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Hardening Cisco Routers

By Thomas Akin
February 2002
Pages: 190
ISBN 10: 0-596-00166-5 | ISBN 13: 9780596001667
(Average of 4 Customer Reviews)

Description

This succinct book departs from other security literature by focusing exclusively on ways to secure Cisco routers, rather than the entire network. The rational is simple: If the router protecting a network is exposed to hackers, then so is the network behind it. This is a reference for protecting the protectors, and author Thomas Akin supplies all the tools necessary to turn a potential vulnerability into a strength.
Full Description

As a network administrator, auditor or architect, you know the importance of securing your network and finding security solutions you can implement quickly. This succinct book departs from other security literature by focusing exclusively on ways to secure Cisco routers, rather than the entire network. The rational is simple: If the router protecting a network is exposed to hackers, then so is the network behind it. Hardening Cisco Routers is a reference for protecting the protectors. Included are the following topics:

The importance of router security and where routers fit into an overall security plan
Different router configurations for various versions of Cisco?s IOS
Standard ways to access a Cisco router and the security implications of each
Password and privilege levels in Cisco routers
Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) control
Router warning banner use (as recommended by the FBI)
Unnecessary protocols and services commonly run on Cisco routers
SNMP security
Anti-spoofing
Protocol security for RIP, OSPF, EIGRP, NTP, and BGP
Logging violations
Incident response
Physical security

Written by Thomas Akin, an experienced Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and Certified Cisco Academic Instructor (CCAI), the book is well organized, emphasizing practicality and a hands-on approach. At the end of each chapter, Akin includes a Checklist that summarizes the hardening techniques discussed in the chapter. The Checklists help you double-check the configurations you have been instructed to make, and serve as quick references for future security procedures. Concise and to the point, Hardening Cisco Routers supplies you with all the tools necessary to turn a potential vulnerability into a strength. In an area that is otherwise poorly documented, this is the one book that will help you make your Cisco routers rock solid.

Featured customer reviews

Review, May 02 2005

Rating:

Submitted by Craig [Respond | View]

Love this book as a good reference for any new router I roll out to tighten down. Quick, easy to read and understand and good examples. I did wish for some more Access-list examples but overall a great book.

Hardening Cisco Routers Review, December 03 2003

Rating:

Submitted by kain [Respond | View]

I buy this book to harden my cisco, I expected that in it were covered aspects such access list examples, how to deny ping from an external resource but not internal, acl sorting, how to protect against ddos, virus, how to secure a lan and so on.

the author focuses on some points: lines, tacacs, aaa, ntp and one or more acls for those.

who cares, these material can be searched all over te internet, I've learned much more on newsgroup that with this book, and it costs me pretty much since i'm not a us/canadian citizen.

Hardening Cisco Routers Review, February 12 2003

Rating:

Submitted by Peter Broad [Respond | View]

I found the book short and succinct while giving me "best practice" information. As an IT Auditor it gave me a high level appreciation and understanding for the risks and vulnerabilites of poorly configured routers without overwhelming me with too much detailed technical information.

I now have enough high level information to allow me to talk with network administrators. It clearly and easily gives me a benchmark to measure against while demonstrating the basic fundamental steps which can to be taken to harden the routers to mitigate the highest risks.

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Hardening Cisco Routers Review, June 03 2002

Rating:

Submitted by Edward J. Dzialo, CCIE 4440 [Respond | View]

A Great Starter Book

This short (~160 pages) but informative book covers a wide range of security "precautions" for Cisco routers. It provides a foundation on how to limit or mitigate the risk of your Cisco router being attacked or compromised. These ideas and recommendations are a great help to anyone, even if you are an experienced Cisco router engineer or just starting out; all though the book assumes that you have hands on knowledge and experience configuring Cisco routers. As I read chapter after chapter, I found that a few very difficult to understand topics were presented fairly clearly but still difficult for a new beginner, and thus the more experience you have the more you will take out of this book.

Some of the best parts of the book have delved into topic that technical experts will sometimes forget. It explains what risk is and why routers for most are critical links today with "e-business" being mission critical. It should make you think about what the cost are to you being attacked both by reputation and real losses like lost sales, i.e. no email or web server available. This book touches all aspects of security, like physical issues, and better yet recovery after an incident. (But don't wait till then before you read the book or that chapter.)

The best part of the book is how it devotes just the right amount of time to each topic and indicates that if you have not understood a technology, where to go and, better yet, the author conveys that you need to get the jist of things and any work to help harden your router is worth the effort. I like the router configuration examples as well as summaries in each chapter and an over-all router configuration with all recommendations implemented.

This is a must read for anyone in charge of a router connected to the Internet, in essence it provides "rules-of-thumb" that make it harder for the attacker to do damage.

Media reviews
"This is a small book, but every Network Engineer should have a copy in his/her library. Invaluable!"
-- Rob Dauman, Tech on Tech

"This slim tome is a veritable gem of a book. It is written in a logical and clear style that permits reading from start to finish, but each specific section is complete in it's own right and, as such, allows the reader to pick up the book and dip read satisfactorily.... I learnt things from this book, and for me that is the best recommendation I can give."
--Raza Rizvi, news@uk, June 2002

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"This is a small book, but every Network Engineer should have a copy in his/her library. Invaluable!"
--Rob Dauman, Tech on Tech

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