Every day, organizations get attacked countless times, targeting their networks and systems to steal sensitive data, intellectual property, etc. Due to this, ensuring the security of your network has never been more critical. One of the effective ways to safeguard your network is through a network security audit. 

A network security audit is the evaluation of an organization’s network architecture to identify security gaps, risks, and issues related to compliance. In this blog, we’ll explain how to Perform a Comprehensive Network Security Audit step by step to protect your network from cyber threats. 

Step 1:Defining the scope of the Network Security Audit

Before you start the network security audit, it is important to define the scope of the audit. The scope outlines the objectives of the network security usually includes

  • Areas and which network components will be audited, such as routers, servers, endpoint, etc.
  • Desired Outcome- looking for vulnerabilities or ensuring compliance.
  • Deciding tools and resources need to conduct the audit.

Once the scope and objectives are finalized, you can create a plan and timeline to carry out the audit.

Step 2:Mapping the Network

The second step is to collect and review all the data related to the network. This will help pentesters and you to map the network for analyzing the flow of data across the network, where sensitive data is stored, and where the security gaps lie. For proper mapping, you need to prepare the list of,

  • All routers, switches, and access points.
  • Servers and endpoints(including web servers, database servers, file servers, laptops, IoT devices, etc.).
  • Documenting VPN connections, remote workers, and third-party vendor access points.
  • User accounts along with associated permissions.

Step 3:Reviewing Network Security Policies

A comprehensive network security audit involves reviewing the current network security policies and procedures. These policies govern how users are authenticated, how data is secured during transit, and incident response during security incidents. In simple, network security policy review involves

  • Password policies-Does it requires complexity(length, MFA),regular password updates, etc
  • Data encryption during transit(SSL/TLS).
  • Backup procedures
  • Access control least privilege followed properly, how permissions for users are given, etc.

Step 4:Network Security Audit

The fourth step is reviewing and assessing the network based on the scope. This phase can be outsourced or sometimes carried out by a third-party company to get a fresh perspective, or an in-house team can do it.

During this phase, you can evaluate and identify the potential risks, vulnerabilities, and weaknesses that could serve as a potential entry point for threat actors or could compromise the network. For a comprehensive analysis, certain frameworks and methodologies can be used to assess the network.

Key areas need to be focused on during the network security audit

👉Network architecture: Assessing the overall design of the network to understand how it behaves during intrusion and whether the network is segmented properly to minimize the breach. Are critical systems and sensitive data servers isolated? Etc. Moreover, it is important to produce a map of how intruders can move laterally in the network to seal the gaps.

👉Firewall and IDS/IPS: Assess whether firewalls and Intrusion Detection/Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS) are configured properly to block unauthorized traffic and trigger alerts to security teams. Poorly configured Intrusion Detection/Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS) could be bypassed by threat actors without triggering an alert.

Related Reading:Understanding Firewalls: A Key Component of Network Security

👉Patch Management: Outdated or unpatched software can become the entry point for attackers. So ensure that operating systems, firmware of modems, routers, and security software are all up-to-date with the latest security patches.

Step 5:Documenting Findings

Once the network security audit is completed, the next step is to document the findings. The audit report should be comprehensive and clearly explain the network audit scope, objective, tools, and methods used during the audit. It should also include a detailed summary of results, vulnerabilities, and risks discovered during the audit, along with recommendations to fix them.

The audit report is presented to key stakeholders such as IT leaders, senior management, security teams, etc. This documentation will be reviewed and updated in future autis to track improvements and monitor repeated issues during future network security audits.

Step 6:Implementing Fixes

The final step in the network security audit is to implement the recommended fixes. After implementing the fixes, it is essential to monitor the effectiveness of the audit recommendations to ensure the fixes are not causing new vulnerabilities or issues.

Conclusion

Performing a network security audit is vital for organizations of all sizes and cost-effective compared to the potential cost associated with breach-such as legal fines and compliance penalties can sometimes bankrupt the business. A well-conducted network security audit mitigates risks by providing a clear picture of an organization’s security posture, enabling senior management and policymakers to make informed decisions while scaling or updating the network.