14.2 Securing Cisco IOS Routers Checklist

CCNP RS 300-101, Securing Cisco Routers, Uncategorized

Here is the basic checklist for things you should consider for security of your IOS routers:

  • Setup and abide by a router security policy – identify the standards your organization adheres to and enforce compliance of that policy.
  • Use encrypted passwords – no passwords should be sent in plain text, and furthermore, use adequate encryption standards
  • Secure the access to the router using ACLs – lock down administration to a standard interface and enforce IP restriction using access-control lists on vty lines and console/auxiliary ports.
  • Use secure management protocols – management protocols should be encrypted, such as ssh and snmpv3.
  • Periodically backup configuration – make sure you have a backup and recovery strategy to limit the impact of device failure or compromise
  • Implement logging – standardize logging parameters, including timestamps for proper incident management and correlation, and implement an archiving solution for network logs
  • Disable unused services – unused services can be an attack vector, such as cdp. If you have no great need for them, disable them to reduce the attack surface.
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