Enterprise Network Hardening

The Challenge

A mid-sized financial services firm was operating with an outdated network architecture that had not undergone a formal security assessment in over three years. An initial audit revealed numerous vulnerabilities, including unpatched systems, weak access controls, and a lack of network segmentation, posing a significant risk of data breach and non-compliance with industry regulations.

The Solution

I led a multi-phase project to systematically harden the entire enterprise network. My approach involved:

• Conducting a thorough vulnerability assessment using Nessus and OpenVAS to establish a baseline.
• Developing and implementing a patch management policy to ensure all systems and software remained current.
• Re-architecting the network to introduce segmentation, creating a robust DMZ and isolating critical data assets.
• Implementing a new firewall and intrusion prevention system (IPS) with granular policies.
• Enforcing the principle of least privilege across all user accounts and service credentials.

The Outcome

The project was completed on time and under budget, resulting in a dramatic improvement in the company's security posture. Post-implementation scans confirmed the mitigation of over 50 unique, high-impact vulnerabilities. The new architecture not only secured the firm against immediate threats but also provided a scalable framework for future growth and simplified regulatory compliance audits.