IDS, IPS, or Honeypot currently offered by product vendors and cloud service providers. You will be making a security recommendation, related to the protection of a target network of your choice.

There are a few different paths you may take in this lab, so let's address some of the distinguishing features and definitions that are out there.

IDS and IPS Overview

An intrusion detection system (IDS) generally detects and logs known intrusions or anomalous network activity. Generally, no real-time protection actually occurs, therefore false-positives create little or no damage. Optionally, suspicious network traffic can be routed to an alternate network, such as a honeypot.

An intrusion protection system (IPS) generally detects, logs, and then blocks known intrusions or anomalous network activity. False-positives are an issue and will result in a self-inflicted denial of service condition. Optionally, suspicious network traffic can be routed to an alternate network, such as a honeypot.

Honeypot Overview

Honeypots come in several broad categories. The most common labels we apply to them are research honeypots, active honeypots, and offensive honeypots. They are designed to do what their label suggests, and here is a brief summary.

Note: Seek qualified legal advice before deploying any type of honeypot.

Research honeypots generally collect and analyze data about the attacks against a decoy-network. They can also route the attacker to new decoy-networks, to gather more details about the potential attacks. The data gathered are used to understand the attacks and strengthen the potential target networks.

Active honeypots have many of the features found in a research honeypot, but they also hold special content that, once taken by the attackers, can be used as evidence by investigators and law enforcement. For example, active honeypots may have database servers containing a fake bank account or credit card information.

Offensive honeypots are configured with many of the features of the active honeypots, with one interesting and dangerous addition: they are designed to damage the attacker. When used outside of your own network, this type of honeypot can result in vigilantism, attacks against false-targets, and may result in criminal charges against the honeypot operators. Offensive honeypots are not recommended for non-law-enforcement organizations. However, when used fully within your own network, this technique can detect and neutralize the attacker.

Any of the above services can be implemented on a privately managed network, or through a cloud service. The selection of one platform over another will generally determine where the specific protection occurs-on your network or in the cloud.

The reason for this lab is to give you an understanding of how special network technology can be used as a security research tool, while also providing varying degrees of protection.

Deliverables

Document Authoring Guidelines

Each section will vary in size based on the requirements. Drive yourself to create a useful document for the direction you have selected.

Lab Document Framework

The Target Network: Indicate the type of activities and data that it supports in a few sentences. For example, it is the website for an educational institution that holds personal academic and financial information, or it is the network used to control devices in a chemical plant.

Use your imagination, but select something that is real and meaningful to you.

The Protection System: Select one from the presented list (Step 2), or choose your own protection technology, if it is highly relevant.