Computer Science Security

4Techniques and Tools for Controlling Access, ACL and Firewalls

4.1. Introduction

Network traffic is always increasing in large measure and making the load on routers moving information around more and more difficult, and the quantity of data more and more voluminous. Moreover, a large part of this information constitutes parasitic elements controlled by hackers and unauthorized entities. The appropriate solution for this is to filter traffic and only allow legitimate parties to communicate through a network, which on the one hand limits the quantity of data processed, and on the other hand, eliminates potential sources of attack. These filters can be configured on routers and are named ACLs (access control lists).

To protect a critical location (laboratory, control room, etc.) in a company, it must be isolated and access to the location must be logged. In computing, measures for securing a system are similar and are done through a firewall that allows it to be isolated and for access to be tracked. A firewall is the most important security tool; it is the key element in any security measure. Moreover, the principle of firewalling and more specifically, filtering, is present in numerous security tools, and here, in the network connection equipment (Router, Level 3 Switch) in the form of ACLs.

4.2. Access control list

ACL is the acronym for access control list; it is a list of ordered filters called access control entry, which is applied to traffic leaving or entering through ...