Introduction to Vulnerabilities in the Technologies of Networked Storage :
The process of implementation of the NAS as well as the SAS is not such easy and this process is considered to be one the difficult aspect. The special type of approach called the DID is being utilized in order to reduce the different types of the risks by means of separating the storage layers of the networks into two different layers which will even specify the different types of vulnerabilities in it.
By making use of the DID approach the difficult exploitations of the NAS and SAN are being divided into four different types such as:
- The devices which are upon the storage network
- The data access
- The network connectivity
- The management access
The vulnerabilities that are present in the NAS and the SAN deployments are explained as follows:
The vulnerabilities of NAS
Layer 1 the devices on storage networks
The devices which are present in these layers will contain the different types of the filers or else the servers of NAS which are capable of sharing the different file systems within the total network or system. The different vulnerabilities within this layer are surrounded by OS upon the filer or else the server which involves:
- The access which not authorized because of the presence of the mechanisms which are having delicate authentication as well as the approvals. The best example for this is the utilization of the defaulting usernames as well as the passwords which are being configured upon the applications related to the NAS along with the authentication of weak username and the password.
- The different types of the security violations which are depended on the vulnerabilities which are published within the OS as well as the different services offered by means of the OS.
The Layer 2 data access
The data which is been stored within the NAS is distributed by making use of the different types of the file systems like the CIFS –common internet file system, the SMB-server message block as well as the NFS-network file system. The actual vulnerability within this process is the unauthorized authentication which is as follows:
- The CIFS share level authentication will utilize the single password for each and every share as well as the different passwords are being shared within the form of plain text that are more exposed to the vulnerabilities.
- The user level authentication of the CIFS which is depended on the LanMan is not secured in a proper way.
- The data loss because of the reliability as well as the presence of the different types of viruses, worms as well as the DoS –denial of service attacks
Layer 3 Network connectivity
As the entire applications of the NAS are totally based on IP which are more exposed to the different attacks such as the Denial of Service attacks and session hijacking and the IP spoofing which are even addicted towards the vulnerabilities that are based on IP.
Layer 4 management access:
The device administration, file systems as well as the stored data are happened to be the applications that belong to the management of NAS. There are different types of vulnerabilities such as:
- The unauthorized access to the systems by making use of the different types of the sniffing passwords because of the utilization of the protocols of clear text communication such as the telnet as well as the HTTP protocols for the access.
- The other types of the unauthorized access because of the presence of the mechanisms of weak authentication as well as authorization and the lack of the managing the authentication factors.
The vulnerabilities of SAN
Layer 1devices on the storage network
Even though the servers are been connected towards the SAN are capable of accessing the data which is stored on the devices of SAN there are some vulnerabilities that are as follows:
- The unauthorized access because of the presence of the weak authentication and the authorization of the schemes that belongs to the OS that are connected upon the servers.
- There are different types of security violations that are published within the OS along with its services offered based on the servers as well as the hosts.
Layer 2 data access
The significant data could be easily stored and secured in the SAN by making use of the different servers that are configured which are similar to that of the NAS applications. By this process the data can be easily accessed by the mail servers as well as the servers of the database. The unauthorized access because of the weakness within the CIFS shared levels along with the establishments of the user authentication levels. The data losses are happened because of the presence of the tolerant access towards the storage devices by making use of several types of hosts upon the SAM.
Layer 3 network connectivity
The different types of the devices related to the SAN are being associated by making use of the HBAs, the hubs, switches as well as the different fibre channel protocols. The SANs are happened to be more protective when they are having the network characteristics which are isolated. The unauthorized access because of the vulnerability of the fibre channel protocol. The vulnerability is because of the security violations which are not configured in a proper way and will utilize the different types of the default configurations.
Layer 4 – management access
Reducing vulnerabilities is the process of management of the different devices which belongs to the SAN. The main vulnerability is because of unauthorized access because of using the sniffing passwords and the access protocols that are not secured. This process is because of the lack of access control as well as the different types of auditing measures.