Re: Down with DHCP!!!!

["Chris Barber" <cmbarber () gmail com>]

I am going to get right to the point.  I have been doing security for
several years in both DoD and Public sector.  As a Security
professional you NEED Management on your side, and you want the
Network, Server, and PC folks to be friends, not enemies.  It is your
job to create policy, and verify that compliance is adhered to.  To
increase the work load on the Network, PC, and/or the server staff
will not makes friends, and may put you out of the Graces of
Management.

Work Smarter, get the PC folks, the Network Staff and the Server
andmins involved, in finding out the best way to get a grip on the
issue at hand.

In the eyes of most managers, and worer bees Security is the bad guy,
spending money and creating work for everyone.

I have found that working with Operational Staff makes Security easier
on everyone.  Now that does not mean that you have to relax security
because it creates work, but if you ease into itand get the buy in
from Network and Server, and PC admins then with them on YOUR side
work with Management to get Policy, procedure, or what have you, in
place you get what you want (A Secure Environment), and everyone plays
nice in the sand box.

Stepping off the soapbox...

Chris.

On 2/17/06, gigabit () satx rr com <gigabit () satx rr com> wrote:
> ok, some background...
>
> i have transfered from network engineering to the information security
> group for my company, which is mid-sized with about 2000 employees
> across 90 locations (financial).
>
> the lessons learned from being in network engineering is that they are
> first and foremost concerned with maintaining the production
> environment.  the management processes/procedures are completely
> disregarded if it is deemed necessary to "get something done".
>
> as i try to build out a security plan for how to deal with
> servers/routers/end users, i keep coming to the conclusion that it will
> be meaningless unless control can be taken over what the other
> department is doing (network engineering).  the one commonality for all
> devices on the network is that they have an IP address.
>
> i would like to propose to management that dhcp should be disabled, so
> as to force the building of a database that will hold all of the
> information needed to begin a comprehensive security policy.  the
> security group would manage the database to ensure that we are
> collecting information (such as O/S, IOS version, anti-virus
> compliance...)
>
> i realize this will incur more work for those poor souls that have to
> deploy hardware, but i believe the benefits out-weigh the costs.  the
> benefits i see:
>
> 1.  once a branch location is staticly addressed, we have a working
> inventory of what is out there.
>
> 2.  a more secure environment.  no longer can users bring in non-
> company owned devices and place them on our production network (which
> is already a policy---that isn't policed).
>
> 3.  i can setup automated scripts that check MAC addresses to IP
> addresses on the router ARP tables to check for spoofing.
>
> our branch locations don't change very often.....some are still on
> token ring for god's sake, so i don't really see that much more
> workload.
>
> Has anyone else dropped DHCP as a management/compliance decision?
>
> thanks.
>
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EARN A MASTER OF SCIENCE IN INFORMATION ASSURANCE - ONLINE
The Norwich University program offers unparalleled Infosec management
education and the case study affords you unmatched consulting experience.
Tailor your education to your own professional goals with degree
customizations including Emergency Management, Business Continuity Planning,
Computer Emergency Response Teams, and Digital Investigations.

http://www.msia.norwich.edu/secfocus
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