NAC protection extends to VoIP

Network Access Control This newsletter is sponsored by Netpro Active Directory real-time monitoring, auditing and reporting on all critical changes Auditing Active Directory plays a crucial role in operational, troubleshooting and security issues. However, the tools in Windows Server can be limited and difficult to use in creating a cohesive change management and audit process. In this whitepaper, you'll learn how to manage and protect your Windows infrastructure with fast and easy methods to audit changes, troubleshoot, restore and report within Active Directory. Also, find out what areas of Active Directory you should be auditing to support security policies and regulatory compliance. Network World's Network Access Control Newsletter, 07/12/07 NAC protection extends to VoIP By Tim Greene NAC has trouble giving much information about network devices that can’t be scanned for virus software, operating system patches, firewall configuration and the like. This is particularly true of VoIP phones, which likely run on proprietary operating systems and won’t submit to a NAC client for scanning or even external probing for much data. NAC can’t supply the same depth of information about a VoIP phone as it can about a PC. But that doesn’t mean NAC is useless in the task of protecting VoIP. For instance, the most common threat to VoIP is a denial-of-service attack, and to the extent that NAC can prevent infected machines from launching these attacks, it also protects VoIP. Get Everyone from the CEO to the MySpace Generation to Support Your Security Plans. September 10-11, 2007 | The Fairmont Chicago How do you get everyone from the boardroom to the mailroom to comply with your security initiatives? Come collaborate with peers on critical business topics like this at The Security Standard-the only business summit for senior security executives. For the latest in planning and management strategies. Click here for more details. Click here for more details Similarly, if infected machines are used to launch attacks against known operating system vulnerabilities, it could impair VoIP gear based on those operating systems. If NAC reduces the number of infected machines that access networks by flagging them, it reduces the number of these attacks against VoIP equipment. Servers necessary to VoIP can be scanned in more depth by NAC devices than VoIP handsets, and they are also susceptible to infection. To the extent that NAC can expose these machines before they do damage, it can protect the voice network. Some exploits against call servers has made it possible to take over the machines, leaving the voice network open to fraud and abuse. So while NAC doesn’t evaluate all VoIP gear in the same ways it does desktops and laptops, NAC’s generalized threat mitigation value does extend to VoIP and can be considered an important layer of protection for voice networks.   What do you think? Post a comment on this newsletter

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Contact the author: Tim Greene is a senior editor at Network World, covering network access control, virtual private networking gear, remote access, WAN acceleration and aspects of VoIP technology. You can reach him at tgreene@nww.com. This newsletter is sponsored by Netpro Active Directory real-time monitoring, auditing and reporting on all critical changes Auditing Active Directory plays a crucial role in operational, troubleshooting and security issues. However, the tools in Windows Server can be limited and difficult to use in creating a cohesive change management and audit process. In this whitepaper, you'll learn how to manage and protect your Windows infrastructure with fast and easy methods to audit changes, troubleshoot, restore and report within Active Directory. Also, find out what areas of Active Directory you should be auditing to support security policies and regulatory compliance. ARCHIVE Archive of the Network Access Control Newsletter. BONUS FEATURE IT PRODUCT RESEARCH AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Get detailed information on thousands of products, conduct side-by-side comparisons and read product test and review results with Network World’s IT Buyer’s Guides. Find the best solution faster than ever with over 100 distinct categories across the security, storage, management, wireless, infrastructure and convergence markets. Click here for details. PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE You've got the technology snapshot of your choice delivered to your inbox each day. Extend your knowledge with a print subscription to the Network World newsweekly, Apply here today. International subscribers, click here. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES To subscribe or unsubscribe to any Network World newsletter, change your e-mail address or contact us, click here. This message was sent to: networking.world@gmail.com. Please use this address when modifying your subscription. Advertising information: Write to Associate Publisher Online Susan Cardoza Network World, Inc., 118 Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA 01772 Copyright Network World, Inc., 2007