PerformanceLabReport2KimitaCowinsCIS502.pdf

CIS502 – Performance Lab Report 2 Template – Due Week 6

otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

Strayer University CIS502 Theories of Security Management

Lab Title: Week 6 Assignment - Performance Lab Report 2

Submitted by:

Kimita Cowins

February 16, 2025

CIS502 – Performance Lab Report 2 Template – Due Week 6

otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

Instructions:

• Column 1 provides the lab number, title, and a brief description of the lab.

• In Column 2 you will summarize in three to five sentences the key lessons you learned from completing the

lab.

Lab

Key Lessons Learned

(No more than 3 to 5 sentences)

Lesson 5

5.2.2 Configuring Default Routing

In this lab, you will learn to configure default routing.

Routing enables communication between two different

networks. Networks are differentiated by two different

subnets. Default routing is used in forwarding packets

whose destination address does not match any route in

the routing table.

This lab demonstrated how to configure default routing on

network devices to ensure traffic is properly directed when no

specific route exists for a destination. The default route serves as

a fallback for packets with no defined path, which helps maintain

network traffic flow and prevent packet loss in situations where

routing information is incomplete. This skill is essential for

optimizing network communication and enhancing overall

performance.

5.2.4 Finding the Physical and Logical Address of a

LAN Adapter

In this lab, you will obtain hardware and logical information

of a network adapter. A network adapter is the component

of a computer's internal hardware that is used for

communicating over a network with another computer.

This lab focused on identifying both the physical (MAC) and

logical (IP) addresses of a LAN adapter. Using tools like

ipconfig and getmac, users can retrieve these addresses, which

are critical for ensuring proper communication within the

network. Knowing how to obtain these addresses aids in

troubleshooting network connectivity issues and verifying the

accurate identification of devices.

CIS502 – Performance Lab Report 2 Template – Due Week 6

otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

Lab

Key Lessons Learned

(No more than 3 to 5 sentences)

5.2.5 Getting the UDP Settings and the Current

Connection Statistics of UDP

In this lab, you will get the user datagram protocol (UDP)

settings. UDP communicates with the user by sending

data over an IP network.

The lab provided an opportunity to examine the UDP settings

and connection statistics of active UDP connections. While

UDP is connectionless, monitoring these settings helps

identify network performance issues, especially for real-time

applications. Understanding these connection statistics is

important for network administrators seeking to ensure

efficient communication.

5.3.1 Tracing Route Using Tracert

In this lab, you will learn to trace routes using the Windows

tracert command. This command helps us identify the path

a packet travels from source to destination.

The tracert command was explored in this lab to trace the path

network packets take from one device to another. By

examining each hop along the route, network delays and

bottlenecks can be identified, which is essential for

troubleshooting network issues. This tool helps network

professionals understand data flow across network segments

and identify areas that may require optimization.

CIS502 – Performance Lab Report 2 Template – Due Week 6

otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

Lab

Key Lessons Learned

(No more than 3 to 5 sentences)

5.3.2 Intercepting Packets

In this lab, you will learn to intercept packets. Wireshark is

a network analysis tool used for capturing packets. It

includes filters and other features which allow you to dig

into the network traffic and inspect every individual packet.

This lab introduced the concept of intercepting network packets

using packet-sniffing tools such as Wireshark. By capturing and

analyzing network traffic, users can identify potential security

risks and performance issues. Packet interception is an essential

skill for network security professionals tasked with monitoring

and safeguarding networks from unauthorized access and

vulnerabilities.

5.3.4 Obtaining ARP Cache and Getting Information

about DNS

In this lab, you will learn to obtain the Address Resolution

Protocol (ARP) cache and get information about Domain

Name System (DNS). The ARP is used to map an Internet

Protocol (IP) address to a physical address while DNS

resolves fully qualified domain names (FQDNs) to IP

addresses.

Users learned how to access the ARP cache, which maps IP

addresses to MAC addresses in a local network. The lab also

covered how to gather DNS settings, which help resolve

domain names into IP addresses. Both of these techniques are

important for diagnosing connectivity issues and ensuring

proper network communication between devices.

5.3.6 Getting TCP Settings and Information about the

Current Connection Statistics of TCP

In this lab, you will get the transmission control protocol

(TCP) settings. TCP settings are optimized for different

network conditions, including latency and congestion

In this lab, users explored how to examine the TCP settings and

connection statistics of active TCP connections. By monitoring

TCP statistics, such as retransmissions and packet loss,

administrators can assess the health of network connections and

identify potential performance issues. This knowledge is vital

for troubleshooting and maintaining network stability.

5.7.1 Using Burp Suite

In this lab, you will learn to perform session hijacking using

Burp Suite. Session hijacking is the exploitation of the

various web session control mechanisms, which is

normally used to manage a session token.

