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Syllabus — Managing Secure Network Systems

Year I, Part II — MSNCS, IOE Pulchowk, Tribhuvan University. 4 credits.

Chapter 1 — Introduction to Network Security & Protocols (10 marks)​

  • 1.1 Overview of Network Security
  • 1.2 TCP/IP Protocol Suite and Security
  • 1.3 Secure Network Protocols: HTTPS, SSH, TLS/SSL
  • 1.4 SSL Certificates
  • 1.5 Security Goals: Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability
  • 1.6 Access Control, Authentication, Authorization
  • 1.7 Threat Landscape and Risk Management

Chapter 2 — Design, Implement & Manage VPNs (10 marks)​

  • 2.1 Virtual Private Network (VPN) Concepts and Technologies
  • 2.2 Tunnel Mode, Transparent Mode
  • 2.3 Site-to-Site (IPSec) and Remote Access VPNs
  • 2.4 IPsec, SSL, and MPLS VPNs
  • 2.5 Tunnelling with Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE)
  • 2.6 Interesting Traffic and Split Tunnelling

Chapter 3 — Firewalls and Perimeter Security (10 marks)​

  • 3.1 Types of Firewalls: Packet Filtering, Stateful Inspection, Application Layer
  • 3.2 Web Application Firewall, Email Security Gateways
  • 3.3 Firewall Architectures and Policies
  • 3.4 Concept of Core, Edge or Perimeter and DMZ Firewalls
  • 3.5 Objects, Policies and Directions, Egress, Ingress Policy Rules
  • 3.6 NAT and Virtual IP, Concepts and Use Cases
  • 3.7 Next Generation Firewalls (UTM, AV & IoT)

Chapter 4 — Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS) (8 marks)​

  • 4.1 Introduction to IDS and IPS
  • 4.2 Types of IDS/IPS, Inline and Promiscuous Model of Deployment
  • 4.3 Signature-Based vs. Anomaly-Based Detection
  • 4.4 IDS/IPS Deployment Strategies

Chapter 5 — Secured Wired and Wireless Network Systems and Architecture (10 marks)​

  • 5.1 Principles of Secure Network Design
  • 5.2 DMZ, VLANs, and Network Segmentation
  • 5.3 Secure Network Topologies
  • 5.4 WPA, WPA2, and WPA3 Security Protocols
  • 5.5 Securing Wireless Networks
  • 5.6 Two-Tiered and Three-Tiered Architecture
  • 5.7 Zero Trust Networks

Chapter 6 — Hardening Network Infrastructure (4 marks)​

  • 6.1 Applications of Hardening
  • 6.2 Configuration of Hardening
  • 6.3 Logging and Reporting
  • 6.4 Best Practices and Industry Standards

Chapter 7 — Concepts on Cloud Security and Virtualization (8 marks)​

  • 7.1 Introduction to Cloud Technology, Cloud Security, Risk Sharing Modality
  • 7.2 Virtualization Security, Audits and Compliance
  • 7.3 Securing Cloud Environments (AWS, Azure, GCP)
  • 7.4 Security Objects, Network Security Groups
  • 7.5 Datacenter Technologies, Design and Planning
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