Enterasys Networks 9034385 manual Diverse Security Posture Compliance Verification

Model 3: End-System Authorization with Assessment

•Application configuration

The NAC solution can determine which services and applications are installed and enabled on the end‐system. Certain applications should be removed from the device prior to establishing connectivity because they may have a negative impact on the operation of the end‐system, distract the end user from business functions, or be used to launch attacks on the network. Furthermore, particular services may be outdated and vulnerable to attack. These services should either be updated or disabled to minimize the risk to connecting end‐systems on the network. The NAC solution facilitates this reconfiguration of applications on an end‐system prior to network connection, to ensure maximum security and productivity when the device connects.

Diverse Security Posture Compliance Verification

In order for a NAC solution to be effective, inclusion of all end‐systems in the network environment must be addressed when detecting, authenticating, assessing, and authorizing devices. The Enterasys NAC solution supports a diverse end‐system environment, and provides integrated security and management regardless of what type of devices are connected to the business network.

Enterasys leverages two assessment models: agent‐based and agent‐less. An agent‐based assessment and an agent‐less assessment are both critical to ensuring that any end‐system of any type can be included in the NAC process. There are several reasons why both assessment models are critical to a complete NAC solution. Security agents loaded onto managed end‐ systems offer extensive assessment capabilities. If an agent is required, a new end‐system connecting to the network that has not downloaded the agent can be quarantined and redirected to a web page. The web page provides information on how the agent can be downloaded and installed on the end‐system to begin its assessment.

However, there are types of end‐systems in a typical network that may not be able to load a software agent, such as IP phones, security cameras, or printers. If a security agent is not available for a device (or the operating systems running the device), an agent‐less approach is the only way to assess the end‐system. In addition, consider end‐systems that could normally hold an agent, but are not under the control of the IT organization. In the case of guest networking that provides support for contractors, vendors, and the public, the desire may be to support minimal or specific network services, but still ensure the safety and security of the network and the people using it. It is not enough to simply use a network usage policy to restrict the services a guest user is allowed to access. Because the guest is leveraging the same network infrastructure as the critical business users, it is important that proactive security measures are applied to the guest just as they are to a managed user. This is another case where an agent‐less approach to end‐system assessment can be critical to ensuring a comprehensive NAC strategy.

Both the agent‐based and the agent‐less assessment models can be deployed and integrated together in the Enterasys NAC solution.

Enterasys NAC Design Guide 2-11