Burp Suite is a widely used tool for web application security

testing. This lab introduced users to intercepting and modifying

HTTP/HTTPS requests between a client and a server. By

identifying vulnerabilities such as cross-site scripting (XSS) and

SQL injection, security professionals can improve the security

of web applications and prevent exploitation

CIS502 – Performance Lab Report 2 Template – Due Week 6

otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

Lab

Key Lessons Learned

(No more than 3 to 5 sentences)

5.7.2 Performing ARP Spoofing

In this lab you will use arpspoof to execute a man-in-the-

middle attack. You will also use Wireshark to examin This

exercise demonstrated how ARP spoofing can be used to

intercept and manipulate network traffic. I gained a deeper

understanding of the risks associated with this attack and

how to defend against it in a real-world network

environment.

e the captured traffic.

The lab demonstrated how ARP spoofing can be used by

attackers to intercept and manipulate network traffic by sending

false ARP messages. Understanding ARP spoofing is critical for

identifying and mitigating local network security threats. This

knowledge is necessary for protecting networks against

unauthorized data interception.

Lesson 6

6.4.1 Creating ACL in Router

In this lab, you will create access control lists (ACL) in

router. Access control lists are ordered sets of rules that

control the traffic that is permitted or denied the use of a

path through the router. These rules can operate at Layer

3, making these decisions on the basis of IP addresses.

They can also operate at Layer 4, when only certain types

of traffic are allowed based on a TCP or UDP port number.

When this is done, the ACL will typically reference a port

number of the service or application that is allowed or

denied.

This lab provided insight into configuring Access Control Lists

(ACLs) on routers to filter traffic between different networks.

ACLs allow administrators to permit or deny specific traffic

based on criteria like IP addresses, protocols, or port numbers.

The ability to create and manage ACLs is fundamental for

securing networks and controlling access to sensitive resources.

CIS502 – Performance Lab Report 2 Template – Due Week 6

otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

Lab

Key Lessons Learned

(No more than 3 to 5 sentences)

Lesson 7

7.2.1 Observing an MD5-Generated Hash Value

In this lab, you will observe an MD5-generated hash value.

An MD5 hashing algorithm produces a 128-bit hash value

or digest value of an entire file. These hash values can be

used to check the file’s data integrity. When a user

downloads any file, an attacker can manipulate the file

data during the process of sending the file between sites.

MD5 gives authentication as to whether or not the file has

been manipulated.

The lab focused on generating MD5 hash values, which are

commonly used for data integrity checks. Although MD5 has

known vulnerabilities, it is still used in some non-critical

applications. Recognizing the limitations of MD5 and

understanding its weaknesses is crucial for designing secure

systems that rely on cryptographic functions.

7.2.2 Observe an SHA-Generated Hash Value

In this lab, you will observe a SHA-generated hash value.

The SHA-256 hashing algorithm produces 1-bit to 256-bit

hash values of the entire file. These hash values can be

used to check the file’s data integrity. When a user

downloads any file, an attacker can manipulate the file

data during the processing of sending the file between

sites. SHA-256 generates an almost-unique 256-bit (32-

byte) signature for a text.

This lab compared MD5 with the SHA family of hashing

algorithms, which offer stronger security. SHA produces longer

hash values, reducing the risk of collisions and providing better

protection for sensitive data. Understanding the differences

between MD5 and SHA helps security professionals choose the

appropriate hashing algorithm for specific use cases.

7.4.1 Applying Symmetric Key Encryption

In this lab, you will apply symmetric key encryption. This

process encrypts and decrypts the information using the

same secret key. You will encrypt a file using the AxCrypt

open-source encryption algorithm, which uses the AES

algorithm with 128-bit keys.

Users gained hands-on experience with symmetric key

encryption, where the same key is used to both encrypt and

decrypt data. While symmetric encryption is efficient, it

requires careful key management to prevent unauthorized

decryption. This encryption method is widely used for

securing communications, such as in VPNs and encrypted file

storage.

CIS502 – Performance Lab Report 2 Template – Due Week 6

otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

Lab

Key Lessons Learned

(No more than 3 to 5 sentences)

7.4.2 Using OpenSSL to Create a Public/Private Key

Pair

In this lab, you will use OpenSSL to create a public/private

key pair. OpenSSL is used for secure communication over

the network. It works on the exchange of public keys and

authentication by a private key.

In this lab, OpenSSL was used to generate a public/private key

pair for asymmetric encryption. The public key is used to

encrypt data, while the private key is used to decrypt it,

ensuring secure communication between parties. This concept

is foundational for many security protocols, including

SSL/TLS, which protect data transmitted over the internet.

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