Protect Internal Networks from Internet Exposure

Protect Internal Networks from Internet Exposure

This article explains a common misconfiguration with serious security implications. The Split Tunneling feature of VPN clients leaves them connected to the Internet while accessing internal networks. This conduit exposes internal systems to hackers, viruses and other malware.

By disabling Split Tunneling, the VPN client switches default gateways from the external ISP router to the VPN interface on the internal network. The encrypted tunnel between the client workstation and the internal network is the only network connection that remains.

Network administrators should force this configuration and lock all clients so it cannot be altered.

Kind regards,

Gideon

Gideon T. Rasmussen
CISSP, CISA, CISM, SCSA
Charlotte, NC
gideon@...

http://www.ussecurityawareness.org
http://www.gideonrasmussen.com

http://www.cramsession.com/articles/files/vpn-clients-and-split-tun-9172003-1220.asp

Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 5:00 am