Features
- Cover Type: Paperback with 712 pages
- Published by: Sams
- Edition: 1st Edition June 28, 2002
- Written in: English
- ISBN 10 Number: 0735712328
- ISBN 13 Number: 978-0735712324
-
Book Dimensions:
9.1 x 7.4 x 1.5 inches
- Weighs: 2.6 pounds
Product Review
Submarines handle awkwardly on the surface of the sea; airplanes are cumbersome when taxiing. Both modes of operation, however, are design requirements. Organizational computer networks have a similar requirement: they have to interface with other networks (thereby forming the Internet) in order to be useful. How network engineers manage their networks' perimeters has a lot to do with their usefulness, cost effectiveness, and--perhaps above all--security.
Inside Network Perimeter Security concerns itself with this latter aspect of the connection to the outside world. It's carefully researched, cleverly written, and full of references to recent exploits and, more importantly, the trends they represent. The best details on emerging hack attacks will always be found online. This book takes a longer view, evaluating offensive and defensive technologies and offering well-reasoned advice on how to keep a network secure now and in the future.
Readers familiar with the previous work of the authors--particularly the highly respected Stephen Northcutt--will recognize the style here. It doesn't aim to teach you how to
do much in particular--there are a few procedures, and some Cisco Internetwork Operating System (IOS) command listings--but rather tries to show how to think about networks and the data that comes from them. In a typical section, the authors analyze a log from Tiny Personal Firewall. They highlight the facts that are present in the log and the inferences that can be made from them. A similar style helps you master
software tools and make network design decisions. This book is perfect for a network engineer wanting to improve his or her security skills for both design and administration purposes.
--David Wall Topics covered: How to design networks' borders for maximum security, and how to monitor them for unauthorized activity. After an introduction to firewalls, packet filtering, and access lists, the authors explain how to set up routers, special-purpose firewalls, and general-purpose hosts with security in mind. A large section has to do with security-conscious design, both for green field projects and existing networks that need expansion or improvement.
Book Description
The most practical, comprehensive solution to defending your network perimeter. Get expert insight from the industry's leading voices: Stephen Northcutt and the expertise of the SANS team. Inside Network Perimeter Security is a practical guide to designing, deploying, and maintaining network defenses. It discusses perimeter components such as firewalls, VPNs, routers, and intrusion detection systems, and explains how to integrate them into a unified whole to meet real-world business requirements. The book consolidates the experience of seventeen information security professionals working together as a team of writers and reviewers. This is an great reference for those interested in looking at best practices of perimeter defense and in expanding their knowledge of network security. Because the book was developed in close coordination with the SANS Institute, it is also a valuable supplementary resource for those pursuing the GIAC Certified Firewall Analyst (GCFW) certification.
Reader Reviews
The first thing that appeals to the reader of this excellent book ["Inside Network Perimeter Security" by Steven Northcutt, et al] is a curious title. So will the authors take the reader "inside perimeter" or will they cover the perimeter security inside and out? In fact, they excel at both. It is well known that the defense perimeter of the modern Internet-enabled business is not just the choke router connecting the company to the public network. Perimeter manifests itself in wireless leaks outside the building, in VPN links stretching out to partners an suppliers and forgotten modems on the company premises. The books effectively straddles several difficult bordelines, that adds significant value to it. For example, authors manage to not express their preferences and provide coverage for both Windows and UNIX, free and commercial software. Moreover, the book has both valuable hands-on exercises (right down to 'permit icmp any any packet-too-big' and 'SEC-6-IPACCESSLOGP') and strategic business aspects (choosing the network design based on business and industry requirements). The book goes well beyond perimeter defense, stretching onto security monitoring, incident response, vulnerability analysis, security audit and network performance. Especially fun was a chapter devoted to the "adversarial review". Security vs performance seem to be a timeless conflict. The chapter is dedicated to this important aspect of security design, covering performance impact of various security technologies. The important advantage of the book is real-life examples, case studies and sample network security designs. They are given a thorough evaluation, both from defender's and attacker's prospective. However, some currently popular attacks are not given sufficient attention (such as web hacking and malware). That seem to stem from the fact that in the book infrastructure defense takes priority over information protection. Apparently, the books focuses more on defense and prevention (and thus is less valuable for those seeking to cause computer mayhem). Overall, the book is of great value to security novices and the experienced professionals as well. The latter can use the book as a complete guide for secure network design, implementation and maintenance (extensive troubleshooting information is provided) under real-life constraints. Even when most things in the book might already be familiar, the added value is in integrated holistic approach to network security presented by the true experts in the field. It appears that is can make an effective study guide for SANS GCFW certification. Anton Chuvakin, Ph.D., GCIA is a Senior Security Analyst with a major information security company. His areas of infosec expertise include intrusion detection, UNIX security, honeypots, etc. In his spare time he maintains his security portal info-secure.org
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