Reference no: EM132508391

BN305 Virtual Private Networks Assignment - Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia

Assessment Title - SSL/TLS VPN Technologies

Purpose of the assessment (with ULO Mapping) - The purpose of this assignment is to review existing literatures on important VPN technologies and issues and write a report. The report must be specific to the given topics, use appropriate examples and detail of the topic given to develop a review paper. In addition, students expected to investigate the use of VPN technology by installing a demo on virtual box or laptop to demonstrate the concept. In preparing the assignment, students should acquire not only the knowledge of current technical aspects of VPN but also research, data collection, analysis and writing skills. Students should be able to demonstrate their achievements in the following unit learning outcomes:

a. Explain the significance of VPN for contemporary organisations.

b. Discuss the role of VPN to support the security of businesses.

c. Demonstrate the use of VN client.

Assignment Topics - Objective: Your tasks are to analyse and to write a report about the processes and the security technologies being used when you access any website (which uses HTTPS) online via a web browser, as well as having the ability to remotely accessing your company network online securely. It is a well-known fact that the Internet is a public network and every single message you exchange with the server can potentially be intercepted by attackers. You need to analyse in detail to address the technologies and techniques that can be used to prevent attackers from modifying the communication between you and web server in addition to keeping your passwords and other details safe.

A. Assignment1-a (Literature Review):

Research about the different methods for securing the transfer of information across internet service provider. This should include the following:

1. You need to explain the significance of VPN for contemporary organisations. This should cover the different encryption protocols for VPN implementation, including a comparison of SSL/VPN and IPSEC/VPN.

2. IPsec uses the Internet Key Exchange (IKE) protocol to negotiate and establish secured siteto-site or remote-access VPN tunnels. Investigate how Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances (ASA 5500 Series) would support IPsec and IKE.

3. Discuss the role of VPN in supporting the security of businesses, and describe the advantages of SSL/VPN over IPSEC/VPN.

4. The rapid proliferation of mobile devices increases on a daily basis, investigate how Cisco AnyConnect is designed to secure the connections from these mobile devices.

5. Search for free VPN client solution and explain the process of setup by comparing at least three different solutions.

You are also required to address the following topics and task in details:

Assignment1-b:

B. VPN, Authentication and Access Control

You need to visit a particular web site and discuss the following points:

1. Analyse and write report on how the browser ensures that it is communicating to the right server. Please visit a website and add screenshots also highlighting the related part. Explain how SSL and TLS provide authentication?

2. Describe how digital signatures work and what role pays in the authentication process, add the relevant screenshot from your web browser showing the details of signature. What happens during certificate verification?

3. Analyse and comment on how the server make sure that it is communicating to the right client, discuss several methods; e.g. if you are using MIT Moodle, how the server verifies that it's actually YOU?

C. Confidentiality and Integrity

1. Analyse and write a report on how the confidentiality and integrity is achieved in SSL communication, and how server & client agree on one cipher suit?

2. Explain what is the role of symmetric encryption and hash algorithms in SSL communication. Add/take screenshots from your browser showing symmetric encryption and hash details.

3. Describe the VPN client software options

D. Anti-Replay

1. Analyse and write a report on how the anti-replay attacks are mitigated in SSL communication.

2. How to protect your organization against SSL attacks?

E. VPN client installation

1. Download a free VPN (eg. Hide me) and install in on virtual box or on your Laptop.

2. Check and note down your terminal IP address before enabling the VPN. Use traceroute yahoo and note down the result including the gateways. (take snapshot of the result).

3. Enable the VPN, check and note down the terminal IP address. Use traceroute yahoo.com and note down the result including the gateways. (take snapshot of the result).

4. Compare the result of steps 2 and 3 and explain the impact of using VPN.

Instructions for Assignment1-b -

1. To enhance your understanding of the technology in this report you are required to describe how the technology works theoretically, as well as you need to perform some small practical activities and include the screenshots and the descriptions of them.

2. Include cover page with the subject name, the assignment name, the student name and ID, submission date.

3. Include table of contents.

4. Include tables and figures.

5. Ensure that all the figures are numbered and names based on figure's caption. You have to refer to the figures you add in the contexts.

6. Strictly follow the IEEE reference format for in-body citations and the references section.

7. You can use trustable online resources and documentations from well-known technology companies such as Microsoft, Cisco, Juniper and etc.

Note - Need only part B.