Network Security, a Deeper look

 

Network Security, a Deeper look

 

My focus on information technology would have to be the security side of it, as my goal is to be in the field of cyber security. My last post about Network Security mentioned how simple things like Ping and Tracert can be used to attack a network. The job of those in the network security field is to make sure your network is secure and safe; this is the case for both public and private networks. Network Security combines layers of defense at the edge and inside a network, this way authorized users can get in and people who are not can’t, following a list of controls and policies. We need network security as the world becomes more and more digitized, whether it be for work or for entertainment, everyone wants to be able to go on the internet safely.

To combat attacks to a network, there are several different defenses, one of the most common ones you normally hear about are Firewalls. A firewall is a network security device that monitors incoming and outgoing network traffic and decides whether to allow or block specific traffic based on a defined set of security rules. These rules can vary depending on the network, like blocking certain Ips from accessing a site, or even blocking certain sites from being accessed, example being in AT&T, a lot of sites are blocked to discourage doing things you’re not supposed to, and to protect agents from accidently making a hole in the security. Another form of Security that has become very common these days is a VPN, which is used to encrypt a connection to a network from an endpoint, they use remote access to authenticate communications between devices and networks.

Now how does network security relate to information technology and the various parts of it, how does it relate to the languages?, well programming languages are used rather frequently in cybersecurity, in fact according to hackernoon.com says languages like C and C++ are critical languages to learn for the field as these languages provide access to IT infrastructure like RAM and system processes, which if those aren’t protected, then hackers could easily exploit.

There are also many programs that help with the protection of a network or even individual computers. These applications can help scan networks or computers for dangerous or harmful files or codes, for example things like anti-virus programs.

As a network security specialist, you also need to know how a network is built, knowing the architecture of a network allows you to easily find where weak spots may be in the network and what kind of protection that network may need to have.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References used

 

Garbade, Dr. Michael J. “5 Best Programming Languages to Learn for Cyber Security.” HackerNoon, 17 Oct. 2018, hackernoon.com/5-best-programming-languages-to-learn-for-cyber-security-be97071919f9.

“What Is Network Security?” Cisco, Cisco, 4 July 2023, www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/security/what-is-network-security.html#~types.