Project - Paradigm of Building Cyber-ops team from Square one

Project Case Study: Building Rivera's IT Team and Infrastructure

Rivera is a growing organization that requires the recruitment of a well-rounded IT team to cover essential roles such as server management, network administration, and cybersecurity. Below is a detailed case study based on the IT team's initial setup, infrastructure requirements, and troubleshooting steps.

Roles to Recruit for Rivera's IT Team:

1. Server Administrator: Responsible for creating and configuring servers (Windows/Linux), and ensuring proper communication between systems.
2. Network Analyst/Administrator: Tasked with managing the organization's network infrastructure.
3. Junior Security Analyst: Focused on monitoring and addressing security-related incidents.

Problem Statement:

Alex, a desktop engineer, has been assigned the task of configuring workstations and ensuring production readiness. He encounters various technical challenges that require both hardware and software solutions.

Case Study Breakdown:

1. Disk Wiping and Logical Drive Configuration:

Alex starts with legacy systems running Windows XP. Before these systems are repurposed, he needs to wipe the contents of the disk.

• Solution: Alex can use tools like DiskPart or a third-party disk wiping tool to securely erase all data on the disk.

He then needs to split the 1 TB disk into two logical drives.

• Solution: Using the Disk Management utility in Windows, Alex can shrink the volume and create two logical drives as needed.

Before proceeding, Alex notices that the disk is already split into three logical drives, which indicates that a MBR (Master Boot Record) partitioning scheme was used.

2. New System Configuration:

In the new systems, Alex is required to install and configure Windows 10 as a single logical drive.

• Solution: The appropriate file system to use here would be NTFS (New Technology File System), which is the standard for modern Windows systems.

3. Hardware Installation for Wired and Wireless Connectivity:

For workstations that require both wired and wireless network connectivity:

• Solution: Install both an Ethernet adapter for wired connections and a Wi-Fi adapter for wireless access.

4. Improving Server Performance:

Some servers need faster file transfers and improved boot performance via the SATA port.

• Solution: Alex can recommend installing SSD (Solid-State Drives), which will increase both booting speed and file transfer rates.

5. Network Attached Storage (NAS):

The IT team needs a central storage system that employees can access from any location.

• Solution: Implement Network Attached Storage (NAS) to serve as a single access point for file storage and collaboration.

Additionally, the team wants to combine several small disks into one large storage system.

• Solution: Use RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) technology to achieve this.

6. Fault Tolerance with Redundancy:

Although the organization has a limited budget, they still want to provide basic redundancy.

• Solution: Implement RAID 1, which mirrors data on two disks, providing redundancy without significant costs.

7. Configuring a Centralized Server:

Alex needs to configure a server to issue instructions to other computers and manage user access.

• Solution: He will configure a Domain Controller for Windows-based systems, ensuring central user authentication and management.

8. Automatic IP Address Assignment:

For automatic IP assignment, Alex needs to enable a protocol.

• Solution: Enable DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) on the server.

9. Restricting User Permissions:

To prevent unauthorized changes on client systems, such as IP configuration or software installation:

• Solution: Enable User Account Control (UAC), which requires admin approval for significant changes.

10. Slow Boot Issue:

If Alex notices slow boot times due to unnecessary startup applications:

• Solution: Use the Task Manager to manage startup programs and disable non-essential ones.

11. Disk Encryption:

For security, Alex needs to encrypt all disk drives to protect data in case of theft.

• Solution: Enable BitLocker for full-disk encryption.

To enable BitLocker, a TPM (Trusted Platform Module) is required.

For portable devices like USB drives, BitLocker To Go can be used for encryption.

12. Automating Tasks:

Alex wants to automate repetitive tasks across workstations.

• Solution: Use PowerShell scripts to automate tasks via the command line.

13. Fixing Corrupted Files:

In case of file corruption on certain workstations:

• Solution: Alex can run the chkdsk command to check for and repair disk errors.

14. Gathering System Information:

To fetch system-related information such as the hostname, OS name, and BIOS version:

• Solution: Use the systeminfo command.

15. Configuring Linux Servers:

Alex is tasked with building Linux servers for the development team.

• Solution: The ext4 file system is commonly used when installing the latest Linux OS.

To create new folders via Linux CLI, Alex can use the mkdir command.

To move a file to a new directory, the mv command is used, for example: mv abc.txt /home/project/org.

To compress a large file in Linux, Alex can use the gzip or tar commands.

16. Installing Applications in Linux:

Third-party applications are installed by default in the /usr/local/ path in Linux.

For applications like office suites or multimedia players, Alex can use package managers like apt or yum depending on the Linux distribution.

Logs generated by the servers are typically stored in the /var/log/ directory.

Network Architecture and Device Configuration:

Rivera’s network architect, Michael, is responsible for setting up the infrastructure.

1. First Line of Defense:

Michael needs to direct all incoming traffic and act as the first line of defense.

• Solution: Deploy a Firewall to filter and protect the network from external threats.

For simple packet inspection, a Stateful Firewall can be used, which checks packet headers such as IP addresses and ports.

To manage traffic and provide internet connectivity to multiple devices:

• Solution: Use a Router for directing data packets to their intended IP addresses.

For optimizing bandwidth and connecting similar devices, Michael can install a Switch.

To forward data packets based on MAC addresses, use a Layer 2 Switch.

For plug-and-play functionality, a basic unmanaged switch is suitable.

For wireless connectivity, Wi-Fi technology is used, and to achieve speeds over 50 Mbps, 5 GHz band is preferred.

For projecting Wi-Fi to a specific area, Michael can recommend using a Wi-Fi Access Point. To extend Wi-Fi signals without an Ethernet cable, a Wi-Fi Range Extender is suitable.