CSIA 310 Cybersecurity Processes And Technologies Project 2

Csia 310 Cybersecurity Processes Technologiesproject 2 Security S

Now that the After Action Reports have been analyzed, the consultants must develop a plan for improving the security posture at Sifers-Grayson. This will be documented in a Security Strategy Recommendations document. The security strategy will be based upon multiple layers of policies, processes, and technologies that, when implemented, will be used to defend the Information Technology enterprise from both internal and external threats and attacks. Two defensive security strategies have been chosen by the senior members of the team: 1) Build a DMZ for the R&D Center, and 2) Implement enterprise-wide protective and detective measures, including controlling access to software documentation and source code, implementing enterprise-wide identity management, and deploying either a SIEM or UTM tool.

Your task is to research suitable products and services to implement these strategies, and then write a report recommending specific products for each strategy. Your report should include explanations of defense in depth and the two selected strategies, supported by authoritative sources. You need to select: for Strategy 1, a business class router with WAP and VPN, a business class firewall, and an intrusion detection and prevention system; for Strategy 2, an application lifecycle management (ALM) tool, an identity & access management (IAM) tool, a SIEM or UTM, and a forensic image capture utility. Your report should analyze these products, demonstrating how they will improve Sifers-Grayson's security posture by integrating multiple layers of defense—either through strategy layering or defense-in-depth.

The report should be structured into the following sections: an introduction; a detailed Security Strategies analysis; a Product Evaluation section with product descriptions and recommendations for each strategy; and a Summary Implementation Recommendations section highlighting the benefits of the proposed strategies. Properly cite authoritative sources throughout. The page length should be between 5-8 pages, with appropriate grammar, spelling, and citation style (APA or MLA). A cover page and references page are required.

Paper For Above instruction

Enhancing cybersecurity posture is critical for organizations like Sifers-Grayson to defend against increasingly sophisticated internal and external threats. Developing a comprehensive security strategy involves layered approaches that combine policies, processes, and technical solutions to provide robust protection, detection, and response capabilities. This paper proposes two primary strategies: building a secure Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) for the R&D center and implementing enterprise-wide protective and detective measures, and offers specific product recommendations to operationalize these strategies effectively.

Introduction

The primary objective of this security strategy report is to recommend a set of technology solutions that will strengthen the security posture of Sifers-Grayson. The strategies focus on deploying a DMZ to isolate critical R&D infrastructure from external threats and implementing comprehensive enterprise-wide controls to monitor, manage, and respond to security incidents. These strategies align with best practices such as defense in depth, which involves multiple security layers to mitigate risks and enhance resilience against attacks. The effectiveness of these approaches will be examined in the context of previous audit findings, penetration test results from Project #1, and current industry standards.

Security Strategies

Defense in depth and layered security are foundational concepts in cybersecurity, emphasizing the importance of multiple security measures at different points within an organization’s infrastructure. Layered security entails deploying various controls across networks, endpoints, and applications, ensuring that if one layer is compromised, others remain operational. Defense-in-depth extends this by integrating preventive, detective, and corrective controls into a cohesive framework.

The first strategy, building a DMZ for the R&D Center, aims to segment internal resources accessible to remote engineers, preventing direct exposure of core network assets. This approach aligns with layered security by introducing network segmentation, firewalls, and intrusion deception mechanisms to control and monitor external access. The second strategy involves enterprise-wide protective measures, including access controls, identity management, and centralized monitoring through SIEM or UTM tools. These measures embed detection and prevention within everyday operations, fostering a security-aware environment.

Implementing these strategies leverages both layered security and defense in depth by incorporating multiple overlapping controls—perimeter defenses, secure access management, and continuous monitoring—thereby creating a resilient security architecture capable of responding to threats proactively and reactively.

Product Evaluation

Strategy 1: Build a DMZ for the R&D Center

Router with WAP and VPN Capability

For establishing a secure perimeter, Cisco’s enterprise-class routers with integrated Wireless Access Point (WAP) and VPN support are recommended. Specifically, the Cisco ISR 4000 series offers high-performance routing with integrated security features, VPN capabilities for secure remote access, and reliable wireless support. Cisco routers provide robust, scalable solutions that can accommodate future growth and include advanced security features such as threat detection and anomaly detection (Cisco, 2023).

