As a person that makes a living being a network techy there’s something I often wonder.
How many folks actually undertake any form of network maintenance? And by network I am meaning the bits of kit that allow your computer to talk to another for whatever reason. A quick google search would seem to imply that most folks think network maintenance to be checking on your PC’s, printers and servers.
I don’t, and here’s a list of some of the things I think you should do or have in place.
- Do you change default passwords on network kit?
- Do you change passwords when people leave?
- Do you actively seek out bug fixes and apply them?
- Do you store copies of your network configs?
- Do you have network drawings?
- Are they checked for accuracy periodically?
- Do you even monitor your network for problems?
- Do you have a baseline performance level that you periodically check against?
- Do you look for rogue Access Points or modems?
- What process do you have in place in case of hardware faults?
- Do you have a documented change process?
These are just some of the things one should do (and I’m certain you have more) – but I’m constantly amazed at how lax people are.
We know, from constant polls, blogs, etc that most attacks on a network occur from internal users. I forget the exact figure now (I’m sure Google can help) but the point is whilst we know this and try to mitigate against it, we tend to forget that internal people sometimes become ex-internal people. Yet they still have that knowledge.
Just the other day I was doing an audit of files on my PC at home and discovered a list of passwords I’d created for my benefit at a prior employer. I know I shouldn’t have, but …. anyway, being one of their network guys I know the way in and amazingly I can almost guarantee they haven’t changed any of the passwords.
Why? Well because in the time I was there we never bothered when others left … and I doubt very much that attitude has changed.
Don’t get me wrong – I’m not about to use any of this info, I just find it interesting.
So what am I missing from my list?
Do you do any of these?
Everything on the list may be very necessary, but I think most people are lazy and too busy doing other 'important' things to create drawings of their network, monitor their performance, look for rogue connections, etc. This can be amusing, though. Like when my network was down last week, I jumped onto a neighbor's unencyrpted wireless to check my email. I don't know what neighbor, because the SSID is LinkSys####… And I think this type of thing goes on everywhere. – Chris ( @webovator )
Chris, you are likely right in asking how many do this.
I know I never used to, but as a matter of course I do this whenever changes are implemented. It's also factored into the time required to complete a change / install / etc.
One thing I didn't list that I fall foul to and that is not closing off for security flaws by not installing updates.
Chris – you are likely right that some folks are too lazy – but that doesn't make it right.
One of the things that drives me forward is in helping others realise what they should be doing. If they still choose to not do that afterwards then at least they do so in full (hopefully) knowledge of consequences.