Re: [fw-wiz] Security and Audit Policy

From: gmx (carpathin.wolf_at_gmx.net)
Date: 11/27/04

  • Next message: Paul D. Robertson: "Re: [fw-wiz] Security and Audit Policy"
    To: Servie Platon <servie_tech@yahoo.com>
    Date: Sat, 27 Nov 2004 12:07:14 +0100
    
    

    Hello Servie,

    I will try to give you my opinion, maybe also between the lines..

    Sunday, November 7, 2004, 3:38:55 PM, you wrote:

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    SP> Hi Security Gurus,

    SP> When I took over as Sys Ad for this company, I found
    SP> out there
    SP> are no security and audit policies in place. I have no
    SP> way means
    SP> of getting in touch with the previous guy.
    Thats a har work for you... but not impossible

    SP> Since I have to start from scratch and document
    SP> everything
    SP> regarding this network. I feel that this group would
    SP> be in the
    SP> best position to give some suggestions as to what I
    SP> should do or
    SP> the manner of solving the problem.
    Documenting is a good start, take also a look for checklists (google)
    and be cofidential with www.cert.org . There you might also find some
    good suggestions.

    SP> I have already done the following steps:

    SP> 1. Enabled Firewall rules on the network and with
    SP> Win32 clients;
    SP> 2. Installed Anti Virus Software for the network and
    SP> enabled
    SP> automatic updates;
    SP> 3. Enforced User Permissions for most users; (dilemma)
    SP> 4. Disabled M$ Outlook and IE and replaced these with
    SP> Mozilla
    SP> Thunderbird and Firefox.
    Good start point... but how do the email clients connect ?
    Do you have a central mailserver which the clients are connecting ?

    SP> Problems:

    SP> 1. I don't know how to keep track of their browsing
    SP> patterns,
    SP> some users have intermediate to advanced browsing
    SP> skills which
    SP> they can conceal where they have visited such as maybe
    SP> porn
    SP> sites and the like. How do I prove my suspiscion and
    SP> stop them
    SP> from doing this? I am afraid that by doing so, our
    SP> network may
    SP> be trojaned or may have been infected with spyware or
    SP> may be a
    SP> zombie now?
    Well... i cant say if you are 100% allowed to check their trafic, but
    you can install some tools and see the browsing behaviour (MS SBS ISA
    does have such tool integrated), i am sure you can find some cmpatible
    tools also in the web.

    SP> 2. I wanted to enforce strict user permissions, but my
    SP> dilemma
    SP> would be, bosses or managers take it against me or
    SP> anyone
    SP> restricting on what they could or not do on their
    SP> machine. To
    SP> make a concrete example, I could do an audit policy
    SP> for all
    SP> users with less rights to install programs and the
    SP> like but some
    SP> of them, listen to radio, download .exe files or
    SP> shareware
    SP> without my knowledge.
    Thats a wrong way... you started good, but you missed the human
    component.

    SP> If I enforce this restrictive permissions, they get
    SP> back on me.
    SP> If I don't, I am afraid the network is considerably
    SP> slows down
    SP> and I think, some machines may be a compromised
    SP> already unless
    SP> the bandwidth is being used up by the users. How do I
    SP> catch them
    SP> accessing forbidden sites and how do I stop them from
    SP> doing such
    SP> and how do I make them with less capacity without them
    SP> getting
    SP> furious?
    Easy : You dont tell them what to do, you ask them what they want.
    You ask about their fears... the users must have the feeling that the
    admin is the one who is on their side, not against them. Use your
    knowledge to explain the management what costs can arise in case of an
    intrusion, and why you must solve it taht way.
    You can do some small seminars, and explain to the users about seafe
    browsing, its all up to you, but as an admin, you must get the company
    on your side.. thats what the harder part for an admin is.

    SP> 3. Though, I have setup and installed Mozilla
    SP> Thunderbird and
    SP> Firefox in each client PCs, most of them still use M$
    SP> Outlook
    SP> and IE. How do I justify and convince them not to use
    SP> this
    SP> because of security loopholes and problems? Some are
    SP> so used to
    SP> Outlook and IE that they don't want change.
    Explain them that during some seminars, explain also why you dont
    recommend outlook, but you must have the management 'behind you' ,
    because you cannot assert any policy or guidelines, without the
    approval and help/cooperation of the management.

    SP> Any suggestions, on how to make it less of a burden to
    SP> administer this network of 12 clients would be
    SP> appreciated.
    I hope i could give you a few sugestions.

    SP> Thanks very much.

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    SP> =====
    SP> Sincerely,
    SP> Servie Platon

                    
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    <===========End of original message text===========

    -- 
    Best regards,
     gmx                            mailto:carpathin.wolf@gmx.net
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  • Next message: Paul D. Robertson: "Re: [fw-wiz] Security and Audit Policy"

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