Firewall (Network-Based)

SonicWall Network Security Firewalls are suitable for perimeter security in a DMZ setup. SonicWall firewalls offer deep packet inspection, application-layer filtering, and advanced threat prevention features, including intrusion prevention, malware detection, and URL filtering. Their high throughput ensures minimal latency for R&D operations, while their threat intelligence services enhance protection against zero-day vulnerabilities (SonicWall, 2023).

Intrusion Detection and Prevention System (Network-Based)

Cisco’s Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) provides an integrated intrusion detection and prevention system capable of monitoring network traffic for malicious activity. Cisco’s FTD integrates with other Cisco security solutions, offering real-time alerts, automated responses, and detailed analytics, thus supporting layered defense strategies effectively (Cisco, 2023).

Strategy 2: Enterprise-Wide Protection, Detection, and Prevention

Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) Tool

Atlassian Jira Software is a prominent ALM tool offering robust management of software development processes, version control, and issue tracking. Proper configuration ensures access controls, secure development environments, and audit logging, contributing to secure code development practices (Atlassian, 2023).

Identity & Access Management (IAM) Tool

Okta’s Identity Management platform provides comprehensive IAM features, including single sign-on (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and lifecycle management. Okta’s cloud-based solution integrates with existing infrastructure, providing granular access controls and ensuring that only authorized personnel can access sensitive resources (Okta, 2023).

Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) / Unified Threat Management (UTM)

Splunk Enterprise Security is a leading SIEM platform delivering real-time security monitoring, event correlation, and incident management. It supports threat detection, compliance reporting, and automated responses, which strengthen defenses against internal and external threats (Splunk, 2023). Alternatively, Fortinet’s FortiGate UTM integrates multiple security functions—including firewall, VPN, intrusion prevention, and antivirus—into a single appliance, offering simplified management and consolidated threat protection (Fortinet, 2023).

Forensic Image Capture Utility

FTK Imager by AccessData provides forensic image capture capabilities, enabling the preservation of digital evidence for investigations. It supports write-blocking, hash verification, and export functions, essential for incident response activities (AccessData, 2023).

Summary Implementation Recommendations

Implementing the proposed security strategies with the recommended products will significantly bolster Sifers-Grayson’s cybersecurity defenses. The DMZ setup using Cisco routers, SonicWall firewalls, and Cisco IDS/IPS will offer a strong perimeter defense, mitigating external threats and controlling remote access. Concurrently, deploying enterprise-wide tools such as Atlassian Jira for ALM, Okta for IAM, Splunk or Fortinet UTM for detection and prevention, and FTK Imager for forensic investigations will enhance internal security controls and incident handling capabilities.

These combined measures will foster a resilient security environment that ensures confidentiality, integrity, and availability of organizational assets. Continuous monitoring, regular updates, staff training, and adherence to security policies are essential to maximize the effectiveness of these technological investments. Ultimately, these strategies serve as foundational components to support Sifers-Grayson’s mission of safeguarding its information systems against evolving threats.

References

  • AccessData. (2023). FTK Imager. Retrieved from https://accessdata.com/products FTK-imager
  • Atlassian. (2023). Jira Software. Retrieved from https://www.atlassian.com/software/jira
  • Cisco. (2023). Cisco Firepower Threat Defense. Retrieved from https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/security/firepower-threat-defense.html
  • Cisco. (2023). Cisco ISR 4000 Series Integrated Services Routers. Retrieved from https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/routers/ ISR-4000-series/ index.html
  • Fortinet. (2023). FortiGate UTM. Retrieved from https://www.fortinet.com/products/fortigate/fortigate-utm
  • Okta. (2023). Identity & Access Management. Retrieved from https://www.okta.com/products/identity-management/
  • SonicWall. (2023). Network Security Firewalls. Retrieved from https://www.sonicwall.com/products/firewalls/
  • Splunk. (2023). Enterprise Security. Retrieved from https://www.splunk.com/en_us/solutions/enterprise-security.html
  • Statista Research. (2022). The importance of cybersecurity in modern organizations. Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/topics/5587/cybersecurity/
  • National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). (2018). Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity. NIST ITL.

Related Assignments