MN502: Analyzing Security Tools for JKL Company's Network Security

This report analyzes the network security challenges faced by JKL Company, a software development firm with two remote sites. The company is vulnerable to threats like Trojan horse attacks and inadequate IT security management. The report explores the business needs of JKL Company, including the need for updated security patches, secure internet gateways, and email security solutions. Two security tools, Nessus and Hydra, are evaluated as potential solutions. Nessus, a vulnerability analysis tool, is presented with its various products, including Nessus Professional and Nessus Agents. Hydra, a penetration testing tool, is also discussed, highlighting its brute force capabilities. The report concludes that Nessus is the better option for JKL Company, given its ease of installation and range of products to address emerging security concerns, and its Nessus Professional product will assist the company to secure each user device connected on the network, allowing employees to privately and securely use the organization’s network resources.

An analysis of Security
tools that JKL Company
can use
STUDENT NAME
PROFESSOR’S NAME
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INSTITUTION

JKL Company
 JKL Company is a small business offering software developing services to its
clients. Currently, the firm is experiencing problems of maintaining stringent
security measures on its network. With two different sites, one in Adelaide and
the other in Brisbane, employees are forced to implement collaborative
practices to successfully complete creating any software.
 Communication among employees daily is necessary for tasks to be carried
out properly and efficiently. The users on both sites are growing concerned on
the security of their network. They are raising issues on the privacy of their
data while using the company network resources and network security
concerns. JKL, just like most companies that connect their computers and
systems that are remotely distributed, faces a greater potential for cyber-
attacks. A single client problem may spread across to everyone on the network.

Security Threats facing JKL Company
 The company is facing several security threats in its network plan. Among the most concerning is the
risk of a Trojan horse attack.
 A Trojan horse attack happens when the clients on the network run a malicious program hiding behind
a legitimate code. In most instances Trojan horse attacks originate from a familiar source under the
network, probably a user downloading and installing unverified applications [1]. The malicious
application then spreads across the network via email. The Trojan horse then steals sensitive data and
records passwords. Networking between JKL employees in the two different sites looks to enhance the
spread of Trojan horse attacks in the company’s system.
 Another security concern for JKL Company is Inadequate IT security management. With the users
spread across two remote sites, the company might lack enough professionals to adequately manage
the network. Even with the best security solutions, the system may still miss critical cyber security
alerts leading to successful threats not being eliminated in time to reduce the impact. Another
security threat that JKL Company faces is unpatched security vulnerabilities. The company faces “zero
day” exploits. These are the unrecognized exploits with security in systems and programs and have
never been experienced by anyone previously. Zero day exploits become a threat if known
vulnerabilities remain unpatched.

JKL’s Business needs
 JKL’s business needs regarding network security includes a strict schedule for updating security patches.
This will keep the system and network updated with upgraded security solutions. The company also needs
to gradually keep changing the operating systems and programs on its network components and make
them similar. This will make it easier to update the security patches. The company also needs to
incorporate secure internet gateways to boost cloud security. The strategy will help in combating threats
at the IP and DNS layers, defending the system against ransomware and zero-day attacks earlier.
 The company also requires to implement an email security solution. The strategy needs to be end- to-end
encrypted and should have innovative threat monitoring techniques. JKL also needs to develop different
preventive measures that will assist in avoiding security threats. Some of the security measures include;
security devices like anti-virus software and firewalls, secure operating system and router settings, data
encrypting systems especially for sensitive data, limiting the access to company data and network
infrastructure to authorized individuals only, training employees on safe and secure practices while using
the company network infrastructure and system, as well as, backing up data, inclusive of remote backup.
 JKL also needs to implement rules and policies on how employees use the computers and components on
the company network. The policies need to indicate how a misuse of networking equipment leads to
security vulnerabilities and can be regarded as a misconduct.

