The Network Assurance course covers secure network practices to protect networked systems against attacks and exploits. Topics include authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA), as well as firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention, common cryptographic ciphers, server and client security, and secure policy generation. This course also includes information on securing cloud-based networks and applications.
Objectives
- Understand the purpose of a firewall, application layer firewalls and stateful packet inspection firewalls
- Differentiate between NAT and PAT firewall
- Understand the purpose of Intrusion Detection Systems
- Understand the general functionality of host-based and network-based ID
- Understand anomaly detection
- Understand the purpose and protection of Intrusion Prevention Systems and and host IPS
- Understand the need for maintaining the security of encryption keys
- Differentiate between common encryption standards
- Understand common VPN topologies and configurations (tunneling, etc.)
- Understand encryption algorithms at varying layers of the TCP/IP stack
- Understand the purpose of logging and auditing
- Understand data logging in Unix (and related) systems and in Windows
- Understand the need for securing log files
- Obtain familiarity with common functionality offered by Windows and Unix auditing tools
- Differentiate between authentication and authorization
Target Audience
IT and cybersecurity staff interested in furthering their knowledge base regarding network security and assurance, as well as individuals interested in learning about network security and assurance.
Prerequisites
While prerequisites are not required, it is recommended that participants:
- Take the AWR-173 Information Security Basics course
- OR have a good knowledge and understanding of the following topics: Patching and updating; Firewalls; Malware; Confidentiality, integrity and availability; Disclosure, alteration and denial; Vulnerabilities, attacks and controls; Types of attacks and attackers; Controls; Access Control; TCP/IP Networking; Networking basics and security; Operating system security; Encryption.