Encryption for MSN Messenger (2 avoid sniffers)
1. We are working on a large LAN, which is not secure. People can use packet sniffers to check the data that is going from my PC to the proxy server and discover if the data requests include MSN communication. I need a method whereby the traffic being generated from my IP cannot be spoofed and sorted. In short, I need an encryption method. Please suggest something.
2. Secondly, people on the network are also using software that allows them to generate requests to the proxy server and make it seem as if the requests are generated from my IP. Its like virtually using my IP for sending requests to the proxy and getting the privileges that my IP has. Help.
Re: Encryption for MSN Messenger (2 avoid sniffers)
Quote:
Originally posted here by PakiBlue
1. We are working on a large LAN, which is not secure.
Sounds like your LAN needs an upgrade.
If you're using a large unswitched LAN, firstly you are going to have very poor performance, because a single transfer can "max out" the segment for everyone.
Secondly, as you've pointed out, it allows sniffing.
You say it's a "Large" LAN - care to qualify it?
I would say, that if you can't afford to upgrade the entire thing, buy a fast switch, and use it as a "backbone" for your servers, important users, and routers / proxies, and hang the other hubs off there. Then at least users won't be able to sniff stuff from other segments any more.
As far as IP address takeover is concerned, you could get a switch with built in ARP caching capabilities and add static ARP entries for your important IP addresses to prevent unauthorised use of that IP.
Alternatively, you could just note the MAC addresses of the boxes which are attempting to take over a privileged IP address and then just ban them from the switch - then the users would complain pretty fast and you'd find out who they were.
You could also reconfigure your proxy server to use authentication instead of IP-based security.
Slarty
