Network Security, Firewalls, and VPNs, 3rd Edition

Controlling Communication Pathways

Controlling the flow of information is a key element of network security. This involves ensuring that data travels along pathways isolated, secured, and controlled, and not along pathways that are public, insecure, and uncontrolled. Part of communication pathway control is about topology selection, but it is also about router configuration, encrypted protocols, physical access management, and filtering.

Router Configuration

Routers are the primary network devices administrators use to control the pathways that communications traverse. Failing to design router configuration and deployment with security in mind is a serious oversight. Routers make real-time determinations of the best available path to a ...