Question

You work for EGS Testing Solutions; your company is involved in testing related to access control systems. A large, private fitness club contacted your company because their Web server was hacked. The fitness club has a corporate office with 50 workstations, 4 application servers, 2 e-mail servers, 2 Web servers, and 129 franchisees with 10 workstations and about 3,500 members at each location. Except for the equipment at the franchisees’ locations, all other equipment resides at the central headquarters.

The fitness club was unsure whether the Web server hacking took place because of the former administrator, who quit under less than amenable circumstances, or if an external party had found their “Achilles heel.” The perpetrator was able to access the corporate Web server by using the remote login of the Microsoft (MS) Windows network administrator. Once the hack was realized, the administrator was forced to shut down the connections to all their 129 franchisees that needed access to the corporate Web server. The franchisees require access to the Web server to review their customers’ personal information, fitness progress, and goals as well as to share information with the corporate headquarters in a secure manner. Members and club staff also make periodic payments for dues and services using this system, including credit card payments.

Your company has been engaged to provide a cost-effective solution that would allow the new administrator to do the following:

Control access to resources by preventing unauthorized users from logging in to privileged areas.

Audit and review user activities to prevent future hacks that could compromise network integrity.

Change the existing system to strengthen it as necessary.

Add technology, as necessary, to detect security breaches.

To be able to develop a cost-effective solution, your company must focus on developing a reasonable and cost-effective testing plan to identify any weaknesses in the network.

Develop a comprehensive and ongoing vulnerability and penetration test plan. Include solutions in the test plan for unauthorized access in the corporate workstations, application servers, mail and Web servers, and wireless routers.

Answer 1

Fig: Pen test plan phases

Pen Test Plan Phases

• Analysis & Reconnaissance
• Examine
• Gain entry
• Maintain Access
• Configuration

• Analysis & Reconnaissance

The initial step is describing the span and objectives of an investigation, as well as the devices to be dealt with and the assessment tools/techniques to be used

• Examine

The subsequent step is to recognize how the host device will react to a range of interference effort.

• Gain entry

Experts then attempt to explore these loopholes, typically bypassing login, compromise data, capture packet information from traffic, etc., to be aware of its working & cause disruption.

• Maintain Access

The purpose of this plan phase is to perceive if the loophole can be used to attain a constant existence in the compromised network

• Investigation/Configuration

The outcome of the pen test is finally documented into a report specification format.

Application safety resolution is drafted to patch loopholes in addition to shield against potential threats.

Solution for unauthorized access, workstations, application servers, mail and web servers, and wireless routers can be provided by the following:

1. Isolate the company data from the site of operation.
2. Perform audit of the network security for a regular interval of time.
3. Assign a special dedicated team of experts to look after the security related issues
4. Identify the vulnerabilities in the current existing network and resolve them
5. The password for router must be strong
6. The encryption techniques used must be standard and up to date
7. Restricting the use of social media etc on the premise of office campus.

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