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VPN Security

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by integrity 1 view

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This question may seem silly or odd to some of you but here it is:

At the moment I'm studying for the CISCO CCNA certificate and I'm at the point where the topic is VPNs and VLANs, I think I understand how to secure a VPN or VLAN but obviously not that sure otherwise I wouldn't post this question:

Does VPN include File and Folder security like NTFS does?
I have this friend who says when you have a VPN setup you don't need the likes of NTFS as VPN provides this sort of basic security for you, my understanding was the VPNs and VLANs were a secure way of end point to end point WAN or LAN connections based on MAC, IP, ACLs etc and this was hardware solutions provided by for example CISCO, I do understand that there are other devices on the market such as PIX Firewall.
I also know that an ACL can be built within routers etc.

So basically my question is this, does VPN and VLAN connections do away with the need for file and folder security?

Should I be listening to this friend or not?

With thanks

Jeff

3 replies

by shanghai sam

Well, I wouldn’t hire your friend to run my network. You have blended three completely different technologies into your question. Let’s quickly define each of these.

VLAN – According to Cisco, “a Virtual LAN enables you togroup users (computers) into a common broadcast domain regardless of their physical location in the network. Creating VLANs improve performance and security in the switched network by controlling broadcast propagation.” It only attempts to control what computers can talk to each other and the routing of data. Does not implement any user level security checks as to file and resource use.

VPN – VPNs are used to extend networks across distances by the use of other networks as connection points. Basically connecting trusted networks in two different areas by creating a virtual circuit across and through untrusted networks, the Internet. It only attempts to ensure integrity and privacy of your data as it moves through the untrusted networks. Also does not implement any user level checks on file and resource use.

File and Print security – NTFS allows you to assign permissions to objects, usually files, printers and the like. You can allow specific users or groups of users to use or access an object. Or you can deny them access. This is done at two levels: local access and network access, with the most restrictive being the final permission.

Now, putting it all together. You would use the VLAN to allow certain computers talk to each other and act as if they were on the same local network even though many routers separate them. If the computers were so far apart that they needed to cross untrusted networks to talk to each other, then you would use a VLAN to enable this. Once all this is worked out, a user on the network will attempt to access a file located on some other server, at this point the NTFS file permissions ultimately dec

by integrity

Thankyou very much AaronH, I would like to say at this point that although I am only starting the CISCO route I do hold, Network+, MCP, MCP+I and MCSE, so I didn't think for a minute that this was the case, I just needed someone else to back me up on this. I have only started the VPN and VLAN sections so I do have to learn a lot more about it before I can say that I know it but I do follow what you said and I thankyou.

Can you please let me know your qualifications in order to provide proofto my friend that you are not just another person who thinks he knows, in another words someone like him, I myself if I'm not sure will ask this is the reason I joined TechRepublic in the first place.

Again Thankyou

Jeff

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