Free Custom «Network Security» Essay Paper

The internet is an assembly of interconnected networks, accessed via internet service providers, routers and other ways. The accessibility of an internet is not limited, as one has a network connection on an accessing gadget such as phones and computers. The unlimited accessibility of the internet contributes to its vulnerability by hackers who corrupt, hide, steal, and misuse vital information on the internet. These hackers create electronic files and programs; run them and later hide any links that might lead to their identity. This paper looks broadly on insecurity trends of information and data on networks with a focus on the wireless networks.

Foremost, the basic concepts of information and data that needs protection are availability, accessibility, and integrity. Insecure network might lead to alteration of information, denial of access or access of information by unauthorized persons or systems. Security measures in relation to persons, who wish to access such data, involve authentication and authorization. This ensures the person, accessing the information, is who he/she is and has the right to use the information or data (Garfinkel, 1996).

 

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Various types of incidents amount to insecurity. Probe is the attempt by an intruder to access secured information. Though no damage arises from probe, various attempts might follow the probes, thus, making the act a threat to the safety. Scan is a series of automated probes that are unsuccessful but might lead to an attack. Unauthorized access to an account upon acquisition of private passwords leads to an account compromise. This does not involve system or root level techniques. Account compromise is similar to root compromise, though the latter gives intruder abilities to make changes in the system and run their personal programs without trace (Chapman, 1995).

Other adverse incidences include packet sniffer, exploitation of trust and denial of service. Packet sniffers are powerful and able to trace and capture live data over the internet. This data include usernames, passwords, and other identification details.

The data and information that hackers target to enable their intrusion include the types of hardware and software in use by the targeted network. The system configuration of the network and the mode of connections in use are also vital. Other useful codes include phone numbers, passwords, and authentication procedures.

Trends

The static nature of security measures and the daily evolution of powerful computers is a cause to worry. As stated in Moore’s Law, this results in the manufacture of sophisticated technology without sophisticated measures to ensure security. Research trends also take part in an increase in insecurity. Though commendable for the increase in jobs and advancement of technology, some researchers have double targets. They invent these sophisticated gadgets and software, accompanied by sophisticated means to their access, without the knowledge of the user (Schneier, 1996).

Evolution of applications has its own effects. Giving out an application to a trusted party might seem safe to an individual. However, the application might become more popular than expected, thus, reaching out to parties, vulnerable to attack. Increase in automated management has its own downfalls. This involves use of a network gadget that operates on a plug-and-play mode. The system enables the machines to take care of themselves on the network.

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Virtualization is also an involved trend in network security. An example is the Microsoft operating system that do not multi-task. However, the VM Ware enables multi-tasks without leakage (Kaufman, 1995). The advantage of this over security is its ability to prevent a hacker who owns a network from accessing another network.

In the past, hackers demonstrated the use of undemanding methods to access unauthorized networks. The methods range from the exploitation of poor and weak passwords to the exploitation of poorly configured systems. Systems with default settings were easier to intrude than the current systems.

Currently, intruders demonstrate enough technical knowledge, used in their exploitation. They, first, study the vulnerability of a system, thus, making it easy for them to intrude and hide their identity. In addition to a vulnerability study, the most recent approaches involve a deep understanding of operations, typology, and protocols in use within computer networks. This involves an examination of source codes that reveal information, concerning the program. Some hackers use the World Wide Web in the acquisition of access to unauthorized systems. Skills on network infrastructure such as firewall make it easy for the intruders to attack a network system that uses such infrastructure.

Software tools are in development and find use in automated attacks. Tools examined programs for vulnerability in the past. However, intruders use them in finding sophisticated ways of intrusion. A hacker uses the tools to access firewall passwords, cracks firewall filters and then accesses data from a secure server. Components of these tools include a packet sniffer, network scanner, and Trojan horse (Chapman, 1995). Use of Trojan horses to hide intrusion activities from the administration deems a successful approach for the intruders. They achieve this by alterations they make on the authentication and logging programs. This enables them to access the sites under attack without the whole progress, showing up in the system log.