Ping Sweeps and Port Scans Essay

Recently, it was brought to my caution that there be concerns about few activities on the mesh topology that can be considered less than trus 2rthy. Specifically, the concerns atomic number 18 regarding profits employment called knock sweeps and manner stares. Im putting together this paper to let off how knock sweeps and port scans impact our network traffic.First we must take what these two things do before we can clear how they are economic consumptiond to impact a network. Ill get off with ping sweeps. A ping sweep is a directize that is sent to a draw of instruments on a network to simply recognize if there is a reply back. This is through via an ICMP Echo request that is sent to apiece mould.The ICMP Echo request is a signal sent out to an IP hide requesting an answer back. More commonly know as a ping. The ping pull up stakes wait for a response from every machine that is utilize the IP citation specified in the ping and allow let the person rate ing the ping know if the port the machine is using on the network is open or not.The ping sweep takes the ping to the succeeding(a) level as it will send these pings out to a large range of IP addresses requesting responses back. It lets the person sending the ping sweep know what machines are bouncy and what machines are off. It is an easy way for a less than scrupulous person to consider where they might be able to move an intrusion at.But please understand that ping sweeps are not merely used by intruders trying to part our network or other criminal actions. Ping sweeps are as well utilise by our own networking personnel for use in troubleshooting issues on the network. Its is alike used in resolving licensing issues as well. So not all ping sweeps are bad for the network.Port scans are a animal that takes ping sweeps to the attached level. The goal of a port scan is to actually see a machine on the network by searching for machines. Of course, the machine must be ca ter on for the port scan to come up it. When it does find a machine that is powered on, the port scan will start getting to work.The port scan will scan for a port on the machine once its find one. It will then determine what run are running on the port that its discovered. This is important to the intruder because it gives them the randomness they need to take over the machine running on the discovered port. The assay to our network from Ping sweeps port scans is minimal. We receive several tools at our disposal that are catamenialy acting to block away ping sweeps and port scans from intruding on our network.The biggest protection we currently have in tail end is our hardware and bundle firewalls. They are configured to help block entry echo requests and protect unauthorized intrusions on our machines. With that being said though, we must eer work with the assumption that we are conquerable to attack. This is because every day somebody somewhere is trying to figure ou t a way to get past the current protection technology that is in place. No network on the planet is on the whole locked down from intrusion and there is no exception. Education is also the key to staying protect against intrusions.Automated updates are in place on all our security software so that we continue to stay up to date with our security patches. Continuing our command of the employees within the company on network security by providing the latest readings on threats or via monthly newsletters will also continue. This, I believe, will provide the heightened cognizance desired and protect our information stored or shared on our network.