How safe is this..

There's always more that can be done. The layers added in the name of security never seem to end. Proxy server, VPN, encrypted LAN traffic, encrypted ethernet cards, IDS (intrusion detection system), ad nausium. It really depends on what you are trying to protect. The usual mistake is physical security. I could plug a "rogue access point" or ethernet tap into your network, and all your security is gone. It's like locking the front door with a dozen locks, but leaving the back door and windows wide open.

Also, real security requires log reading. You need to monitor your network, have someone (or a script) read the log files regularly, and look for surprises and changes. You also need to run regular exploit scans. Putting a lock on the front door is nice, but it's useless unless you check to see if it's still locked and functional.

Double NAT used to be called a double firewall with a DMZ (Demilitarized Zone for those that missed Viet Nam) in between. Servers that needed to be exposed to the internet were placed in the DMZ with traffic controlled by the first router also known as a "bastion host". To entertain attackers, "honey pot" servers were often also planted in the DMZ area. The inside LAN was protected by the 2nd router. If a server in the DMZ was compromised, it would not affect anything on the inside LAN. It's a very good system and works well. Complications with administrative access to the DMZ servers, and dealing with port forwarding using double NAT make setup interesting.

As far as the wireless is concerned, pre-shared keys are inherently insecure. All it takes is one of your laptops or clients with the pre-shared key installed to be compromised, and the key becomes known. Some manufactories encrypt the WPA keys in the registry, but few bother to use a secure algorithm. Some even have it saved in readable text. If the single pre-shared key is discovered, then the entire wireless network is seriously compromised.

With RADIUS authentication, there is no single WPA key. It's contrived for the duration of the connection and not saved anywhere. I can sniff a connection, and extract a single key, but that only gets me on the system for a very limited time. If you value security, do the 802.1x thing and RADIUS server.

Incidentally, I never have much trouble with external (internet) security. Attacks originating from the internet are not much of a problem. Attacks from inside the LAN, originating from compromised laptops and PDA's are what drives me nuts. The boss goes to a hotel with his laptop, gets infected by a trojan horse, and brings the laptop back to the office. I get to spend days cleaning out the mess. If he's had a key logger installed, I get to change every last lousy password on the system. The few that take is seriously (mostly for HIPAA compliance) use X.509 certificates on USB dongles.

Try to think of security in terms of reliability. If a single point of failure happens, such as a single lost password, what would need to be changed in order to re-secure the system? If the answer is change the passwords on a dozen machines or wholesale reconfiguration, then your security model is broken and needs to be re-evaluated.

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann
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I forgot to mention a little incident. I was doing a service call about a year ago at a company that had a "secure" wireless LAN as sold by a high priced consultancy. Draconian security measures were imposed on wireless users to insure that the wireless access was not accidentally compromised in any way. As password rotation was part of the recommended security proceedures, a new WPA-PSK key was generated every few weeks. The new key was sent to users in an unencrypted email message and also posted on an internal company bulletin board. That was to make it easy to change using cut and paste. It took me a while to explain why this was a bad idea. They now have a RADIUS server (installed by the high priced consultancy).

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

I have a NAT/SPI Router linked directly into the Cable modem, which has a TeamSpeak server connected to one of the LAN ports. Now to secure the rest of my LAN I have connected a second Router to the first one ( LAN 2 WAN configuration), this is also a NAT/SPI Router with wireless access. Now on my second Router I have all but one Computer connected to the LAN ports and all have firewalls installed. On the wireless side I have setup WPA-PSK (TKIP) with a 63 random ASCII characters as the key, I am also considering setting up a RADIUS server to secure the wireless side even more.

Am I safe or is their more a can do?

-- JM

Reply to
JM

erm.. you could make it more complex so that any potential hacker will get lost in the wiring?

Reply to
Doz

Any suggestions ;-)

-- JM

Reply to
JM

I was taking the piss... :-)

Seriously, one router would be sufficient as your network would be behind the NAT and SPI firewall. The second router just adds unneeded complexity because if a hacker was to defeat the first NAT/firewall then the second will be just as easy. Also one router is easier to manage regarding port forwarding etc. having a port forward into another port forward is asking for trouble.

The WPA tkip is about as secure as you can get (password permitting). Radius does not add any more security to the WPA system it just adds "manageability" were you to have many users and many wifi access points on the system.

So, to recap: use the wifi enabled router for everything. Put the other router in the drawer and forget about it. You could also run software firewalls on each PC for added security, not to mention antivirus software. The use port forwarding to each server/application as required.

Anyone else got some input ?

Hope that helps,

Doz

Reply to
Doz

Just been pointed to this link from another forum

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That's my setup ;-)

-- JM

Reply to
JM

Not quite.They would have the wireless router connected to the cable modem(Isolating an open or low-security wireless access point)

Reply to
Frank

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