Nessus security tool
 Different tools are available for JKL Company to choose as solutions to its security threats. One of the tools is Nessus. Nessus is a vulnerability
analyzing tool. The solution assists the users on the front end to quickly and easily monitor and fix vulnerabilities. Nessus is effective in fixing
software flaws and missing patches which would otherwise lead to “zero-day” threats and Trojan-horse attacks. The solution’s tenable web
application scanning product offers automatic web application scanning. The feature allows tenable to automatically scan the system offering
constant protection.
 Besides, it has additional functions that allow the administrator to set the timing and frequency limits for automatic testing. The Nessus
software is offered by Tenable Security and comes with several options under its disposal. One of them is Tenable.io which-is a subscription-
based service allowing different teams to share schedules, scanners as well as scan results and policies [2]. It also has the Nessus Cloud,
offering Software-as-a-Service solution. The application also has workflow customization capabilities, allowing for effective vulnerability
management.
 Another product under this tool is the Nessus Agents. The agents provide a flexible technique of scanning hosts within the network and does not
need the administrator to provide the credentials to the network hosts. Even in instances when the host is offline, scans can still be carried out
through the agents. The agents scan wide application areas and are effective in environments with insufficient traditional malware security
measures. Besides, these agents exert quite a small overhead within hosts, taking up minimal system resources within the system they are
running in, but still provide enough malware protection.
 Another product under the software package is Nessus Professional. The product is the most commonly applied vulnerability scanning tool
across the industry. Nessus Professional assists in performing high-speed asset discovery, configuration auditing, malware detection, target
profiling as well as sensitive data discovery. The solution operates on user devices including personal computers and can be applied effectively
by the security team within JKL Company.
 To access the Nessus application, users simply have to access the Nessus webpage where it is available for download. Downloading the installer
package takes less than two minutes but the product is not free as it requires one to purchase it to access the entire package. After installing the
Nessus software, it automatically detects the vulnerabilities and threats it comes across on the network instantly.

The Hydra solution
 JKL could also choose to implement the Hydra solution as its security feature. The software serves as a penetration testing tool
cracking login credentials. Hydra is designed with capabilities allowing it to penetrate several networking protocols, and is also fast
and flexible. With Hydra, security administrators and consultants can easily identify the different loopholes on the network that
attacks can originate from, exposing the company system [3]. The tool which is created by Kali Linux has various products under its
package.
 One of its outstanding products is the pw-inspector code. The pw-inspector code reads passwords, displaying them to highlight the
passwords that meet minimum requirements. Running the pw-inspector code returns an output of the valid passwords found. As a
password detecting tool, Hydra can be applied across a wide range of situations, such as authentication- based forms often used in
web applications. The solution is a stable and fast network connection hacking tool applying brute force and dictionary attacks in
attempting to crack various connection groups and passwords on the login pages.
 Hydra can lead to fast dictionary attacks against more than 50 protocols such as Telnet, https, ftp, smp and several databases. The
tool allows the user to assign a specific target web address link, request related data, list keywords that initiate attacks on user fields
as well as passwords and provide information on the error message output after a successful connection. A parameter can be set to
come up with the number of parallel threads to be implemented in the attack. The brute force technique of identifying passwords
implemented by Hydra, applies a list built by a hacker combining it with the application generated lists to carry out the attack.
 The processing speed of the internet connection, and the auditors’ computers will determine how fast the penetration technique
returns an output. The brute force solution systematically assesses each password until it arrives at the correct password. The amount
of time it takes for a Hydra code to penetrate and breach the security patches installed on the network depends on the length of time
taken to develop and run the code. In certain instances it may take hours if the system is complex or just few minutes if it is a small-
scale system.

Best option for JKL company
 For JKL Company the better option that would work for them is Nessus.
The tool is easy and simple to install and with its variety of products, it
will offer alternatives to even the emerging security concerns. Its
Nessus Professional product will assist the company to secure each user
device connected on the network, allowing employees to privately and
securely use the organization’s network resources.


References
[
1
]
Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness , "Common threats to be aware of," 20 October 2017. [Online]. Available:
https://www.getcybersafe.gc.ca/cnt/rsks/cmmn-thrts-en.aspx.
[
2
]
Kali Linux, "Hydra Package Description," 2019. [Online]. Available: https://tools.kali.org/password-attacks/hydra.
[
3
]
N. Mitropoulos, "Using Hydra To Crack The Door Open," 2013. [Online]. Available: https://hakin9.org/usinghydratocrackthedooropen/.
eferences