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Title: Designing Network Security, Second Edition by Merike Kaeo ISBN: 1-58705-117-6 Publisher: Cisco Press Pub. Date: 29 October, 2003 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $55.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.33 (12 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: An excellent desktop reference
Comment: Summary: A good overall resource on network security policy, design, and implementation.
I wish I had the benefit of this book when I was first starting out in my career in security. Weighing in at a hefty 745 pages, Designing Network Security 2nd. Ed. By Merike Kaeo (ISBN 1-58705-117-6) is a consise and fairly authoritative guide to the sometimes daunting task of designing secure networks - with a special emphasis placed on Cisco solutions of course. The book is divided into three major sections that break down to basic theory and essentials, policy design and best practices, and implementation with Cisco hardware. In my opinion it is best suited as a reference book for those who already have a firm foundation in security and networking, but could also be of value to beginner level techs with a bit of patience. While the topics that are covered have all pertinent information discussed, some might wish that there were a bit more explanation of the hows and whys.
The first section - "Security Fundamentals" is an especially valuable part of the book in that it provides a great desk reference to the building blocks of secure networks. The first chapter deals with the basics of encryption technologies - symmetrical/asymmetrical cryptography, digital hashes, public key systems, etc. From there the book moves into what is probably its meatiest chapter which covers the application of encryption into security technologies which range from TACACS+ authorization to TLS encryption. Following the precedent of building on previous chapters, the third chapter deals with the application of these security technologies into protecting real world installations. I was especially impressed with the attention paid to wireless and VOIP technologies in this chapter - this is one of the first discussions of VOIP security I have seen in a general reference book. The first section winds up with a fairly exhaustive discussion on routing protocol security which I also thought was excellent.
The second section - "The Corporate Security Policy" is a good reference to infosec management. Many topics covered in this section are applicable to the CISSP exam, so if that is a career goal for you this can act as one of your study guides. The section begins with a discussion of threats in the enterprise environment. Types of threats as well as common protocol vulnerabilites are discussed. I felt that some of the material in this chapter was a bit dated, in particular the sections on TCP sequence number attacks (most recent OS's have improved their sequence generation routines to make it nearly impossible to do this) and the ping of death (which I don't remember working on anything after Windows 95 or Linux 2.0.23). The next chapter is a bit more valuable in its discussion of the basics of risk assessment and management. This leads into a discussion of actual design and implementation of security policy. Sample topics include physical/logical controls, data confidentiality, and policies/procedures for staff. And finally this section concludes with a good chapter on incident handling and response.
The final section - "Practical Implementation" is the Cisco-centric third of the book. Many parts of this section are a good reference to points covered on the CCSP exams, especially the SECUR test. The first chapter deals with configuring access controls and audit on Cisco devices from the PIX to switches and routers. A brief discussion of intrusion detection implementations is also included. The next chapter consists of primarily information dealing with firewall/screening router construction - content filtering, packet screening, and the various types of IOS filters. Several implementation examples are included to walk you through the process of configuring CBAC (content-based access control) and the Cisco PIX. From there the section moves to remote access security, with good sections on all Cisco based AAA (authentication, authorization, and accounting) features including lock-and-key and accounting-based billing. Finally, the book wraps up with a chapter on securing VPN, Wireless, and VOIP networks which focuses more on design than implementation, although there are still some Cisco (PIX) based examples. The book's appedices cover DDOS attacks, well-known port numbers, and guidelines for reporting and preventing intrusions.
Overall I felt this was an excellent book which clearly fufilled its purpose. For the intermediate to advanced network security engineer this could act as an excellent desktop reference, while still being accessible enough to teach to the beginner. The writing style is clear and precise, and I found no technical errors in the material presented. As I mentioned the book could act as an additional study aid for several security certifications including the CISSP or the CCSP. I look forward to the next volume by Ms. Kaeo.
