After transitioning out of the military, you were contacted by a medium-sized start-up company that processes credit card transactions on a daily basis. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and other business staff have no knowledge of network security or the threats they face. They have an open position for a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), but have yet to fill it. Thus, they hire you as a consultant for your expertise in network security, firewalls, and VPN solutions.

This is a short term engagement that lasts 30 days. At the end of your contract, because of your expertise and firsthand view of their system, the CEO requests a 4-6 page report summarizing your recommendation for improving and updating their company's security system(s). If they find your suggestions sound an appropriate they will offer you the position of CISO.

The CEO tells you they will have remote users, so firewall and VPN technologies are needed. They provide you with the following report outline to use submission (must be included in the report):

1. Introduction

2. Overview of network security fundamentals, security threats, and issues.

3. Detailed network security recommendations. Include the following:

· Fundamentals of firewalls and VPNs
· Recommendations for firewall and VPN solutions for the new company
· Recommendations for implementing your proposed solutions
· Practices that you will use to ensure security within the enterprise if they hire you long term. You may make these as sub-sections if you'd like (e.g., 3.1 Fundamentals of Firewalls and VPNs, 3.2 Recommended Firewall and VPN Solutions, etc.)

4. Summary - this section should be short, a paragraph or two.