Locking Down Network Connections Guide

By: John Scanlan, Published on Apr 23, 2019

Accidents and inside attacks are risks when network connections are not locked down. Security and video surveillance systems should be protected against such attacks and can be done with relatively low-cost means.

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Inside this guide, IPVM explains how they work and what the tradeoffs are. To do so, IPVM bought and tested these locking devices. 

We include 3 video demonstrations, reviewing the methods, demonstrating how they are used, and give our recommendations.

********* *** ****** ******* are ***** **** ******* connections *** *** ****** down. ******** *** ***** surveillance ******* ****** ** protected ******* **** ******* and *** ** **** with ********** ***-**** *****.

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****** **** *****, **** explains *** **** **** and **** *** ********* are. ** ** **, IPVM ****** *** ****** these ******* *******. 

** ******* * ***** demonstrations, ********* *** *******, demonstrating *** **** *** used, *** **** *** recommendations.

[***************]

Why **** ****

***** *** ******* ********** to ******* **** ******* on ************ ***********, *** example:

  • **** *** ******* ********* / ******* ********** *********** from ***** ******
  • ******* ***** / ********** devices **** ********** ** the ************ *******
  • **** *** **** ******** NVRs *** ******* ******** Ethernet *****, ** **** point ** ***** *** anyone **** ****** ** network *****
  • ****** ****** *** ** in ****** ********** *********, such ** ********** ** a "*******" **** ** a ******* ** **** simply ******* **** * bullet ** *** ****** cable ****, ********* ** tools *** *************

Summary / ********

***** *** *********** ***** common ***** ** **** and ***** ***** ********** to ** ***** *** security *******.

******* ***** ***** *** **** ** **** the ***** ***** ** the **** ****. **** slide **** *** ******* plug ** * ***** cable, ******** *** ******* tab, ** ** *** not ** ********* ** remove *** *****. **** locks ********** ******* *** entire *** ** ******* potential ********* ** ********, while ****** ***** ** exposed, *** ********** ** break ** ********* ****** most ** *** *** engaged ** *** ****, so *** ***** *** still *** ** *******.

**** **** ***** *** **** ** ******* access ** ***** *****. They *** **** ****** ports **** ** ******** or ***** ***** *****, extending * *** **** the **** ******* ** a ***** ***** *** locked ** ***** **** a *********** ***. **** are ********* *** *******, to ******* ********* **** gripping *** **** **** tools, **** ** ******, to ******* ** ****** it.

*** ****/***** *****: *** ***** ***** *** used ** **** **** USB ****** **** *** USB **** *.*. ******* a ***** **** ***** disconnected **** ** ***. They *** ********* ***** component ******* **** *** piece ******* **** *** 

*** **** ********* *** cable, **** ******* **** wraps *** ***** ******** both **** *****, *** USB *****, *** *** device. **** *** ****** use *** **** ** cut ** **** *** cable.

Vote / ****

Manufacturer *******

******** ************* ******* ***** cable *** **** *****, of ******* ******, ********* *******,***** ***,** ********, **********.

***** ******* ***** ****** in *****, **** ~$* USD *** *** ****** cost ** ~$** *** serialized ******* ******.

***-********** ****** ******** *********** ********** *** **** available.

Securing ***** ******

******* ***** ***** ******* a ********* **** *********** being *********** ** ************ disconnected. ***** ***** ***** the ******* *** ** it *** *** ** depressed ** ******* *** cable **** *** ****/****.

***** *** **** ********* in ***** ***** ****** may *** ****:

  • ***** *****:***** ***** ***** ****** will *** **** **** most ****** ***** ***** if *** **** **** be ******* *******, ** the *****/****** ******** ** manufacturers ****** ****** *** the ******* ****** ****** it.
  • ****** ***** ******:****** **** ****** ****** boots *** ***** *** lock **** ***** ********, forcing *** **** ** be ******* ** ******* to **** *** *****.
  • ****** ****** ********:*******, ***** *** ****** not *** ****** ****, bullet, ** ***** ****** housings, *** ** ***** constraints. *** *** **** in **** ***** ***** a ****** ****** *** be ******* **** *** dome *** ********, *** this **** ********** ************ time.

** *** ***** ***** we *********** *** ************ and *** ** * patch ***** **** *** these ******.

Securing ****** *****

***** ***** ***** ***** secure ****** ** ***, unused ***** *** **** be *******. *** ***** below ***** ** ******* of ***** ***** ******* plugs, ***** *** **** to ****** ****** ******** ports, *.*., ****, ********, mispans, **** *****, ***** panels, ** *** ***** female **** **********.

************, ***** *** **** port ***** ***** *** single ***. *** *******, the ******* **** **** (developed ** ************ **** the ** ******** ******** Agency) ***** **** *** port *** **** ** destroyed ** ****** **. Additionally, **** **** *** a ******* ****** ******, which *** ** *******, making ** ******* ** a **** *** **** removed ** ********. ** tested *** ******* *** RJ45 **** ***** ***** below.

PadJack SVE RJ45 Port Locks

** *** ***** ***** we *********** *** *** RJ45 **** ****, *** it ** *********, *** destroyed **** *******:

Securing *** ******

*******, ************ ****** *** also ** ******** ** connecting ******** ** * device *** *** *****. To ******** **** ****** USB **** ***** *** cable ***** *** ** used, ****** ** **** down ** ****** **** or ** ******* ** in-use ***** **** ***** removed.

