A national priority: Computer security (the basics)

Conference · Mon Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:5439294

Norton, F J

How much local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN) security do you need First answer this question: What would the damage be if the most sensitive information on your LAN/WAN were compromised '' If you answer Not much,'' then you need only to warn your users not to tape their passwords on their keyboards. But if the damage would be severe, then you must find out how secure you LAN/WAN is. It depends on several things: security features in you LAN/WAN operating system and applications, physical protection of the server and communications media, and the kinds of threats you want to guard against. You may not have considered all these items as a whole. Vendors have considered them piecemeal. As more nodes and LAN/WANs are interconnected, users are unable to provide adequate safeguards. You may be able to plug one security threat easily, but your system likely has holes somewhere else. Knowing you risks will strengthen your position. Here is a LAN/WAN security checkup plan to help you locate the risks and avoid them. This is an abbreviated version of the original document not yet published. 25 refs.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5439294
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JC-107834; CONF-9109244--1; ON: DE91017667
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
990200* -- Mathematics & Computers
COMMUNICATIONS
COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE
COMPUTER CODES
COMPUTER NETWORKS
MANAGEMENT
RISK ASSESSMENT
SAFEGUARDS
SECURITY