Network security is defined as the proper safeguarding of all components associated with a network, including data, media and infrastructure. There are three main elements of network security - assessment, use of best tools, and deployment of access controls.
In many assessments, the most overlooked aspect is the threat of attacks from inside the network. Reasonable levels of security are needed to ensure that the files on the main host of a multi-drop system for instance are not accessible by the secondary hosts. The same could be said of the host in a tree design being inaccessible by the computers in the second and third levels.
The type of information contained on the network also determines the level of security needed to prevent attacks from outside the network. Basic firewalls will prevent most low level attacks but if the information needs to be well protected then a higher level of security would need to be employed. Advice on all levels of security can be found on the web (click here).
