Implementing Extranets: The Internet as a Virtual Private Network
How to lay the groundwork for extranet applications.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Implementing Extranets: The Internet as a Virtual Private Network
Chapter 6: Extranet Security
Chapter Objectives
The objective of this chapter is to discuss the major security challenges and problems of extranets and possible solutions to these security problems. Security is a function of policy and management as well as of technology; thus, this chapter more than any other in this book is a combined management and technology discussion.
Specifically, this chapter explores:
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Increasingly widespread social concerns with the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information.
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The meaning of the words "extranet security."
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Examples of extranet information security policy guidelines and of extranet information security actions in light of the security, management, and administration challenges of personal web sites.
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Authentication with passwords or pass phrases, token cards, and biometric devices.
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Cryptographic solutions to the extranet security challenge.
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Firewall solutions to the extranet security challenge.
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Architectural and tunneling tradeoffs required to overcome the extranet security challenge.
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Some ethical and product solutions to the extranet security challenge.
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Example of a product solution.
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A summary of solutions for extranet security.
As you can probably guess from reading this list of chapter objectives, solving the extranet security puzzle requires a mixture of social, managerial, policy, and technology actions. I should point out up front that I believe that many of the security and privacy problems presented by extranets have been solved. Strong encryption and authentication techniques can be used to make extranets very secure indeed. It is in fact possible to track customers and gather marketing data over an extranet without enraging and offending all of your business partners,...
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