The Company That Asked You To Install A Web Server And Prop

The Company Which Asked You To Install A Web Server And Properly Secur

The company which asked you to install a web server and properly secure it last week, has now asked you to expand the network you designed for their new Accounting Department. You will be building on Lab 1's environment for this lab. You will be adding 2 computers to the network which you built for Lab 1 and adding IPTables rules to isolate the traffic according to the directions below the System Specifications. Computers to be added to the network: -1 Ubuntu Desktop 14.04 workstation (1 NIC allowing the ability to connect through the firewall you built in Lab 1). This is a workstation for Accounting. -1 Ubuntu Server computer (1 NIC allowing the ability to connect through the firewall you built in Lab 1). This is your office file server (install Ubuntu 14.04). Connectivity Requirements -The web server needs to be able to access the internet only. the accounting workstation should only be able to connect to the Web server through the firewall (remember the port forwarding you implemented for Lab 1?). -The web server should have no connectivity to the file server. The accounting workstation should be able to connect to the Internet (and therefor to the web server) and to the file server. Report Requirements You will be submitting another formal lab report for this lab. You will need to follow Lab 1's Lab Report Format. You will need to have (at a minimum) screenshots documenting: -Accounting Workstation can ping iupui.edu -Web server cannot ping the file server. -Accounting workstation can ping the file server -Accounting workstation can view the index.html file on the web server in the web browser

Paper For Above instruction

The task of expanding a network to include additional Ubuntu-based computers and configuring appropriate security policies via IPTables is crucial in ensuring proper network segmentation and protection. This process involves careful planning of connectivity, implementing restrictions to control traffic flow between different network segments, and ensuring that essential services like web access remain available while minimizing security vulnerabilities.

Initially, the new network components consist of an Ubuntu Desktop workstation designated for accounting purposes and an Ubuntu Server functioning as a file server. Both machines require proper network interfaces, each equipped with a single NIC to facilitate connection through the existing firewall environment established in Lab 1. The firewall itself is configured with two NICs, one bridging to the host's network to facilitate external connectivity, and another internal interface managing traffic within the network segments using IPTables rules.

The connectivity requirements dictated that the web server should only access the internet without any internal network communication towards the file server. Conversely, the accounting workstation must be able to connect to the internet, access the web server through the preconfigured port forwarding rules, and establish connections to the file server. Importantly, the web server should not be able to initiate contact with or communicate with the file server to prevent potential security breaches. To enforce these constraints, IPTables rules are key, aligning with the principles of network segmentation and access control.

Setting up the environment begins with configuring static IP addresses for the web server and the file server to ensure consistent accessibility and proper network routing. The web server requires Apache and HTML pages to serve web content, confirmed through testing access to index.html via browsers. Limiting web server's outbound connectivity to the internet involves IPTables rules that restrict all outgoing traffic except for the necessary connection to the internet. Similarly, incoming rules allow traffic from the accounting workstation to the web server only on specified ports, implementing port forwarding where needed.

The security enforcement continues with IPTables rules that prevent the web server from communicating with the file server, safeguarding the internal data while allowing necessary traffic for the web service. The accounting workstation is configured to access both the internet and the file server, with rules permitting these connections explicitly. Testing includes verifying connectivity by ping commands and website viewing using browsers, coupled with screenshots to document successful access and isolation where expected.

In conclusion, expanding the network with additional Ubuntu computers and properly securing traffic with IPTables enhances the overall security posture while maintaining required functionalities. The implementation enforces strict segmentation, allowing only essential interactions such as internet access and web service connectivity, thereby reducing potential attack vectors. This exercise reinforces the importance of strategic firewall rule configuration, static IP management, and disciplined network architecture design in a business environment.

References

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