Rating: 4
Summary: Deep and Wide for Cisco Security Design
Comment: Designing Network Security, 2nd Edition, Merike Kaeo, Cisco Press (ISBN 1-58705-117-6)
In the world of network security, it is easy to get lost in a particular technology or application and fail to see "the forest from the trees." While the author does cover many of the "trees" in the world of network security, I find that this book is also helpful in obtaining a view of the "forest" of network security from a practical rather than a strictly conceptual perspective. I am especially impressed with breadth and depth that this book contains in this revised and updated 2nd edition.
Although written primarily for users of Cisco Systems equipment, the first eight chapters do contain information of interest to all network engineers involved in the design of network security. From PKI, Kerberos, and RADIUS to IPSec, 802.11b wireless, 802.1x port authentication and routing protocols, this book covers the full range of security areas that a network engineer needs to understand. Looking to set up a DMZ? Wanting to understand IPSec? Looking to reduce your organization's risk of being attacked? It is all covered here. Even Cisco's LEAP (Lightweight Extensible Authentication Protocol) for wireless networks is discussed. I cannot think of any relevant network security topic that the author has missed.
Chapters 9 through 12 provide the practical implementation steps and configuration scripts required to secure a Cisco-based network. IOS, CatOS, and PIX Firewall configuration templates are included as examples. As a component of network security, network availability in layer 2 and layer 3 networks is also discussed. A network designer can use these chapters to design a fundamentally secure Cisco network.
Note that this book is not intended for someone new to networking - there is an assumption of a solid understanding of basic networking and telecommunications concepts. If you are new to networking you may find this book a little too challenging. I think that someone who has a solid networking background can successfully read this book from cover to cover and grasp all of the concepts. This book will probably be the most useful for network engineers and security specialists working in a Cisco network and tasked with improving network security.
I find the end of chapter questions to be useful in stimulating the network design thinking process. Although this book is not designed to be a certification guide, someone pursuing the CCSP (Cisco Certified Security Professional) or the CCIE Security certifications may find this book to be a helpful overview of the relevant security technologies.
This is not intended as a criticism, but be aware that since this book covers so many network security topics, it may not cover a specific area to the depth that you are looking for. This is understandable since the book is intended to cover the fundamentals of network security. If you are looking for an exhaustive treatment of one particular area such as NIDS (Network Intrusion Detection Systems), you will need to consult other materials.
This book will likely remain on your shelf as a ready reference guide to the design of network security.
Rating: 5
Summary: A must read for Administrators and Management alike.
Comment: Designing network security
This book is exceptional at its task. Bridge the gap of security technology's for both technical staff and management alike.
It's straightforward approach to bring the overall security stance into perspective starts out with a security primer on fundamentals of cryptography and the overall security principals and technologies that empower organizations to deter and prevent most attacks by understanding the why's and how's.
The coverage of the technologies and approaches are both technical enough to understand and yet are in "plain English" for those that aren't fluent in "geek speak".
The implementation portion of the book covers true life practice and policy with examples of how to fit into most any network but that are real enough that even someone new to the field could understand and start to piece together the whole picture. By appearance this book is truly written for the senior technicians to fully incorporate security into daily practice. Reality shows that the book is still realistic enough to keep the scope within reason and allow the management and less seasoned technicians alike the ability to read and grasp the how's and why's so they can prepare for the investment and implementation aspects that will certainly follow the understanding of what security implications truly are in a network environment.
The best reading in the book however is covered in the security policy section of the book. This is where the real life work is in today's age since the single weakest point in any security implementation is the end user. The policies and guidelines outlined in any company create the true meat of the company's stance on security. Technicians alone can not secure every aspect of the network without the users learning their part in protecting and following up on the policies that this book can help the management create. The book lays the foundations to understand both the technology aspects of security and how it can be prepared to fully secure the network using today's technologies and then to understand the principles that undermine security. Once these fundamental concerns are addressed they are able to be applied to a policy which educates and informs users and staff of what is required of them to maintain that security.
From the perspective of someone that has administrated and managed networks from both aspects it would be very hard to not recommend this book as required reading for anyone that has a part in their networks security or functions. While this book is published by Cisco Press and covers a great deal of Cisco oriented configuration information the book is standalone for any network, Cisco based or not.
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