** ******* * *** device **** ***** ******* or ***** ******* * USB **** *** ** used ** ****** *******, which *********** ******** ** a **** ***** ** plastic *** *********. ** the ***** ***** ** demonstrate ******** * ***** to ** *** ***** a******* *** ***** ****.

** ******** ** ********* devices **** ** ******** and ****, ****, *******, and ******* ******* **** likely **** * *** port ** ***** **** are *** ** ***. USB **** ***** ** port ******** *** ** used ** ******* ****** to *** **** *****, in * ******* *** that **** ******* ***** work.  ***** ***** ** a **** **** ** inserted **** * ****** USB ****, ****** ************ to ***** ******* *** key.  **** ***** ***** with ******** **** *** be **** ** ***** a **** ** *** ports **** *** ****.

USB Port Lock

Proprietary ******* *****: ****** ********, ***** ***********

***** ***** ******* *********** tools *** ********* ** security ** * *******. Some ***** *** ******** allen ** **** ****, or **** ***** **** blade ************, *** ** which *** **** ** come **, *** **** provide **** * ******* level ** ********. ***** may ***** ** ** use **** ********** ******* is * ****** ******* than ********.

*********** ******* ***** *** potentially * ******** ** using ***** *****. *** technicians *** *** ******* or ******* * ****** must ***** * **** with ****, ** **** will **** ** *** of ******** *** *****.

* **** *** ** left **** ******* ** site, ** ****, ** a **********, *** **** opens ** *** ****** to *********. *********** ***** are *********** ** **** and ******** **** **** the ***** ** ** additional ******.

No ***** *** ********** *********

* ***** ********** ******** will **** * *** to ****** ***** *****, though **** ******* * level ** ********** ******* less ************* ******* ** accidental *******. ** *** lock *****'* *** *********** tools, ** ** ****** enough ** ****** *** what ** ****** ** unlock **.

**** ** ** **** use *********** *****, ********, cutting ****, ** ******** may ***** ****** *** lock ********** *******, ****** will ******* **** ********** motions *** **** *********** tools. ** **** *** be ** **** ** ordering *** ******* ****. If *** **** *****, those ***** ******* ** gain ****** ** * given ***** *** **** a *** ** ****** cut ** *** **-********* it, ***** **** ** undetected ** **** ********.

*** ***** *******, ***** locks *** ***** *** recommended ** **** *** layer ** ******** ** provide * ******* ** deterrence *** *****.

******* Security *********

** ** ********* ** go ****** **** ******** security.  *** **** *********** on ******** ******** ****** check *** ***** ******* reports:

Comments (9)

Undisclosed #1

04/23/19 02:39pm

******* **** *******-**-***** ******** is ** ***** **** monitoring ** **** ******* switches ** ****** *** time * **** ***** up. **** *** **** detect ***** ******* ******* into *** *******, ** well ** ******* **** might ** ********. ** obviously ****** ** ******** for ***** **** *** connected ** ******* **** office ***, ** ***** equipment **** ** ******** to ***** ***** * lot, *** ***** *** generally *** *** ***** you *** ******* ***** for ***** *******, ** they *** ******* *** in *** ****.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 04/23/19 02:44pm

***** **** ********** ** your ******* ******** ** report *** **** * port ***** **

** *** ***** ****: *** **** *** ******: Network ********

Undisclosed #1

In reply to John Honovich | 04/23/19 03:04pm

****, ** ***'** ******* on *** *** *** kind ** ******* ******, you *** ******** *** from *** ***** ** worrying ***** (** ***** aware **) ****** **** advanced **** ******** **********.

***, ***** **** ** the *** ******.

Avatar

John Scanlan

IPVM | IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 04/23/19 05:02pm

****** **, *** *** those ********** ** **** information ****** *** ***** ************, we **** * ****** here.

Shannon Davis

TED Systems | 04/23/19 06:27pm

*** *** ***** **** would **** **** ***** years *** **** **** software ********* ******** * USB ******. *** ** looks **** * ***** drive ** ** **** be * ***** *****. Doh!

Ty Mullen

COR Security, Inc. | 04/23/19 08:30pm

** **** **** ***** for *** ***** **** and **** **** **** for *** ******** ***.

******** ***** ******** ****

Avatar

Jon Dillabaugh

Pro Focus LLC | 04/25/19 12:57pm

********** ******** ****** ****** ports ** * **** start, *** ******* *** ports ************** ** **** likely ** ***** ******. Using * ***** **** VLAN ** ****** ********* ports ** **** ** prefer ** **. **** system ***** ***’* ******* people **** ********** ******** patches, *** ** **** prevent ****** ** ****** ports.  

Avatar

John Scanlan

IPVM | IPVMU Certified | In reply to Jon Dillabaugh | 04/25/19 01:23pm

*** - **** ****** and ******, **** ****** be **** ** * larger **** *** *** we ***** *** '******* Security *********' *******. ** the ********** ****** ** review *** *********** ********* unused *********** ** **** as ***. * *** have ** *** ***** hole *****.

**** *** *** *** issues **** ***** ********** to ******** *** / move / ****** / work ******* ** *** a **** *****?

Avatar

Jon Dillabaugh

Pro Focus LLC | In reply to John Scanlan | 04/25/19 01:26pm

** ****** *** ** to ****. ***** **** Unifi ******** ***** **** really ****. ** *** check ****** ************** ******* with *** ******. **** changes ** ****** ***. 

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