In this chapter, we have taken a look at the foundational network security concepts and components that form the strong base that's required for a secure network implementation. Post this, we took a step-by-step dive into the various phases of building network security, which are planning and analysis, designing, building, testing, and deployment. In the second half of this chapter, we looked at an optimal NOC setup and its various attributes, such as incident management, monitoring, escalation, and reporting. Lastly, we dug into network security assessments and discussed threat modeling.
By completing this chapter, you now understand that network security is a vast domain that requires a bottom-up approach if we wish to fully understand the minute mechanisms that make it tick. As a security professional, you must have good exposure to the fundamentals of the network and the models and frameworks explained in this chapter while, at the same time, be able to identify and remediate deep-seated technical issues. I highly recommend doing a foundational assessment of the network configuration and reviewing policies and procedures in place in order to incorporate security from the inside out.
In the next chapter, we will take a look at the security concepts of cloud environments and wireless networks. We will look at the major security concerns and the industry best practices that can be considered while building or assessing a cloud environment or wireless networks for an organization.