an accurate assessment and appropriate implementation of the security measures.

Implementing the plans to reduce security risks in the target organization's network may involve a combination of software, processes, and other changes. Here's an explanation of some of the elements mentioned:

Network Perimeter Security:

-Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW): This is an advanced firewall that provides deep packet inspection, intrusion prevention, and application-aware filtering capabilities. It can detect and block malicious traffic, unauthorized access attempts, and known vulnerabilities.

-Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDPS): These systems continuously scan network traffic for anomalies or patterns that might point to an active assault. To stop harmful traffic, they are able to send out notifications or perform automated tasks.

-Demilitarized Zone (DMZ): It is a separate network segment that houses publicly accessible services like web servers. Implementing a DMZ adds an extra layer of protection by isolating these services from the internal network.

-Security Audits and Vulnerability Assessments: These involve periodic assessments of the network's security posture. They help identify vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, or outdated security measures that need to be addressed. User Authentication and Access Control:

-Strong Password Policies: Enforcing rules that demand users generate complicated passwords, update them frequently, and refrain from reusing them across many accounts.

-Adding an extra layer of protection by asking users to submit several forms of identity, such as a password and a one-time verification code sent to their mobile device, is known as multi-factor authentication (MFA).

-Setting up a system that assigns rights based on predetermined roles and responsibilities, ensuring that users only have access to the resources required for their job duties, is known as role-based access control (RBAC).

-Regular User Access Reviews: Checking and changing user access permissions on a regular basis to make sure that they correspond with the roles and responsibilities of each employee.

-Conducting training sessions to enlighten staff members about common security issues, effective practices for protecting sensitive information, and how to spot potential security incidents and report them.

1) Data Protection and Encryption:

-Data Encryption: Using encryption techniques like AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) to encrypt sensitive data while it is at rest and implementing encryption protocols (such as Transport Layer Security - TLS) to secure data transfer over the network.

-Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Solutions: Implementing software programs that track and regulate how sensitive data is moved inside a company, stopping unauthorized transfers or leaks.

-Backup and Recovery Procedures: Creating routine backup processes and guaranteeing that data restoration procedures are tried-and-true, supplying a way to restore data in the event of an error, a hardware breakdown, or a cyberattack.

-Endpoint Security Software: Employing antivirus, anti-malware, and host-based firewalls on endpoints to detect and block malicious software attempting to compromise the devices and the network. Endpoint Security:

-Comprehensive Endpoint Protection Solutions: Deploying security software that provides multiple layers of protection, including antivirus, anti-malware, and host-based firewalls, to secure endpoints from various threats.

-Patch Management: Using automated procedures, operating systems, programs, and firmware are updated often with the newest security patches to address vulnerabilities.

-Mobile Device Management (MDM): The use of MDM systems to impose security regulations on mobile devices, such as device encryption, remote device wiping, and application white- or black-listing.

-BYOD Policies: Establishing clear rules and security standards for workers who bring their own devices to work, ensuring that security measures are in place to safeguard both company data and the workers' personal information. Employee Education and Awareness:

-Developing a comprehensive security policy that details acceptable use, data management policies, incident response standards, and security best practices.

-Security Awareness Training: Holding routine training sessions to inform staff members about various security threats, social engineering strategies, and how to identify and handle potential dangers.

Sending fictitious phishing emails to staff members to test their abilities to spot and report suspicious emails while giving feedback and additional training as necessary.

-Incident Response Procedures: Creating explicit guidelines for staff to adhere to in the case of a security incident, including methods for reporting the occurrence and actions to lessen its effects.

-Developing Security-Conscious Culture: Encouraging staff to place a high priority on security, highlighting their contribution to a safe network environment, and praising and rewarding sound security procedures.

It's crucial to customize these plans to the precise requirements and architecture of the intended company, taking into account elements like the available budget, compatible technology, and legal and regulatory constraints. The best application of these security measures can be ensured by consulting with IT security experts or hiring a respected cybersecurity company.

 With the target organization and security plan above Please help  with these questions below. Provide some reference 

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• Network Monitoring
  • Identify the performance metrics that will be measured for the system.
  • Discuss the collection process for the metrics and the tools that will be used.
  • Document the analysis process that will help determine if there are performance problems occurring or about to occur and the steps that will be taken if a problem is identified.

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

Network Monitoring 1 Performance Metrics Bandwidth utilization Measure the amount of network traffic to ensure its within acceptable limits Latency Mo... View the full answer