Sucure your Cisco Routers

How to secure your network with Cisco Routers

• Security passwords configuration
• Pass phrases configuration
• Secure administrative access
• Secure Telnet and SSH
• Maintain Router activity logs

Before we learn how to secure Cisco routers, lets briefly summarise the role routers play in network security

The Role of Routers in Network Security

As you must have known, routers are used to route traffic between different networks based on Layer 3 IP addresses and provide access to network segment and sub networks. So said, that makes routers the definite targets for network attackers. When the border router of an organisation’s network is compromised or gained access to, unauthorized, it poses a potential threat to its sensitive information and other network services and resources.

Routers can be compromised in many ways, (Trust exploitation and MITM attacks) and this exposes the internal network configuration or components to scans and attacks.

In summary, two primary roles router plays in a network.

• Advertise networks and filter (permit/deny) who can use them.
• Provide access to network segments and subnetworks