Network Security is My Goal and What I Want to Learn

What I want to sink my teeth into is network security. We discussed dozens of topics in my fundamentals of Information technology (IT) class. We lightly talked about network security toward the end of the course. In those bits, we reviewed general attacks, how they are perpetrated, and some ways to mitigate risk.  We also Learned how networks communicate within a local area network (LAN) and a wide area network (WAN), how to troubleshoot issues on a network, and understand how devices link and transmit data outlined in the OSI model. Once you fully understand computers and technology, you can build on that knowledge to develop network security.  In my opinion, you need to understand the fundamentals of IT to move into network security. “Best practices – Network security starts with best practices. Server security, internet protocol (IP) filtering, and data backups are crucial. Network health and safety depend on administrators; they must update security protocols and advise a cybersecurity defense team of new threats” (Slonopas, A. 2023). Network admins need to stay up to date with changes in the tech industry to keep the network safe.

As computers have become more advanced over the years, the need for a more robust defense against attacks has become more and more vital. Early computers were, at the most superficial level, a large calculator or processor of substantial data points. These large computers were designed to help with computations and calculations, but those computers are nothing like the computers of today. Today, microchips have shrunk from sizes of rooms to as small as a postage stamp. Computers are faster at processing ones and zeros derived from electrical impulses, leading to the computer's ability to conduct intricate tasks. Further fueled by the advancement of computers and technology, including the explosion of artificial intelligence (AI), has only highlighted the importance of educating the public on how to protect themselves from cybercriminals. 

“Man-in-the-middle (MITM) types of cyber attacks refer to breaches in cybersecurity that make it possible for an attacker to eavesdrop on the data sent back and forth between two people, networks, or computers. It is called a "man in the middle” attack because the attacker positions themselves in the “middle” or between the two parties trying to communicate. In effect, the attacker is spying on the interaction between the two parties " (Fortinet, n.d).

    With the convenience of banking and personal information being stored on cloud (internet) based servers, has caused those who are not computer literate to fall victim to scammers and hackers easily. My major is in data and cyber security, and my interests are in this category. When most people think of network security, they think of firewalls. Firewalls protect many types of network topologies like LANs and WANs, as well as servers and databases in a client access topology. 

Much of the public does not realize firewalls can be integrated software in routers of networks. However, I would recommend using a standalone dedicated piece of hardware specializing in firewalls to offer your network the best protection and options. Firewalls utilize similar computer hardware components but are primarily used for security purposes, just as a server is a computer but with a specified design for a limited function.

"A denial-of-service (DoS) attack is designed to overwhelm the resources of a system to the point where it is unable to reply to legitimate service requests. A distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack is similar in that it also seeks to drain the resources of a system" (Fortinet, n.d).  

    Databases and server farms that act like a warehouse of information for businesses and can run the business websites and inventory, these servers are usually behind a firewall to help prevent DDOS attacks. These firewalls must be appropriately adjusted to protect a network through configurations, whether a dedicated hardware or additional software portion. Configuring a firewall is like wearing custom tailormade clothing; it fits better. In order to configure firewalls, the device admin must have some exposure to programming languages to navigate command line prompts with commands needed to mold the firewall. Network admins also need to understand the vulnerabilities that lay within each type of programing languages of each application that utilizes the network.

    The one question I want to learn before anything in detail is the different methodologies for developing defense and offensive plans for network security. I am genuinely intrigued by mitigating cyber-attacks, probes, and penetrations. I want to learn how to be an ethical white hat hacker to better understand and network-prevent intrusions. Finishing my bachelor's and beginning my collection of certifications' will go a long way in getting me started.